Leerink starts Maze Therapeutics stock with Outperform rating

Published 25/02/2025, 13:20
Leerink starts Maze Therapeutics stock with Outperform rating

Tuesday, Leerink Partners began coverage on Maze Therapeutics shares (NASDAQ:MAZE), currently trading at $10.82 with a market capitalization of $525 million, assigning an Outperform rating and a price target of $28.00. According to InvestingPro data, analyst price targets range from $19 to $30, suggesting significant upside potential from current levels. The firm highlighted the biotech company’s focus on developing precision medicines for renal, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases using its proprietary Compass platform. This platform enables the identification and characterization of genetic variants linked to biological pathways driving diseases. The company maintains strong financial health with a current ratio of 8.77, indicating ample liquidity to fund its research and development efforts.

Maze Therapeutics’ leading drug candidate, MZE829, is an oral inhibitor designed to treat APOL1 kidney disease (AKD). Leerink Partners noted that MZE829 has shown best-in-class potential in its preclinical and early clinical trials. The firm’s analysts are optimistic about the drug’s market prospects, given the over 1 million AKD patients in the United States, and project risk-adjusted gross peak sales of approximately $2.5 billion, with a 50% probability of success.

Additionally, the company’s secondary program, MZE782, targets chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is being developed for patients who do not respond adequately to standard-of-care therapies. Leerink Partners estimates risk-adjusted gross peak sales of around $1.8 billion for MZE782 in the CKD market. Despite recent share price weakness, with the stock down 15.4% in the past week and trading near its 52-week low of $10.66, the company maintains a healthy financial profile with moderate debt levels.

Maze has also licensed out MZE001, a treatment for Pompe disease, to Shionogi. While not rated by Leerink, the licensing of MZE001 indicates the breadth of Maze’s drug development platform.

The firm’s analysts believe that Maze Therapeutics is a compelling investment due to its validated drug discovery platform, a pipeline of clinical-stage assets, and focus on areas with significant unmet medical needs. With several key milestones expected in the next year, including initial Phase 1 data for MZE782 in the second half of 2025 and proof-of-concept data for MZE829 in the first quarter of 2026, Leerink Partners anticipates the company’s stock to rise over the next 12 months. InvestingPro analysis reveals 7 additional investment tips and extensive financial metrics that could help investors make more informed decisions about MAZE stock.

In other recent news, Maze Therapeutics has made significant strides with its drug development programs. The company has initiated a Phase 2 trial for MZE829, an oral APOL1 inhibitor aimed at treating APOL1 kidney disease (AKD). This trial, known as the HORIZON Study, seeks to address the needs of over one million U.S. patients with this chronic condition. Additionally, Maze Therapeutics launched its initial public offering (IPO), pricing shares at $16.00 each, with trading commencing at $16.12 on the Nasdaq Global Market.

Analyst firms have shown interest in Maze Therapeutics, with Cowen initiating coverage with a Buy rating, citing the promising potential of MZE829 and MZE782. Guggenheim also initiated coverage with a Buy rating and a price target of $19.00, highlighting the company’s Compass platform and its potential market impact. Meanwhile, JPMorgan set an Overweight rating with a $30.00 price target, emphasizing the significance of MZE829’s ongoing Phase 2 trial. The investment community is closely watching Maze Therapeutics, as analysts from these firms express confidence in the company’s drug candidates and their potential to address significant unmet medical needs.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers
© 2007-2025 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.