Trial delays eyed for Compass Pathways—RBC still sees long-term promise on stock

Published 01/11/2024, 12:00
Trial delays eyed for Compass Pathways—RBC still sees long-term promise on stock

On Friday, RBC Capital Markets adjusted its outlook on Compass Pathways (NASDAQ:CMPS) stock, a mental health care company specializing in psychedelic therapy. The firm lowered its price target on the company's shares to $18 from the previous target of $23 while maintaining an Outperform rating.

Compass Pathways reported its third-quarter earnings for 2024 earlier today, which led to a discussion between RBC analysts and the company's management for further insights. The company has experienced delays in the progress of its phase III clinical trials. Despite these setbacks, RBC Capital maintains a positive outlook on the company's prospects, citing a 70% probability of success (PoS) for its trials.

The delays, according to RBC, are not indicative of the demand for Compass Pathways' product or its potential market success upon commercial launch. The firm believes that the delays could actually benefit the company by strengthening its regulatory submission package, especially for its COMP006 trial.

RBC Capital highlights that Compass Pathways has a significant market opportunity, potentially exceeding $1 billion, in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) for its COMP360 therapy. The firm's analysts argue that the current share prices do not fully reflect the potential for clinical success and the anticipated demand for psychedelic treatments.

In light of these factors, even after adjusting for the trial timing delays, RBC Capital sees considerable upside for Compass Pathways. The new price target of $18 reflects this adjusted but still optimistic assessment of the company's future performance.

In other recent news, COMPASS Pathways has reported delays in the anticipated release of its COMP360 trial data, which is now expected in Q2 2025 for COMP005 and the second half of 2026 for COMP006. The company has also announced a workforce reduction of approximately 30% and a halt to non-COMP360 preclinical efforts. These recent developments are part of the company's financial and operational adjustments to focus on the development of COMP360, a potential treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD).

Despite a $13.6 million R&D tax credit, the cash burn for Q3 was $35.8 million, indicating a substantial cash outflow. However, COMPASS Pathways remains committed to the successful launch and commercial viability of COMP360, with data from over 1,000 patients expected from ongoing trials. The company is also preparing for the launch of COMP360 by ensuring delivery centers are ready and compliant with billing codes and regulations.

Analysts from the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board are currently assessing trial imbalances, with data from both COMP005 and COMP006 trials necessary for the NDA submission. Despite these challenges, COMPASS Pathways continues its efforts to bring this potential treatment to market.

InvestingPro Insights

Recent data from InvestingPro sheds additional light on Compass Pathways' (NASDAQ:CMPS) financial situation and market performance, providing context to RBC Capital's analysis. The company's market capitalization stands at $325.53 million, reflecting its current valuation in the biotech sector.

InvestingPro Tips highlight that Compass Pathways holds more cash than debt on its balance sheet, which could be crucial for funding its ongoing clinical trials and weathering potential delays. This aligns with RBC's view that the company can manage the extended timeline for its phase III trials.

However, the stock has taken a significant hit recently, with a 24.2% decline in the past week and a 20.13% drop over the last month. This volatility, as noted by another InvestingPro Tip, may reflect market reactions to the trial delays and earnings report mentioned in the article.

Despite these short-term challenges, analysts maintain a positive long-term outlook. The InvestingPro Fair Value for CMPS is estimated at $6.03, while the Fair Value based on analyst targets is significantly higher at $23, aligning more closely with RBC's adjusted price target of $18.

For investors seeking a deeper understanding of Compass Pathways' potential, InvestingPro offers 8 additional tips that could provide valuable insights into the company's financial health and market position.

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

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