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Needham analyst Alan Carr identified Acadia Pharmaceuticals and Neurocrine Biosciences as potential takeover targets among biotech firms, Investor's Business Daily reported Friday.
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"There remains a consistent bias for later-stage companies," Carr remarked, adding "we continue to believe the main driver is the overlap in the supply of biotech companies with lower-risk assets and the disease focus strategy of pharma and big biotech."
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The analyst noted that among 22 potential suitors, 18 have interest in immunotherapy-focused firms, while 17 are seeking companies with central nervous system assets.
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Acadia markets the Parkinson's disease psychosis therapy Nuplazid, while Nuerocrine markets Ingrezza for tardive dyskinesia.
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Carr said that Intercept Pharmaceuticals, which markets the liver disease therapy Ocaliva, could also be targeted in a takeover.
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The analyst explained that of 58 biotechs to be acquired over the last five years, more than half had approved drugs, while 74 percent had generated late-stage data.
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