Big Upside Potential for Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ARIA)

October 3, 2014

Dr. Y. Katherine Xu, Analyst with William Blair & Co., says Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ARIA) has the potential for 100% upside from current levels. She says the stock is being ignored by investors because its leukemia drug, Iclusig, was suspended from marketing because of safety issues, but has now been relaunched with some safety precautions.

“People felt that it was a tainted story,” Xu says. “But I think, in the end, this is the most potent drug for this particular leukemia, and after patients failed all the other therapies, the patients will come to this drug, and then with good management of side effects and effective dosage reduction, this drug should be used in most patients and make a difference.”

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Xu says she thinks Ariad’s sales from Iclusig could peak at $700 million. Since the stock has been ignored for quite some time, she says now is a good time to enter.

“Since the relaunch, a lot of doctors have been using the drug at lower doses, and it seems to be fine,” Xu says. “It’s basically about informing the market and practitioners and patients well about the safety profile and how to manage the adverse events. And then eventually, if you talk to doctors, they’re like well, after patients fail all the other therapies, this is the only option.”