UBS analyst Matthew Roden double upgraded shares of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN) to Buy from Sell after his firm's PCSK9 survey of 50 doctors. The survey suggested upside to consensus estimates for Regeneron's PCSK9 inhibitor Praluent, Roden tells investors in a research note. The risk/reward is more favorable following the stock's 14% decline since Regeneron reported Q2 results, Roden adds. He keeps a $565 price target for shares. Regeneron closed Friday down $8.52 to $499.99. Roden also upgraded Amgen (AMGN) this morning to Buy following the PCSK9 survey.

Amgen announced the imminent submission of a Marketing Authorization Application, or MAA, to the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, for teprotumumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody and targeted inhibitor of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor, or IGF-1R, for the treatment of moderate to severe Thyroid Eye Disease, or TED, in adults. TED is a serious, progressive, debilitating and potentially vision-threatening autoimmune disease that can cause proptosis, diplopia, eye pain, redness and swelling.1 If approved, teprotumumab would be the first and only medicine approved for TED in the European Union. The MAA is supported by multiple well-controlled clinical studies - a Phase 2 clinical study NCT01868997, Phase 3 confirmatory clinical study OPTIC NCT03298867, a Phase 4 study NCT04583735, and a Phase 3 clinical trial in Japan OPTIC-J, jRCT2031210453 - providing statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements across multiple facets of TED, including in proptosis and diplopia, among the 287 total patients studied. Additionally, the studies assessed TED signs and symptoms such as pain, inflammation, redness and functional vision. Clinical improvements were seen in proptosis as early as six weeks, with continued improvement across the 24-week treatment period.2 Teprotumumab has a well-established safety profile.

Oppenheimer analyst Hartaj Singh raised the firm's price target on Regeneron to $1,175 from $1,125 and keeps an Outperform rating on the shares ahead of the Q1 earnings report on May 2. Oppenheimer believes the areas of focus will be the status and dynamics of the Eylea High Dose launch, questions around the impending Dupixent COPD PDUFA, the status of the two oncology approvals expected in 2024, updates on various pipeline projects in immunology and oncology, and comments on capital allocation and financial planning by the new CFO at the company.