Abivax

ABVX

Market cap $8.94B

Abivax's leading candidate could be a breakthrough treatment in ulcerative colitis. The medicine will likely target several other immunology conditions as well.

Abivax Presents First Evidence of Anti-Fibrotic Activity for Obefazimod Alongside New Clinical Efficacy and Safety Analyses in Inflammatory Bowel Disease at ECCO 2026

Class A shares of the Alger Mid Cap Growth Fund outperformed the Russell Midcap Growth Index during the fourth quarter of 2025. Cidara Therapeutics, Inc., Natera, Inc., and Abivax were among the top contributors to performance. Roblox Corp. Class A, e.l.f. Beauty, Inc., and Nebius Group were among the top detractors from performance.

Eli Lilly set the bar high, and it will be hard for other drugmakers to match its performance. Viking Therapeutics and Abivax are developing promising candidates.

AbbVie is a well-established drugmaker with fast-growing immunology products and a solid dividend program. Abivax could challenge pharmaceutical giants like AbbVie in a niche of the immunology market.

From a sector perspective, strength within Industrials and Information Technology offset relative weakness in Health Care. The October earnings report reinforced confidence in Comfort Systems' ability to convert a strong backlog and increasingly sophisticated project mix into sustained earnings growth. We did not make any adjustments to the position and continue to believe that the market opportunity remains robust.

Abivax Chief Executive Marc de Garidel dismissed as "noise" reports in the French press that pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly may take over his company, and said market speculation about an ongoing review by French authorities was inconsistent with how French foreign-investment oversight works.

Abivax has a potential transformative medicine in its pipeline that is attracting attention from other drugmakers. If the biotech gets acquired this year, its shares could soar.

Abivax (ABVX) remains a Buy, driven by obefazimod's strong UC data and significant multi-billion dollar market potential. ABVX is a credible M&A target, with Eli Lilly and other pharma giants rumored as potential acquirers, but fundamentals—not acquisition hopes—should drive investment decisions. Key 2026 catalysts include Phase 3 UC maintenance topline data, potential NDA/MAA filings, and Phase 2B Crohn's disease results.

France's finance ministry has received no request seeking investment approval in Abivax and has had no contact with Eli Lilly , a ministry official said on Monday, following media reports that the U.S. pharma giant was still interested in buying the French biotech firm.