Peanut Allergy-Focused Biotech May Strike Magic in Orlando

(Bloomberg) -- Aimmune Therapeutics Inc. is hoping to disrupt the potential multibillion dollar allergy desensitization market by taking advantage of competitor DBV Technologies SA’s failure in an important test.

The Brisbane, California-based biopharmaceutical company is “looking for magic in Orlando” when it presents additional results from a pivotal study of its peanut allergy therapy at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual meeting on Sunday, Cantor Fitzgerald analyst William Tanner wrote in a note to clients. The full safety profile could be “just what the doctor ordered,” and the details should reinforce its safety and efficacy. Shares of DBV Technologies , maker of the Viaskin skin patch that would compete with Aimmune’s AR101, may react next week.

Aimmune shares have slipped about 9 percent since unveiling a first look at the data on February 20 as investors studied the results and possibly booked some profits. But its shares may be primed to rally, maybe as early as Monday, as investors are able to “better appreciate the strength” of the data, Credit Suisse analyst Vamil Divan wrote in a February 26 note.

--With assistance from Cristin Flanagan

To contact the reporter on this story: Bailey Lipschultz in New York at blipschultz@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Arie Shapira at ashapira3@bloomberg.net, Scott Schnipper

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