Promising Efficacy of Bicara Therapeutics’ Ficera in Combination with Pembro for HPV-Negative HNSCC Justifies Buy Rating

Analyst Judah Frommer from Morgan Stanley maintained a Buy rating on Bicara Therapeutics Inc. (BCAX – Research Report) and keeping the price target at $36.00.

Judah Frommer has given his Buy rating due to a combination of factors that highlight the promising potential of Bicara Therapeutics’ lead asset, ficera, in combination with pembro for treating HPV-negative HNSCC patients. The recent data update from the Phase 1b trial shows that ficera, when used with pembro, has achieved a median overall survival (mOS) of 21.3 months and a 2-year overall survival rate of 46%. These results are particularly noteworthy as they surpass the historical controls in HPV-negative patients, which typically show a median overall survival of around 9 months.
Furthermore, the combination therapy demonstrated a disease control rate of 89%, with a significant portion of responders experiencing deep tumor shrinkage. This deep response is associated with improved duration of response, progression-free survival, and overall survival. The safety profile of the combination remains consistent with previous reports, despite a new treatment-related case of grade 4 pericarditis. Overall, these efficacy and safety outcomes position ficera as a differentiated and potentially superior option compared to the current standard of care, justifying the Buy rating.

Frommer covers the Healthcare sector, focusing on stocks such as Galapagos, Bicara Therapeutics Inc., and RegenXBio. According to TipRanks, Frommer has an average return of -6.4% and a 43.98% success rate on recommended stocks.