Abivax (AO) | Buy | Oversubscribed USD800m financing, strategic thesis unchanged

Research evidence excerpt

Abivax (AO) | Buy | Oversubscribed USD800m financing, strategic thesis unchanged

tenance readout that it intended to strengthen the balance sheet should

market conditions become supportive. Following the more muted-than-expected market reaction after Part 1, those plans were

effectively put on hold. Monday's highly positive Part 2 update fundamentally changed that backdrop, creating an attractive

financing window that management chose to seize.

The transaction itself sends a constructive signal. The offering was increased from USD600m to USD800m and described as

oversubscribed, while pricing was achieved at a 2.4% premium to the three-day Euronext VWAP. Although this still represents a

modest c.6% discount to yesterday's Nasdaq closing price, we view the pricing outcome as particularly strong given both the size

of the transaction and the sharp post-data rally.

Financial strength reinforces the strategic case

With cash runway now extending into Q2 2029, management can now credibly pursue a standalone US commercial strategy if

necessary, significantly strengthening its negotiating position in any future partnership or acquisition discussions. We therefore

do not believe today's financing weakens the strategic rationale for a transaction. On the contrary, management can now

negotiate from a position of financial strength rather than financial necessity, while obefazimod continues to exhibit what we

believe are rare strategic attributes: best-in-disease efficacy, a substantially de-risked safety profile and blockbuster commercial

potential. More broadly, we continue to believe obefazimod represents one of the most attractive late-stage assets in

immunology at a time when large pharmaceutical companies remain actively searching for meaningful growth drivers.