Thursday, December 15, 2016

An AIM Equity Holding: Achaogen (ticker: AKAO) Increased More Than 200% This Week!

 Achaogen’s (AKAO) stock price soared earlier this week
  
On September 9, 2016, Andrew Szyman (AIM student) pitched Achaogen, Inc. (ticker: AKAO). The stock was added to the AIM Equity Fund the following week.

Image result for Achaogen logo google image

The firm is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercializes antibacterials to treat multi-drug resistant (MDR) gram-negative infections in the United States. The company is principally developing plazomicin, which is in Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of serious bacterial infections due to MDR Enterobacteriaceae, including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. 

Andrew wrote, “Achaogen has the potential to leverage plazomicin’s superiority to current medical treatments for many years to come as the drug has demonstrated potential to penetrate a high unmet medical need with a growing patient population, strong physician interest, and a capability to lower direct healthcare costs. Due to the aforementioned, it is recommended that AKAO be added to the AIM Micro-Cap Fund at a target price of $6.07, yielding an upside of 40%.” Nice call!




His recommendation was correct – this week the stock rose from about $5 to $15 per share. On Monday, Needham & Company upgraded Achaogen from Hold to Buy with a price target of $19. There has also been substantial interest in the stock as a possible takeover candidate – and the firm also reported some Phase 3 that data were overwhelmingly positive - pushing the company towards additional regulatory filings and hopefully eventual approvals.