CNTA

Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ:CNTA) is one of the best 52-week high stocks to buy right now. On December 1, B. Riley boosted its price target on Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ:CNTA) to $42 from $33 and reiterated its Buy rating after impressive Phase 2 data for ORX750. The CRYSTAL-1 study showed strong wake-promoting effects at much lower doses than competing drugs, with meaningful benefits in narcolepsy type 2 and idiopathic hypersomnia: including an 87% drop in cataplexy episodes, and a clean safety profile. Analysts pointed to Centessa’s potential lead over other developers, rising investor support, and a growing market for orexin-based therapies, especially as the Alkermes-Avadel merger highlights momentum in the space ahead of expected launches starting in 2026. Previously on November 18, analysts at Guggenheim lifted their price target of the stock to $43 from $28 while reiterating a Buy rating. The price target hike follows the company’s topline results from its ORX750 CRYSTAL-1 Phase 2a study. According to Guggenheim, Centessa remains well-positioned to advance ORX750 in pivotal trials following an equity financing that raised $619 million in pro forma cash. Development of the candidate drug could expand its addressable market by targeting neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ:CNTA) is a pharmaceutical company that discovers and develops transformational medicines for patients with high unmet needs. Its key programs include a hemophilia program, an orexin agonist program for sleep-wake disorders like narcolepsy, and an immune-oncology program. While we acknowledge the potential of CNTA as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: Top 10 Materials Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and 10 Best Organic Food and Farming Stocks to Buy Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.

ORX750: Demonstrated potential best-in-class profile for treatment of narcolepsy type 1 (NT1), narcolepsy type 2 (NT2), and idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) in initial cohorts of ongoing Phase 2a study; Data mark first robust demonstration of oral OX2R agonist addressing wakefulness needs of patients across all three indications; Expect to initiate registrational program in Q1 2026 ORX142: Phase 1 data support highly differentiated profile; Expect to initiate patient studies in Q1 2026 ORX489: Advancing in IND-enabling studies; Expect to initiate clinical studies in Q1 2026 BOSTON and LONDON, Nov. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: CNTA), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, today reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2025 and provided an update on its OX2R agonist program, including Phase 2a data1 from the initial dosing cohorts within the ongoing CRYSTAL-1 study of ORX750 in NT1, NT2 and IH participants, and Phase 1 data2 from the ongoing study of ORX142 in healthy volunteers. “We are thrilled to share significant progress marked by clinical data from our growing OX2R agonist program,” said Saurabh Saha MD PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Centessa. “Based on today’s update, ORX750 continues to stand out as a potential best-in-class OX2R agonist for the treatment of NT1, NT2 and IH, and potentially as the first OX2R agonist to treat NT2 and IH. Within the Phase 2a’s initial cohorts at low doses for all three indications, ORX750 achieved statistically significant, clinically meaningful and dose-dependent results across key measures, including the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and Weekly Cataplexy Rate (WCR). Underpinning these data is a generally favorable safety and tolerability profile observed across the study1. These data signal a potentially wide therapeutic window for ORX750 and provide strong mechanistic rationale supporting the potential to further enhance efficacy and dosing flexibility within ongoing dose-escalation cohorts. Given enrollment momentum across these cohorts, we expect to initiate the registrational program for ORX750 in Q1 2026.” Dr. Saha continued, “We are equally excited by the progress of ORX142, where Phase 1 data2 in healthy volunteers demonstrated a highly differentiated profile characterized by high potency and selectivity, rapi...

Advancing a broad, potential best-in-class orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonist franchise, with key data readouts expected this year ORX750 Phase 2a CRYSTAL-1 study for the treatment of narcolepsy type 1 (NT1), narcolepsy type 2 (NT2) and idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) on track with data expected in all three indications this year with first-in-class potential in NT2 and IH ORX142 Phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of select neurological and neurodegenerative disorders underway with data in acutely sleep-deprived healthy volunteers expected this year ORX489 in IND-enabling studies for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders BOSTON and LONDON, Aug. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: CNTA), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, today reported financial results and business highlights for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025. “As clinical validation of the orexin agonist class continues to grow, we believe Centessa is well positioned with a novel potential best-in-class OX2R agonist pipeline aimed at redefining the standard of care. This includes not only restoring normal wakefulness to meet the real-world needs of individuals with sleep-wake disorders, but also potentially addressing comorbidities such as excessive daytime sleepiness, impaired attention, cognitive deficits and fatigue across a range of neurological, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric conditions where there is unmet need,” said Saurabh Saha MD PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Centessa. Dr. Saha continued, “ORX750, our most advanced OX2R agonist drug candidate, is progressing in an adaptive Phase 2a study that incorporates real-time drug development strategies aimed at optimizing dosing and best positioning ORX750 for planned registrational studies. This innovative approach continues to build our confidence in ORX750’s potential to be a best-in-class OX2R agonist for the treatment of NT1, NT2 and IH, and potentially the first OX2R agonist to treat NT2 and IH. Our top priority remains the successful execution of the Phase 2a study, and we look forward to sharing data for ORX750 in all three indications this year.” “In parallel, we recently initiated clinical development of ORX142, our second OX2R agonist drug candidate, with data in acutely sleep-deprived healthy volunteers also expected this year. With two programs advancing toward key clinical mileston...

Advancing a broad, potential best-in-class orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonist franchise, with key data readouts expected this year ORX750 Phase 2a CRYSTAL-1 study for the treatment of narcolepsy type 1 (NT1), narcolepsy type 2 (NT2) and idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) on track with data expected across all three indications this year with first-in-class potential in NT2 and IH ORX142 on track to initiate first-in-human studies for the treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders with clinical data in acutely sleep-deprived healthy volunteers planned for this year ORX489 advancing in IND-enabling studies for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders BOSTON and LONDON, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: CNTA), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, today reported financial results and business highlights for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025. “This was a productive quarter for Centessa, marked by steady progress across our OX2R agonist pipeline,” said Saurabh Saha MD PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Centessa. “The orexin pathway represents a promising new frontier in neuroscience, with the potential to address not only sleep-wake disorders, but also excessive daytime sleepiness in a broad spectrum of neurological, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders, as well as impaired attention, cognitive deficits and fatigue.” Dr. Saha continued, “We are excited to be at the forefront of developing OX2R agonists starting with ORX750, our most advanced OX2R agonist for the treatment of NT1, NT2 and IH. ORX750 is progressing in the Phase 2a CRYSTAL-1 study and is on track with patient data expected across all three indications this year. Given the unmet patient need for new treatment options, the team is intensely focused on execution to carry this momentum forward into registrational studies, as quickly as possible.” “In parallel, we continue to advance our pipeline of potential first-in-class follow-up OX2R agonists for the treatment of neurological, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. More specifically, we are on track to initiate first-in-human studies of ORX142 with clinical data in acutely sleep-deprived healthy volunteers planned for this year. With multiple data readouts expected across our OX2R agonist pipeline, we believe this will be another transformative year for Centessa and for the OX...

Advancing a broad, potential best-in-class orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonist franchise with key data readouts expected in 2025 ORX750 Phase 2a CRYSTAL-1 study for the treatment of narcolepsy type 1 (NT1), narcolepsy type 2 (NT2) and idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) well underway and on track with data expected across all three indications in 2025 with first-in-class potential in NT2 and IH ORX142 in IND-enabling studies for the treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders; Clinical data in acutely sleep-deprived healthy volunteers planned for 2025 ORX489 in IND-enabling studies for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders BOSTON and LONDON, March 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: CNTA), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, today reported recent business highlights and financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year ended December 31, 2024. “Centessa is proud to be at the forefront of developing OX2R agonists, a groundbreaking new drug class with the potential to transform the standard of care for patients across multiple therapeutic areas,” said Saurabh Saha MD PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Centessa. “Our team’s drug optimization techniques have enabled a growing pipeline of novel, potential best-in-class OX2R agonists aimed at restoring normative wakefulness for individuals living with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in neurological, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders, and potentially addressing other key symptoms such as impaired attention, cognitive deficits and fatigue.” Dr. Saha continued, “Our most advanced OX2R agonist, ORX750, is progressing in the Phase 2a CRYSTAL-1 study for the treatment of NT1, NT2 and IH, and is on track with data expected across all three indications this year. Data from the Phase 1 study of ORX750 showed compelling activity in acutely sleep-deprived healthy volunteers at low doses with a favorable initial safety and tolerability profile. Based on the strength of these data, we believe ORX750 has the potential to be best-in-class and to enable the full range of doses required to meet the needs of patients living with NT1, NT2 and IH. We look forward to sharing data this year and expect the Phase 2a study to enable dose selection for future registrational studies of ORX750.” Dr. Saha concluded, “In addition to the transformational potential of ORX750 for in...