What's Happening With French Biotech Abivax Stock On Wednesday?

Core Viewpoint - Abivax SA's stock is experiencing significant upward momentum due to speculation regarding a potential acquisition by Eli Lilly and Co, with the stock price having surged over 1,500% in the past six months [2][3]. Group 1: Stock Performance - Abivax stock is currently trading at $128.30, reflecting a 4.28% increase on the day of publication [6]. - The stock has shown explosive growth, driven by takeover speculation, particularly in light of Eli Lilly's recent activities in the pharmaceutical market [2][3]. Group 2: Clinical Developments - Abivax achieved a major milestone with its experimental treatment obefazimod, which demonstrated impressive efficacy in Phase 3 trials for patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis [3]. - Additional clinical data presented at the United European Gastroenterology Meeting indicated that obefazimod 50mg led to clinically meaningful improvements across all subgroups in the pooled ABTECT 1 & 2 trials [4]. Group 3: Market Context - Eli Lilly's recent issuance of a 40-year bond has sparked speculation about potential acquisitions, with Abivax being a notable target alongside other companies like Viking Therapeutics [4]. - Eli Lilly's acquisition of Verve Group SE for approximately $1 billion, with potential total consideration reaching up to $1.3 billion, highlights the company's active pursuit of strategic acquisitions in the biotech space [5].