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Andrew Willis: Investors were very generous and risk-seeking up until late last year when we saw speculative investments take the brunt of a broad equity decline, as they often do. This was around the same time that rumours were brewing about Chinese biopharma stock, I-Mab (IMAB).
Reports were coming in about talks with large U.S. and European drugmakers on partnering or investing in I-Mab and its research around cancer and blood conditions. Senior equity analyst Jay Lee says the company is quite innovative and has the potential to create first-in-class and best-in-class drugs.
I-Mab announced partnerships since the gossip, like one with Roche (RHHBY) in November, but in the months that followed, its stock suffered as increasingly impatient equity investors collided with the long-term nature of the drug business. With timelines like 2024 for the potential approval of key assets, and 2025 for the possibility of generating significant, the market may have adverse reactions to Morningstar’s cheapest stock – and it could take a while to kick in.
For Morningstar, I’m Andrew Willis.