- Deutsche Bank upgraded its rating on AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) from Sell to Hold.
- AstraZeneca’s lung disease drug, tozorakimab, demonstrated strong Phase III data and received FDA priority review.
- However, AstraZeneca faced a setback as its breast cancer drug, Etcamah, failed to meet its primary goal in a late-stage study.
AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) is a global pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and sells prescription medicines. Its focus areas include oncology, respiratory, and cardiovascular diseases. The company faces competition from other major drugmakers like Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), particularly in the development of new cancer treatments.
On September 15, 2026, Deutsche Bank upgraded its rating on AstraZeneca from Sell to Hold. This change in recommendation happened while the stock was trading at a price of $163.78. The stock has seen a daily range between $162.14 and $164.53, with a 52-week high of $212.71.
This upgrade follows a period of caution from the bank. As highlighted by Proactive Investors, Deutsche Bank previously held a ‘sell’ rating on AstraZeneca shares with a target price of 11,500 pence. This was despite acknowledging positive data for the company’s lung disease drug, tozorakimab.
Recent positive developments may have influenced the rating change. AstraZeneca presented strong Phase III data for tozorakimab, showing it significantly reduces moderate-to-severe exacerbations in COPD patients. The FDA has granted the drug a priority review, with a decision expected in the first quarter of 2027.
However, the company also faces setbacks. As reported by Zacks Investment Research, its breast cancer drug, Etcamah, failed to meet its primary goal in a late-stage study. While some improvement was seen, the results were not statistically significant, meaning they could have occurred by chance.
