AnGes Inc. , a biotechnology spin-off from Osaka University, has attracted significant global attention after being highlighted by International Business Times as a “Hidden Gem Stock.” Following the coverage, the company’s market capitalization rose by approximately ¥3 billion in a single day, with the rally driven primarily by foreign investors. The reaction underscores the widening gap between Japanese and overseas markets in their evaluation of AnGes’ potential.

The company has completed U.S. clinical trials for its gene therapy drug Collategene®️ and is preparing a Biologics License Application (BLA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Collategene has already received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA, a recognition that both accelerates the review process and signals the drug’s potential to address a serious, unmet medical need. If approved, Collategene could become the world’s first gene therapy for Critical Limb Threatening Ischemia (CLTI).

While foreign investors are increasingly building positions, Japanese investors have remained cautious, pointing to extended clinical timelines, past financing challenges, and lingering concerns following the company’s discontinued COVID-19 vaccine project. However, international funds, including those from the United States and the UAE, are taking a different view, emphasizing the weight of the FDA designation, the precedent of multi-billion-dollar acquisitions in the gene therapy space, and AnGes’ manufacturing partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim.

The acquisitions of AveXis, developer of Zolgensma, by Novartis for approximately ¥870 billion, and Spark Therapeutics, developer of Luxturna, by Roche for approximately ¥500 billion, are frequently cited as relevant benchmarks. In this context, AnGes is increasingly being seen by global biotech investors as a potential candidate in the same league.

If Collategene receives FDA approval, AnGes would become the first company to commercialize a gene therapy for CLTI, a milestone that could dramatically alter its valuation. At present, AnGes has a market capitalization of approximately ¥34 billion. Analysts note that global investors are already factoring in scenarios where FDA approval could propel this valuation into the hundreds of billions or beyond.

Since international coverage began, the company’s stock price has surpassed the ¥100 threshold, with buying momentum led primarily by foreign investors. As one market analyst observed, “This theme is hard to grasp in Japan, but global biotech investors are already pricing in a scenario where FDA approval means a valuation several times higher.”

AnGes’ growing presence in international headlines reflects a shift in market perception, with foreign investors moving first to position for the company’s future potential. As momentum builds, the company stands at the threshold of redefining its role in the global biotechnology landscape, AnGes’ shares can be purchased from the UAE through IBKR.