QIAGEN N.V. QGEN recently achieved FDA clearance for its QIAstat-Dx Respiratory Panel Mini test for clinical use. This is the second QIAstat-Dx respiratory panel to receive U.S. regulatory nod this year.

The QIAstat-Dx Respiratory Panel Mini offers a streamlined approach for diagnosing the five most actionable pathogens causing upper respiratory infections: influenza A, influenza B, human rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and SARS-CoV-2. This is more targeted than the comprehensive 21-target QIAstat-Dx Respiratory Panel Plus, which is highly suitable for hospitalized patients with risk factors for severe disease.

QGEN Stock’s Likely Trend Following the News

Since the news was released on Oct. 29, QIAGEN’s shares have jumped 3.1% to close at $43.08 on Friday. The robust growth momentum in the QIAstat syndromic testing system is poised to continue, supported by new product launches in the United States. Accordingly, we expect market sentiment toward QGEN stock to remain positive surrounding this news.

QIAGEN currently has a market capitalization of $9.83 billion. According to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, the company’s 2024 earnings are expected to improve 3.9% on a 0.2% revenue increase. It delivered an average earnings surprse of 2.6% in the trailing four quarters.

Significance of QIAGEN’s QIAstat-Dx Respiratory Panel Mini

The QIAstat-Dx Respiratory Panel Mini leverages QIAstat-Dx’s ability to quickly multiply many genetic targets using real-time PCR technology in the same reaction, delivering results in about one hour and with less than one minute of hands-on time. Cycle threshold (Ct) values and amplification curves provide laboratories with additional information in the context of co-infections and are instantly viewable on the instrument touchscreen with no additional software required. Together with the QIAstat-Dx respiratory syndromic testing panel, which received the FDA’s clearance in May this year, the tests effectively tackle the unique challenges that clinicians encounter when diagnosing respiratory infections in both outpatient and inpatient settings.

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Respiratory tract infections are the leading cause of emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Syndromic tests like QIAstat-Dx have been shown to improve infection detection, including multiple pathogens, reducing the need for additional testing. These provide fast results, enabling healthcare providers to make informed treatment decisions and discontinue empiric antibiotic treatment when viral pathogens are detected. This reduces overall antibiotic usage and supports the goal of responsible antimicrobial stewardship.

Industry Prospects Favoring QGEN

Per a research report, the global respiratory disease testing market is valued at $5.80 billion (estimated) in 2024 and is forecast to witness a compound annual growth rate of 3.8% through 2029. Factors such as the growing burden of respiratory diseases and technological advancements in testing devices and modalities are expected to fuel the market growth over the forecasted period.

QIAGEN’s Recent Developments

Last week, the company’s bioinformatics business, QIAGEN Digital Insights (“QDI”) announced the launch of Pharmacogenomic Insights (“PGXI”), a new knowledgebase designed to help scientific and translational researchers better understand how an individual's genetic makeup influences their response to medications. This solution is built upon a legacy platform used to deliver more than 1.6 million PGx annotations for 250 plus clinical research laboratories.

QGEN Stock Price Performance

In the past year, QGEN’s shares have increased 7.3% compared with the industry’s 5.6% growth.

QGEN’s Zacks Rank and Key Picks

QIAGEN currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Some better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are Boston Scientific BSX, Globus Medical GMED and ResMed RMD, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Boston Scientific’s shares have surged 58.3% in the past year. Estimates for the company’s earnings per share (EPS) have jumped 2.5% to $2.46 for 2024 and 0.4% to $2.72 for 2025 in the past 30 days. BSX’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 8.3%. In the last reported quarter, it posted an earnings surprise of 8.6%.

Estimates for Globus Medical’s 2024 EPS have remained constant at $2.84 in the past 30 days. Shares of the company have surged 61% in the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 24.7%. GMED’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average beat being 12.1%. In the last reported quarter, it delivered an earnings surprise of 10.3%.

Estimates for ResMed’s fiscal 2025 EPS have risen 2.2% to $9.22 in the past 30 days. Shares of the company have surged 58.8% in the past year compared with the industry’s 29.2% growth. RMD’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average beat being 6.4%. In the last reported quarter, it delivered an earnings surprise of 8.4%.

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