** Brokerage Morgan Stanley upgrades drug developer Vir Biotechnology to "overweight" from "equal-weight", citing promising early-stage trial data for their T-cell engager (TCE) technology

** Brokerage also raises PT to $20 fom $10 — a 60.3% upside to the stock's Wednesday close

** TCE technology uses antibodies to target tumor cells and also activate T-cells that help the immune system destroy cancer cells

** On Wednesday, VIR's drugs using the technology, VIR-5818 and VIR-5500, showed what it called a compelling response in patients with various solid tumors during early-stage trials

** Brokerage says the drugs did not cause high-grade cytokine release syndrome $(CRS)$, supporting higher and less frequent dosing

** CRS happens when the immune system overreacts and releases too many chemicals, causing inflammation

** Seven of 9 brokerages rate the stock "buy" or higher and 2 "hold"; their median PT is $20 - LSEG

** VIR declined ~30% in 2024

(Reporting by Kamal Choudhury in Bengaluru)

((Kamal.Choudhury@thomsonreuters.com;))