Minerva NeurosciencesNASDAQ: NERV

Minerva Neurosciences (NERV) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating increasing confidence in the company's earnings outlook. This could potentially lead to an uptick in the stock price in the short run.

Minerva Neurosciences said on Tuesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has declined to approve its experimental drug for the treatment of negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

Minerva Neurosciences has raised $20M through a private placement at a premium to market prices. Boehringer Ingelheim participated in the private placement. Boehringer is itself developing a drug for schizophrenia, albeit for cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia. NERV has six months until the PDUFA goal date for its roluperidone application but used only $4M in cash in operating activities in Q2, so cash isn't currently a concern.

Minerva Neurosciences (NERV) appears to have found support after losing some value lately, as indicated by the formation of a hammer chart. In addition to this technical chart pattern, strong agreement among Wall Street analysts in revising earnings estimates higher enhances the stock's potential for a turnaround in the near term.

NERV has once again run on the submission of an NDA for roluperidone for the treatment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. There will be no Refusal to File letter this time, with NERV using a dispute resolution process to its advantage.