Exact Sciences Corporation (EXAS – Research Report) is a groundbreaking med tech company focused on developing screening tests for early stage cancer. This results in earlier detection and better treatment outcomes for patients. Established back in 1995, EXAS received FDA approval for its first product, the at-home colorectal cancer screening test Cologuard back in 2014.
All good, really, and a strong foundation for a growing med-tech company. Even better, from an investor’s perspective, is the overall state of the company: its product quality, marketing initiative, research pipeline, and stock performance all point to a company that is poised for further growth. We’ll take a brief look at the company’s history and current performance, and then check with TipRanks top-rated analysts to see what they have to say.
Innovation, Marketing, and Future Products
Cologuard is Exact Science’s first product to hit the market. The innovative colon cancer screening test uses a multi-marker approach to enhance both sensitivity and accuracy, is shipped directly to the patient’s home, and is delivered with a convenient pre-paid shipping label for return to the lab. Results are made available within two weeks. The test has demonstrated an excellent 87% specificity rating while detecting 92% of colon cancers in a clinical study of 10,000 patients. In plain English, that means Cologuard showed a 13% false positive rate – an error on the side of caution.
On the marketing end, this past August, Exact Sciences entered an agreement with Pfizer (PFE). The deal makes the larger drug company’s network and connections available to boost promotional activities and marketing support for Cologuard. Pfizer stands to gain promotional fees and royalties for the next three years, while Exact Sciences will benefit from increased sales and exposure. Cologuard has already penetrated about one-third of the primary care health providers in the US market in its first four years; the Pfizer agreement promises to expand that reach significantly.
