Centessa Pharmaceuticals CEO Saurabh Saha Resigns; Mario Accardi Appointed as Successor
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 11 2025
0mins
Should l Buy CNTA?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
CEO Transition: Centessa Pharmaceuticals' CEO Saurabh Saha will resign on January 1, 2026, with Mario Accardi set to succeed him.
Accardi's Background: Mario Accardi is the former CEO and founder of Orexia Therapeutics, a company focused on neuroscience.
Stock Performance: Following the announcement, Centessa Pharmaceuticals' shares fell by 5.34%, trading at $27.99 in pre-market activity.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent Nasdaq, Inc.
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Analyst Views on CNTA
Wall Street analysts forecast CNTA stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for CNTA is 38.75 USD with a low forecast of 27.00 USD and a high forecast of 62.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
13 Analyst Rating
13 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 23.540
Low
27.00
Averages
38.75
High
62.00
Current: 23.540
Low
27.00
Averages
38.75
High
62.00
About CNTA
Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company. The Company is developing a new class of potential therapies within its orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonist program for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), impaired attention, cognitive deficits, fatigue and other symptoms across neurological, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. It also has an early-stage immuno-oncology program focused on its LockBody technology platform. Its OX2R agonist pipeline includes ORX750, its advanced OX2R agonist development candidate, and ORX142, ORX489 and OX2R agonists in preclinical development. Its ORX750, an investigational, orally administered, highly potent and selective OX2R agonist, is in a Phase IIa study of participants with narcolepsy type 1 (NT1), NT2 and idiopathic hypersomnia (IH). ORX142 is the second OX2R agonist development candidate being advanced for the treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders and other symptoms.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Complete Exit: Tanager Wealth Management disclosed in a January 26 SEC filing that it sold its entire stake in Centessa Pharmaceuticals, totaling 598,044 shares in the fourth quarter, with an estimated transaction value of $14.50 million, indicating a complete liquidation of its investment in the company.
- Asset Management Shift: This exit means that Centessa now represents 0% of Tanager's reportable 13F AUM, down from 1.5% in the previous quarter, reflecting a significant reduction in confidence towards the stock.
- Improving Fundamentals: Despite Tanager's exit, Centessa's fundamentals are improving, as evidenced by its latest earnings report showing $349 million in cash and investments, along with a $250 million investment received in November, indicating a strengthening financial position.
- Market Performance Comparison: Centessa's stock price has risen approximately 56.7% over the past year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's roughly 14% gain during the same period, highlighting its potential and market recognition in the biotechnology sector.
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- Position Change: Tanager Wealth Management completely exited its position in Centessa Pharmaceuticals (CNTA) in Q4, selling 598,044 shares, resulting in a $14.50 million decrease in position value, reflecting both stock price movement and the sale itself.
- Asset Management Ratio Decline: This exit reduced CNTA's representation in Tanager Wealth Management's reported AUM from 1.5% to 0%, highlighting the fund's risk management strategy regarding individual biotech stocks.
- Market Performance Comparison: As of January 26, CNTA shares were priced at $25.73, up approximately 56.7% over the past year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's roughly 14% gain during the same period, indicating market confidence in its fundamentals.
- Improving Company Fundamentals: Centessa Pharmaceuticals reported $349 million in cash and investments in its latest earnings release, along with $250 million from investors in November, showcasing its robust development in the clinical-stage biotech sector.
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- New Data Presentation: Centessa Pharmaceuticals showcased preclinical data on OX2R agonists at the ACNP annual meeting, demonstrating significant improvements in behavioral despair and wakefulness in depression animal models, indicating potential for rapid mood enhancement.
- Clear Strategic Direction: CEO Mario Alberto Accardi, PhD, emphasized the company's commitment to exploring new therapeutic options through its multi-asset OX2R agonist pipeline, addressing mood symptoms and excessive daytime sleepiness, showcasing foresight in the neuroscience field.
- Clinical Trial Progress: The OX2R agonist ORX750 is currently undergoing Phase 2 CRYSTAL-1 study aimed at treating sleep-wake disorders, including narcolepsy, indicating Centessa's potential expansion into high unmet clinical needs.
- Solid Scientific Foundation: The presented research supports the scientific basis for OX2R agonists as novel treatment modalities, potentially offering new therapeutic options for various neuropsychiatric disorders, further solidifying Centessa's leadership in this domain.
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- Oversold Signal: Centessa Pharmaceuticals' RSI has dropped to 28.4, indicating that the recent heavy selling may be exhausting itself, prompting investors to consider entry points for buying, reflecting a growing market interest in the stock.
- Price Fluctuation: CNTA's stock has a 52-week low of $9.60 and a high of $30.58, with the current trading price at $22.51, suggesting potential for a rebound amidst volatility.
- Market Comparison: Compared to the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) RSI of 60.5, CNTA's low RSI may attract investors looking for undervalued stocks, highlighting a divergence in market sentiment.
- Investor Attention: The current oversold condition may lead investors to reassess CNTA's value, especially as its price approaches the 52-week low, potentially stimulating increased buying interest.
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- Market Performance: U.S. stocks mostly closed higher on Friday, with the Dow Jones gaining over 300 points during the session, indicating a strong market rebound, particularly driven by technology stocks.
- NVIDIA's Positive Outlook: Analyst Ruben Roy maintained a Buy rating on NVIDIA with a price target of $250, suggesting an upside of approximately 32%, reflecting strong market confidence in its future growth prospects.
- Tesla Delivery Data: Tesla produced 434,358 vehicles and delivered 418,227 in Q4, falling short of the Visible Alpha estimate, leading analyst William Stein to downgrade its rating from Buy to Hold, with a target price cut from $444 to $439, indicating cautious sentiment regarding its short-term performance.
- Capital One Financial Outlook: Analyst Keith Horowitz maintained a Buy rating on Capital One and raised the price target from $290 to $310, expecting a 25% increase in the stock, reflecting optimism ahead of its upcoming Q4 earnings report.
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- Leadership Transition: Centessa Pharmaceuticals has appointed Dr. Mario Alberto Accardi as CEO effective January 1, 2026, marking a strategic shift from a diversified R&D focus to a dedicated orexin drug portfolio.
- Strategic Focus: Dr. Accardi will succeed Dr. Saurabh Saha, who has made significant contributions during the company's early development, with the new leadership expected to advance the orexin drug pipeline and achieve multiple key milestones in 2026.
- Pipeline Prospects: Centessa's OX2R agonist ORX750 has demonstrated potential in treating narcolepsy, with a registrational program expected to initiate in Q1 2026, indicating significant progress in the neuroscience field.
- Industry Leadership: Dr. Accardi's extensive background in orexin biology will enhance Centessa's leadership position in neuroscience, driving breakthroughs in the treatment of various neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders.
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