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Can CorMedix's Melinta Acquisition Aid Growth Beyond DefenCath?
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Key Takeaways
CRMD acquired Melinta for $300M, adding seven marketed products to its commercial portfolio.
CRMD saw $12.8M in Q3 2025 revenues from Melinta products as it diversifies beyond DefenCath.
CorMedix eyes near-term growth from Rezzayo, with a $2B-plus antifungal prophylaxis market.
CorMedix (CRMD - Free Report) took a major step to diversify its revenue base and lessen reliance on its lead marketed product, DefenCath (Taurolidine + Heparin), by acquiring Melinta Therapeutics for $300 million in August 2025. The deal added seven approved products to CRMD’s portfolio, while diversifying its commercial portfolio and expanding its footprint in hospital acute care and infectious disease markets.
These acquired products from Melinta contributed $12.8 million to CRMD’s top line during the third quarter of 2025, which, up until now, was tied almost entirely to product sales from DefenCath.
DefenCath was approved by the FDA in late 2023 as the first and only antimicrobial catheter lock solution available in the United States. The product was launched in 2024 in both the hospital inpatient and outpatient hemodialysis settings. In the first nine months of 2025, DefenCath recorded $167.6 million in net sales.
The Melinta acquisition expanded CorMedix’s revenue base and created near-term growth opportunities, led by Rezzayo, which is approved for treating candidemia and invasive candidiasis in adults. Rezzayo is also in late-stage development for invasive fungal infection prophylaxis, with top-line data expected in the second quarter of 2026.
Management believes that the total addressable market for patients undergoing antifungal prophylaxis is more than $2 billion.
Reflecting the growing momentum with DefenCath and early Melinta portfolio contributions, the company raised its full-year 2025 pro forma net revenue guidance to $390-$410 million, up from the prior expectation of at least $375 million.
Though DefenCath is currently witnessing strong market adoption, it remains to be seen whether the acquired products from the Melinta deal can generate substantial revenues and reduce the company’s heavy dependence on DefenCath. Also, growing competition for DefenCath in the target market remains a headwind.
CRMD's Competition in the Target Market
DefenCath combines taurolidine, an antimicrobial agent, with heparin in a fixed-dose formulation tailored for a specific subset of kidney failure patients. Although CorMedix currently holds a first-mover advantage in the United States with DefenCath, increasing competition from major players like Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) , Amphastar Pharmaceuticals (AMPH - Free Report) , B. Braun, Baxter and Fresenius Kabi USA that already market heparin for multiple uses remains a worry.
Given their stronger pipelines, larger manufacturing capabilities and greater financial resources, these companies could challenge CorMedix’s market advantage and affect its long-term growth outlook.
Pfizer, which markets Heparin Sodium Injection for a wide range of clinical applications — including dialysis, surgical procedures, and thrombosis management — could use its global scale and clinical expertise to move into the CRBSI prevention segment. Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, meanwhile, manufactures Enoxaparin and controls its entire production chain from API to finished product, giving it the operational efficiency and technical capabilities to pursue similar opportunities.
If either Pfizer or Amphastar expands its anticoagulant portfolio into catheter-related infection prevention, CorMedix could encounter significant competitive pressure within its primary therapeutic space.
CRMD Stock Price, Valuation & Estimates
Shares of CorMedix have decreased 2.5% in the past six months against the industry’s rally of 26.8%. The stock has also underperformed the sector and the S&P 500 index during the same time frame, as seen in the chart below.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, CorMedix is trading at a discount to the industry. Going by the price/book ratio, the company’s shares currently trade at 2.55, lower than 3.68 for the industry. The stock is also trading below its five-year mean of 3.42.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Estimates for CorMedix’s 2025 earnings have improved from $1.85 to $2.87 per share in the past 60 days, and estimates for 2026 earnings have improved from $2.49 to $2.88 over the same timeframe.
Image: Bigstock
Can CorMedix's Melinta Acquisition Aid Growth Beyond DefenCath?
Key Takeaways
CorMedix (CRMD - Free Report) took a major step to diversify its revenue base and lessen reliance on its lead marketed product, DefenCath (Taurolidine + Heparin), by acquiring Melinta Therapeutics for $300 million in August 2025. The deal added seven approved products to CRMD’s portfolio, while diversifying its commercial portfolio and expanding its footprint in hospital acute care and infectious disease markets.
These acquired products from Melinta contributed $12.8 million to CRMD’s top line during the third quarter of 2025, which, up until now, was tied almost entirely to product sales from DefenCath.
DefenCath was approved by the FDA in late 2023 as the first and only antimicrobial catheter lock solution available in the United States. The product was launched in 2024 in both the hospital inpatient and outpatient hemodialysis settings. In the first nine months of 2025, DefenCath recorded $167.6 million in net sales.
The Melinta acquisition expanded CorMedix’s revenue base and created near-term growth opportunities, led by Rezzayo, which is approved for treating candidemia and invasive candidiasis in adults. Rezzayo is also in late-stage development for invasive fungal infection prophylaxis, with top-line data expected in the second quarter of 2026.
Management believes that the total addressable market for patients undergoing antifungal prophylaxis is more than $2 billion.
Reflecting the growing momentum with DefenCath and early Melinta portfolio contributions, the company raised its full-year 2025 pro forma net revenue guidance to $390-$410 million, up from the prior expectation of at least $375 million.
Though DefenCath is currently witnessing strong market adoption, it remains to be seen whether the acquired products from the Melinta deal can generate substantial revenues and reduce the company’s heavy dependence on DefenCath. Also, growing competition for DefenCath in the target market remains a headwind.
CRMD's Competition in the Target Market
DefenCath combines taurolidine, an antimicrobial agent, with heparin in a fixed-dose formulation tailored for a specific subset of kidney failure patients. Although CorMedix currently holds a first-mover advantage in the United States with DefenCath, increasing competition from major players like Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) , Amphastar Pharmaceuticals (AMPH - Free Report) , B. Braun, Baxter and Fresenius Kabi USA that already market heparin for multiple uses remains a worry.
Given their stronger pipelines, larger manufacturing capabilities and greater financial resources, these companies could challenge CorMedix’s market advantage and affect its long-term growth outlook.
Pfizer, which markets Heparin Sodium Injection for a wide range of clinical applications — including dialysis, surgical procedures, and thrombosis management — could use its global scale and clinical expertise to move into the CRBSI prevention segment. Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, meanwhile, manufactures Enoxaparin and controls its entire production chain from API to finished product, giving it the operational efficiency and technical capabilities to pursue similar opportunities.
If either Pfizer or Amphastar expands its anticoagulant portfolio into catheter-related infection prevention, CorMedix could encounter significant competitive pressure within its primary therapeutic space.
CRMD Stock Price, Valuation & Estimates
Shares of CorMedix have decreased 2.5% in the past six months against the industry’s rally of 26.8%. The stock has also underperformed the sector and the S&P 500 index during the same time frame, as seen in the chart below.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, CorMedix is trading at a discount to the industry. Going by the price/book ratio, the company’s shares currently trade at 2.55, lower than 3.68 for the industry. The stock is also trading below its five-year mean of 3.42.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Estimates for CorMedix’s 2025 earnings have improved from $1.85 to $2.87 per share in the past 60 days, and estimates for 2026 earnings have improved from $2.49 to $2.88 over the same timeframe.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
CRMD's Zacks Rank
CorMedix currently carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.