Guardant Health's Strategic Momentum in Liquid Biopsy and UBS's Price Target Upgrade

The precision oncology landscape is undergoing a transformative shift, driven by advancements in liquid biopsy technology and the growing demand for non-invasive diagnostic tools. Guardant Health, a leader in this space, has recently solidified its strategic position through high-impact collaborations and product innovations, while receiving renewed analyst confidence from UBS. This article examines how these developments align with long-term value creation and market readiness for precision oncology growth.

Strategic Collaborations: Expanding Reach and Clinical Utility

Guardant Health's 2025 partnership with Pfizer, Inc. underscores its role as a critical enabler of next-generation cancer therapies. Under this multi-year agreement, Guardant's Guardant Infinity™ smart liquid biopsy platform will be integrated into Pfizer's global clinical studies to evaluate circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a surrogate endpoint for monitoring therapy response and epigenomic analyses Guardant Health Announces Strategic Collaboration With Pfizer to ...^[2]. This collaboration not only validates Guardant's technological leadership but also positions its liquid biopsy tests as indispensable tools in drug development pipelines.

The partnership extends Guardant's footprint into China, where it has already established a foothold via its 2022 alliance with Adicon Holdings Limited, a leading clinical laboratory in the region UBS names Guardant Health top pick, maintains $40 target^[3]. By granting Pfizer access to its tests in China for global trials, Guardant is addressing a critical gap in cross-border oncology research, where regulatory and logistical barriers often hinder trial enrollment. This strategic alignment with global pharmaceutical giants like Pfizer and regional partners like Adicon highlights Guardant's ability to scale its solutions across diverse markets.

UBS's Price Target Upgrade: A Vote of Confidence

In September 2025, UBS analyst Dan Leonard raised Guardant Health's price target from $65.00 to $70.00, reflecting a 7.69% increase and reaffirming a “Buy” rating Guardant Health (GH) Receives Price Target Increase from UBS^[1]. This upgrade was anchored in UBS's assessment of Guardant's growth trajectory, particularly the ramp-up of its Shield test for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The Shield test, a blood-based alternative to traditional colonoscopies, has shown strong commercial potential, with UBS noting that physician surveys project it could capture 10% market share in the next one to two years UBS names Guardant Health top pick, maintains $40 target^[3].

UBS's rationale also emphasized Guardant's underappreciated catalyst path, including the expanding use of liquid biopsy in clinical trials and the broader adoption of ctDNA-based diagnostics. The firm's previous designation of Guardant as a top pick in the Life Sciences & Diagnostic Tools group further underscores its conviction in the company's ability to outperform sector benchmarks UBS names Guardant Health top pick, maintains $40 target^[3].

Market Readiness and Long-Term Value Creation

The convergence of Guardant's strategic partnerships and UBS's upgraded expectations points to a broader trend: the maturation of liquid biopsy as a mainstream diagnostic modality. According to a 2025 investor day presentation, Guardant's collaboration with Pfizer is expected to accelerate the commercialization of therapies that rely on ctDNA monitoring, thereby creating a flywheel effect of data generation and clinical validation UBS names Guardant Health top pick, maintains $40 target^[3]. This flywheel could enhance Guardant's proprietary datasets, further differentiating its offerings in a competitive market.

Moreover, the Shield test's potential to disrupt CRC screening—a $10 billion global market—highlights Guardant's ability to monetize its innovations. With blood-based tests gaining traction among physicians and payers, the company is well-positioned to capitalize on a shift toward preventive oncology. UBS's projection of 10% market share within two years, while ambitious, aligns with industry trends showing a growing preference for non-invasive diagnostics UBS names Guardant Health top pick, maintains $40 target^[3].

Conclusion

Guardant Health's strategic momentum—marked by partnerships with industry leaders like Pfizer and Adicon, coupled with UBS's upgraded price target—signals robust long-term value creation. By leveraging its liquid biopsy platform to advance both drug development and patient care, Guardant is not only addressing unmet clinical needs but also reshaping the economics of precision oncology. As the market increasingly embraces ctDNA-based diagnostics, the company's ability to scale its solutions globally will be a critical determinant of its sustained success.