Original source text
Key Takeaways Liquidia's Yutrepia launch has driven strong sales, adoption and three straight profitable quarters. LQDA projects far faster 2026 revenue and EPS growth, backed by rising earnings estimates.United Therapeutics counters with a broad PAH portfolio and late-stage ralinepag pipeline. Liquidia Corporation (LQDA - Free Report) is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD).United Therapeutics (UTHR - Free Report) boasts six FDA-approved therapies that treat PAH, PH-ILD, and neuroblastoma, a rare pediatric cancer, in its portfolio.
Liquidia and United Therapeutics are locked in a fierce battle in the PAH market, with Liquidia's Yutrepia emerging as a challenger to United Therapeutics' blockbuster Tyvaso franchise. Their competition extends beyond commercial sales to patent disputes and a race to capture a larger share of the inhaled treprostinil market.
Given this backdrop, selecting one stock over the other can be difficult. We therefore evaluate their fundamentals, growth prospects, challenges and valuation metrics to help make an informed decision.
The Case for LQDALiquidia currently markets Yutrepia (treprostinil) inhalation powder, approved by the FDA in May 2025 and launched the following month commercially.
The company also generates revenues through a profit-sharing agreement with Sandoz for the promotion of its generic treprostinil injection in the United States.
Yutrepia is an inhaled dry-powder formulation of treprostinil developed using Liquidia's proprietary PRINT particle engineering technology. The platform is designed to enhance deep lung drug delivery, simplify administration through a low-effort dry-powder inhaler and enable higher dose levels than currently marketed inhaled treprostinil therapies.
The company supports commercialization through a specialized sales force focused on physicians treating PAH and PH-ILD, as well as stakeholders involved in reimbursement and drug distribution.
Since its launch in June 2025, Yutrepia has emerged as a strong growth driver, generating approximately $130 million in first-quarter 2026 sales. The therapy has demonstrated robust adoption, with more than 4,500 unique prescriptions, around 3,750 patients initiating treatment, and nearly 1,000 physicians prescribing the drug.
Its rapid uptake helped Liquidia post its third consecutive profitable quarter, highlighting Yutrepia's growing commercial success.
Beyond its commercial portfolio, Liquidia is advancing a pipeline of therapies for pulmonary vascular diseases. Its lead pipeline candidate, L606, is an investigational liposomal formulation of treprostinil administered twice daily via a next-generation nebulizer. L606 is being evaluated in an open-label study for PAH and PH-ILD, while a global pivotal placebo-controlled trial is underway in PH-ILD.
Liquidia also plans to expand Yutrepia into additional indications, including pulmonary hypertension associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (PH-COPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) and Raynaud's phenomenon associated with systemic sclerosis.
The Case for UTHRUnited Therapeutics markets a broad PAH portfolio led by Tyvaso DPI, a dry-powder inhaled formulation of the prostacyclin analogue treprostinil, which was approved by FDA in May 2022 to improve exercise ability in patients with PAH and PH-ILD.
Its portfolio includes nebulized Tyvaso, a nebulized liquid inhaled formulation of treprostinil, approved by the FDA to improve exercise ability in patients with PAH and PH-ILD.
The company also markets Remodulin, a continuously infused treprostinil therapy for PAH administered subcutaneously or intravenously, supported by the user-friendly RemunityPRO infusion pump. Its PAH portfolio further includes Orenitram, an oral extended-release treprostinil tablet, and Adcirca (tadalafil), an oral PDE-5 inhibitor licensed from Eli Lilly through the end of 2026.
Sales of Tyvaso products continue to grow, driven by higher volumes and continued growth in commercialization utilization. Moreover, Orenitram offers a convenient oral treatment option that avoids the challenges associated with continuous infusion therapies, such as Remodulin, and inhaled therapies requiring multiple daily administrations.
The company remains focused on developing additional therapies for PAH and pulmonary fibrosis (PF).
Ralinepag, an investigational, highly selective and potent prostacyclin (IP) receptor, is one of United Therapeutics' most promising late-stage pipeline assets. The candidate is being developed in two formulations — an oral version and a DPI version (RAL-DPI).
Based on positive data from the pivotal phase III ADVANCE OUTCOMES study, United Therapeutics intends to submit a new drug application for ralinepag (to treat PAH) to the FDA by the second half of 2026.
If approved, oral ralinepag could strengthen United Therapeutics’ leadership in PAH and potentially offset future competitive pressure on older products.
Beyond the oral formulation, United Therapeutics is also developing inhaled dry-powder versions of ralinepag, RAL-DPI, in collaboration with MannKind Corporation. While initially targeting PAH, management sees opportunities for RAL-DPI in PH-ILD, IPF and PPF. Together, the oral and inhaled formulations position ralinepag as a potential cornerstone of United Therapeutics' future growth strategy.
Outside its PAH franchise, the company markets Unituxin for the treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma.
UTHR strengthened its long-term regenerative medicine strategy by acquiring preclinical stage biotech Thymmune Therapeutics for $140 million upfront, with up to $160 million in milestone payments. The deal adds THY-100, a stem cell-derived thymic cell therapy being developed for congenital athymia, and a platform with potential applications in organ transplantation, autoimmune diseases and immune deficiencies. The acquisition broadens United Therapeutics' pipeline beyond PAH.
A Look at Estimates: LQDA versus UTHRThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for LQDA’s 2026 sales implies a year-over-year increase of 315.77%, while that for earnings per share (EPS) suggests a year-over-year improvement of 477.5%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 EPS has moved north to $3.02 from $2.97 and that for 2027 EPS has increased to $4.92 from $4.81 in the past 60 days.
LQDA’s Estimate Movement
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UTHR’s 2026 sales implies a year-over-year increase of 1.46%, while that for EPS suggests a year-over-year decline of 4.41%. EPS estimates for 2026 have moved south to $26.63 in the past 60 days but those for 2026 have moved north to $31.66 from $31.09 during the said time frame.
UTHR’s Estimate Movement
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Price Performance and Valuation of LQDA and UTHRFrom a price-performance perspective, LQDA has fetched better returns than UTHR so far in the year. Shares of LQDA have surged 158.2%, while those of UTHR have gained 8.7%. The industry has gained 1.4% in the said period.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, LQDA is more expensive than UTHR. LQDA’s shares currently trade at 8.74X forward sales, higher than 6.50X for UTHR.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Which Stock Is a Better Pick for Now?LQDA currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while UTHR carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Although United Therapeutics remains the established leader in PAH with a diversified portfolio, a robust late-stage pipeline and expansion into regenerative medicine, much of its growth appears incremental.
In contrast, Liquidia is in the early stages of a rapid commercial expansion, driven by the impressive launch of Yutrepia, expanding label opportunities and a promising pipeline. The company's superior revenue and earnings growth outlook, upward estimate revisions, stronger year-to-date share price performance and better Zacks Rank outweigh its premium valuation.
While UTHR remains a solid long-term holding, Liquidia offers the more compelling growth story and greater upside potential at current levels, making LQDA the better pick for investors seeking higher returns.