Stocktwits Pharma Pulse: Moderna-Merck Cancer Vaccine Grabs Spotlight As Kidney-Cancer And MS Data Pour In

• Moderna and Merck will present Phase 3 melanoma findings on Saturday for their personalized cancer treatment combined with Keytruda.
• Arcus will share Casdatifan kidney-cancer data on Tuesday, while Achieve presents yearlong smoking and vaping cessation findings.
• TG Therapeutics and Kyverna will present CAR-T findings in neurological diseases, including progressive multiple sclerosis.

The biotech spotlight will move from kidney cancer to Huntington’s disease and personalized cancer treatment this week, as Arcus Biosciences (RCUS), Alnylam (ALNY), Moderna (MRNA) and Merck (MRK) deliver clinical updates amid a busy schedule of earnings and medical conferences.

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) gained 3% last week, outperforming the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), which fell 2%, and the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ), down 6%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) declined 2.2%, trailing SPY but holding up better than QQQ, while the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) dropped 6%.

 

Arcus And Achieve Lead Early Data Watch

Arcus Biosciences (RCUS) will present kidney-cancer findings on Tuesday from its ARC-20 study of Casdatifan. The update covers initial treatment combinations: Casdatifan plus Cabozantinib in 43 previously treated patients, and Casdatifan alone in 121 more heavily treated patients. Median follow-up is about 21 months for the Cabozantinib combination and 28 months for Casdatifan alone.

Achieve Life Sciences (ACHV) will present year-long Cytisinicline findings on Tuesday at CHEST in Phoenix. The ORCA-OL study enrolled 475 adults who smoked or vaped and received the drug alongside behavioral support. Results include lab-confirmed measures of quitting. Achieve plans to resubmit its smoking-cessation application in the fourth quarter after a June FDA rejection that the company said concerned manufacturing and labeling, with no clinical efficacy or safety deficiencies identified.

Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals (EPRX) will present on Monday at UEG Week in Barcelona on tissue changes following EP-104GI treatment for eosinophilic esophagitis, an inflammatory condition that can make swallowing difficult. The findings come from the early, open-label Resolve study, while interim results from its randomized Phase 2b portion are expected in December.

RegenXBio (RGNX) will review its sura-vec treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration at a Tuesday investor event ahead of trial results expected in the fourth quarter.

Roche And Argenx Take Results Spotlight

Roche (RHHBY) will report third-quarter sales on Thursday. First-half sales grew 6%, excluding currency effects but fell 2% in Swiss francs. Growth was led by Xolair, Hemlibra, Ocrevus, Phesgo and Vabysmo.

Argenx (ARGX) also reported on Thursday, following positive Phase 2 findings for its celiac-disease treatment FB102 and its decision to stop its Phase 3 Sjogren’s disease trial after an interim analysis indicated it was unlikely to succeed. Abbott (ABT), Danaher (DHR) and Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) report on Wednesday.

Neurological CAR-T Studies In Focus

TG Therapeutics (TGTX) will present its first Phase 1 Azer-cel results in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) on Friday at MSToronto2026, with the full abstract due Wednesday. The treatment uses genetically modified donor immune cells. Other presentations cover seven-year Briumvi outcomes, findings from routine care and a simplified initial dosing schedule.

Kyverna Therapeutics (KYTX) will present one-year Phase 2 Kysa-8 findings for miv-cel in stiff person syndrome on Wednesday, followed by updated results from a physician-led Phase 1 study in progressive MS on Friday.

Immunic (IMUX) will share longer-term progressive-MS findings from Calliper on  Wednesday. Zenas BioPharma (ZBIO) follows on Thursday with Phase 2 MS findings for Obexelimab and Orelabrutinib.

Huntington’s And Cancer Data Close Trading Week

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) will present initial Phase 1 ALN-HTT02 results on Friday at the European Huntington’s Disease Network congress in Krakow. Developed with Regeneron, the investigational RNA-interference treatment targets huntingtin, the protein implicated in Huntington’s disease.

Tango Therapeutics (TNGX) will hold a pancreatic-cancer webcast on Friday discussing Vopimetostat combined with Daraxonrasib or Zoldonrasib. The study involves patients with MTAP-deleted, RAS-mutant cancers. 

Kidney Week Puts HUMA And VERA In Focus

Humacyte (HUMA) will present interim Phase 3 V012 results on Thursday, comparing its tissue-engineered vessel with a conventional fistula for dialysis access in women with end-stage kidney disease. The company targets a supplemental FDA application this quarter.

Vera Therapeutics (VERA) will present its Origin 3 final efficacy analysis on Thursday, following the September announcement of the results. Saturday brings separate interim Phase 2 Pioneer findings in IgA nephropathy and primary membranous nephropathy.

Maze Therapeutics (MAZE) presents additional detail from its previously reported Phase 2 Horizon kidney-disease study on Saturday. Climb Bio (CLYM) presents healthy-volunteer CLYM116 findings on Thursday and preliminary Phase 2 Budoprutug results in primary membranous nephropathy on Saturday.

Moderna And Merck Lead ESMO’s Saturday Watchlist

ESMO opens on Friday in Madrid. Moderna (MRNA) and Merck (MRK) will present Phase 3 INTerpath-001 melanoma findings on Saturday, testing individualized treatment intismeran autogene plus Keytruda against Keytruda alone after surgery.

The companies previously announced improvements in recurrence-free and distant-metastasis-free survival. Overall-survival evaluation continues. Moderna will also host an investor webcast on Saturday.

Compass Therapeutics (CMPX) presents Companion-002 findings on Saturday. Tovecimig plus Paclitaxel improved response rates and progression-free survival in previously treated biliary tract cancer, but did not demonstrate a statistically significant overall-survival benefit. Compass says the FDA recommended another trial demonstrating a survival benefit before an application.

Immatics (IMTX) presents IMA203CD8 cell-therapy findings on Friday, followed Saturday by IMA402 bispecific data and Anzu-cel melanoma follow-up. Biohaven (BHVN), Perspective Therapeutics (CATX) and Eikon Therapeutics (EIKN) also have early-stage cancer presentations on Friday.

Additional presentations include Incyte’s (INCY) CDK2-inhibitor findings on Friday and colorectal-cancer bispecific data on Saturday, alongside Regeneron’s (REGN) final Phase 2 analysis of Cemiplimab before surgery in cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma on Saturday.

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.<