Biotech Alert: Searches spiking for these stocks today

These names in the biotech sector are seeing a substantial increase in search activity today, as determined by InvestingChannel. They include:

• Omeros (OMER), 946% surge in interest
• Fortrea (FTRE), 845% surge in interest
• Xilio Therapeutics (XLO), 671% surge in interest
• HCW Biologics (HCWB), 414% surge in interest
• CytomX Therapeutics (CTMX), 275% surge in interest
• Agenus (AGEN), 158% surge in interest
• Sangamo (SGMO), 101% surge in interest

Pipeline and key clinical candidates for these companies:

Omeros is a biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing and commercializing first-in-class small-molecule and protein therapeutics for large-market and orphan indications targeting immunologic disorders, including complement-mediated diseases and cancers, as well as addictive and compulsive disorders. Omeros’ lead MASP-2 inhibitor narsoplimab targets the lectin pathway of complement and is the subject of a biologics license application under review by FDA for the treatment of hematopoietic stem cell transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy. Omeros’ long-acting MASP-2 inhibitor OMS1029 has successfully completed Phase 1 single- and multiple-ascending dose clinical studies. Zaltenibart, Omeros’ inhibitor of MASP-3, the key activator of the alternative pathway of complement, is in clinical development for treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and complement 3 glomerulopathy. Funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Omeros’ lead phosphodiesterase 7 inhibitor OMS527 is in clinical development for the treatment of cocaine use disorder. Omeros also is advancing a broad portfolio of novel cellular and molecular immuno-oncology programs.

Fortrea is a global provider of clinical development solutions to the life sciences industry. The company says, “We partner with emerging and large biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostic companies to drive healthcare innovation that accelerates life changing therapies to patients. Fortrea provides phase I-IV clinical trial management, clinical pharmacology and consulting services. Fortrea’s solutions leverage three decades of experience spanning more than 20 therapeutic areas, a passion for scientific rigor, exceptional insights and a strong investigator site network.”

Xilio Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company discovering and developing tumor-activated immuno-oncology therapies with the goal of significantly improving outcomes for people living with cancer without the systemic side effects of current I-O treatments. The company says it is using its proprietary platform to advance a pipeline of novel, tumor-activated clinical and preclinical I-O molecules that are designed to optimize the therapeutic index by localizing anti-tumor activity within the tumor microenvironment.

HCW Biologics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing proprietary immunotherapies to treat diseases promoted by chronic inflammation, especially age-related and senescence-associated diseases. The company says its immunotherapeutics “represent a new class of drug that it believes have the potential to fundamentally change the treatment of cancer and many other diseases and conditions that are promoted by chronic inflammation.”

CytomX is a clinical-stage, oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company whose pipeline comprises seven therapeutic candidates across multiple treatment modalities including antibody-drug conjugates, or “ADCs,” T-cell engaging bispecific antibodies, or “TCBs,” and immune modulators such as cytokines and checkpoint inhibitors. CX-2029 is an investigational conditionally activated antibody-drug conjugate directed toward CD71, which has demonstrated encouraging antitumor activity in patients with squamous non-small cell lung cancer and is being developed in collaboration with AbbVie (ABBV). CytomX’s clinical pipeline also includes cancer immunotherapeutic candidates against validated targets such as the CTLA-4-targeting Probody therapeutics, BMS-986249 and BMS-986288, partnered with Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY), as well as CX-904, a conditionally activated T-cell-engaging bispecific antibody targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor on tumor cells and the CD3 receptor on T cells, which is partnered with Amgen (AMGN).

Agenus is an immuno-oncology company targeting cancer and infectious diseases with a comprehensive pipeline of immunological agents. The company’s mission is to expand patient populations benefiting from cancer immunotherapy through combination approaches, using a broad repertoire of antibody therapeutics, adoptive cell therapies and adjuvants.

Sangamo Therapeutics is a genomic medicine company dedicated to translating ground-breaking science into medicines that transform the lives of patients and families afflicted with serious neurological diseases who do not have adequate or any treatment options. Sangamo believes that its zinc finger epigenetic regulators are ideally suited to potentially address devastating neurological disorders and that its capsid discovery platform can expand delivery beyond currently available intrathecal delivery capsids, including in the central nervous system. Sangamo’s pipeline also includes multiple partnered programs and programs with opportunities for partnership and investment.

Recent news on these stocks:

May 12

Fortrea reported upbeat Q1 results, reiterated its FY25 oulook, and announced that Thomas Pike is stepping down from his role as Fortrea’s CEO and as Chairman of its Board. Fortrea’s Lead Independent Director, Peter Neupert, will serve as Interim CEO and Board Chair, beginning May 13. As part of a succession planning process, an executive search is already at an advanced stage. Pike has entered into a consulting agreement with the company to serve as a resource to its leadership team through the transition.

HCW Biologics announced presentation of studies showing that its proprietary fusion protein, HCW9206, provides a new pathway for generating chimeric T-cell receptor – T cells for immunotherapy with increased function. HCW9206 is a novel class of immunotherapeutic that enables a single molecule to deliver synergistic signals from three different immune-stimulatory cytokines. The activity of HCW9206 was significantly superior compared to standard methods employing anti-CD3/anti-CD28 and IL-2 reagents for CAR lentiviral transduction and subsequent expansion and persistence of human CAR-Ts. CAR-Ts represent a revolutionary technology with several CD19-specific CAR-T therapies approved by the FDA for the treatment of B-cell malignancies, and CAR-Ts continue to play an increasingly pivotal and expanding role in the treatment of cancer and has significant potential to treat autoimmune diseases and age-related diseases.

CytomX Therapeutics announced positive interim Phase 1 data for its EpCAM PROBODY ADC candidate, CX-2051, in advanced, late-line CRC. The data are as of an April 7th 2025 data cutoff from the ongoing CTMX-2051-101 Phase 1 study. McCarthy added, “Importantly, we believe these results validate EpCAM as an oncology target and unlock a broad development opportunity for CX-2051 in CRC and potentially many other cancer types where EpCAM is expressed. We are excited to rapidly advance CX-2051 for the benefit of CRC patients and to explore the full potential of this novel ADC.” The CTMX-2051-101 study was initiated in April 2024 with dose escalation proceeding through seven dose levels as of April 2025. 25 advanced metastatic CRC patients were treated with CX-2051 across dose levels 1 through 5 as of the April 7, 2025 data cutoff. CX-2051 was administered on a once every three week schedule. The 2.4 mg/kg and 4.8 mg/kg doses were single patient dose escalation cohorts not anticipated to be therapeutically active. At the 7.2 mg/kg, 8.6 mg/kg, and 10 mg/kg doses, 23 patients were treated in total, 18 of whom were efficacy evaluable, having had at least one post-baseline tumor assessment as of the data cutoff. 28% of patients achieved confirmed partial RECIST v. 1.1 responses. Overall response rates for currently approved therapies in 3rd line or later CRC are in the low to mid-single digit percentages. At the 10 mg/kg dose, 3 of 7 evaluable patients achieved confirmed partial responses. The Disease Control Rate2 was 94% across the three dose groups . Median progression free survival was 5.8 months as of the data cutoff. 10 of 18 patients remained on study treatment as of the data of cutoff.

Agenus reported upbeat Q1 results and announced that Dr. Richard Goldberg, an internationally recognized expert in gastrointestinal cancer treatment and research, has joined the company as Chief Development Officer. In this role, Dr. Goldberg will lead efforts to advance the botensilimab/balstilimab program for patients and guide the company’s regulatory and development strategy as it prepares to re-engage global health authorities.

Sangamo reported mixed Q1 results. “This quarter we continued to advance our promising neurology genomic medicine pipeline and are pleased to have signed our third STAC-BBB license agreement, reinforcing that Sangamo is a collaborator of choice for neurotropic capsids,” said Sandy Macrae, Chief Executive Officer of Sangamo Therapeutics. “We achieved significant clinical and regulatory derisking milestones in our Fabry disease program and raised additional capital through business development and other means, to provide additional runway to secure a potential Fabry partner. With our neuropathic pain program ready to enter the clinic, we look forward to dosing the first patients with our epigenetic regulation technology, which we hope will usher in a new era in chronic pain treatment.”

May 8

Xilio Therapeutics reported a year-over-year increase in Q1 earnings. “In the first quarter, we presented encouraging initial Phase 2 data for vilastobart, our tumor-activated anti-CTLA-4, in combination with atezolizumab in patients with late-line MSS CRC. These data included a preliminary 27% objective response rate in late-line MSS CRC patients without liver metastases accompanied by a differentiated safety profile with a low incidence of colitis and other immune-related adverse events, which are common dose-limiting adverse events for other CTLA-4 agents,” said Rene Russo, Pharm.D., president and chief executive officer of Xilio. “MSS CRC is an immunologically cold tumor type that is very difficult to treat and increasing in incidence, particularly in younger people for whom no immunotherapy treatment options are currently available. We look forward to reporting updated Phase 2 data at the upcoming ASCO meeting, including additional response assessments and further follow-up on the previously reported data. This quarter was also marked by strong execution across our pipeline, as we continue to advance XTX301, our tumor-activated IL-12, in monotherapy dose escalation in partnership with Gilead, and multiple novel masked T cell engager programs internally and as part of our recently announced collaboration with AbbVie.”

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About “Biotech Alert”

The Fly will report on a selection of biotech stocks seeing a surge in interest from retail and financial professional investors, based on data from InvestingChannel.

This Fly exclusive recap reveals the biotech stocks that are seeing a spike in searches among the 20-plus million retail and financial professional investors through InvestingChannel’s online financial news media ecosystem.

This increased attention from the investors may be in response to, or advance of, outsized moves for stocks in the biotech sector, which tend to be volatile and prone to sharp swings in share price around binary events such as clinical study results and FDA approvals.