Phase 2 data demonstrate differentiated CXCR4 inhibition kinetics enabling same-day cell collection, with rapid lymphocyte mobilization supporting potential therapeutic applications beyond transplantREDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Exicure, Inc. (Nasdaq: XCUR), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapeutics for hematologic diseases, today announced the publication of results from a prior Phase 2 clinical study evaluating burixafor (GPC-100/TG-0054), a highly selective ...

At 7:55 a.m. ET on Wednesday, premarket trading is seeing notable activity in several stocks, with early price movements signaling potential opportunities before the opening bell.For active traders, premarket trading offers a head start in spotting potential breakouts, reversals, or sharp price swings. These early moves often indicate where momentum may carry into the regular session, making premarket analysis a key part of the trading day.In the Green - Premarket GainersThe following stocks are trading hi ...

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Jan. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Exicure, Inc. (Nasdaq: XCUR), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapeutics for hematologic diseases, today announced that it will present a poster at the upcoming 2026 Tandem Meetings | Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) and Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR), taking place February 4-7, 2026, in Salt Lake City, UT. The ...

Company Performance - AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) stock fell approximately 7% after reporting first-quarter earnings and sales that did not meet Wall Street expectations, with earnings per share at $31.04, below the consensus estimate of $32.37, and quarterly sales of $4.629 billion, which was an 8.2% year-over-year increase but missed the expected $4.637 billion [2] Market Movements - Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. (NYSE:ALEX) shares surged 38% to $20.89 following the announcement of a $2.3 billion all-cash deal to go private [8] - Exicure Inc (NASDAQ:XCUR) shares increased by 35% to $7.10 after positive results from a Phase 2 trial related to multiple myeloma treatment [8] - Tronox Holdings plc (NYSE:TROX) shares rose 30% to $4.86 after receiving non-binding letters of support for up to $600 million in financing for its rare earth supply chain development [8] - Top Wealth Group Holding Ltd (NASDAQ:TWG) shares plummeted 71% to $6.31 after announcing a public offering priced at $7.00 per unit [8] - Phreesia, Inc. (NYSE:PHR) shares fell 21% to $15.80 following third-quarter results [8] - SLM Corporation (NASDAQ:SLM) shares decreased by 16% to $25.86 after a downgrade from Buy to Sell and a reduction in price target from $35 to $23 [8] Economic Indicators - U.S. private employers added an average of 4,750 jobs per week during the four weeks ending November 22 [10] - U.S. job openings increased by 12,000 to 7.670 million in October, compared to 7.658 million in September [10]

Market Overview - U.S. stocks experienced an upward trend, with the Nasdaq Composite gaining approximately 50 points on Tuesday. The Dow rose by 0.22% to 47,845.80, the NASDAQ increased by 0.22% to 23,597.71, and the S&P 500 climbed 0.23% to 6,862.11 [1] - Energy shares saw a notable increase of 1.5%, while health care stocks declined by 0.4% on the same day [1] Company Earnings - AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) reported a decline in stock value by around 7% after its first-quarter earnings and sales fell short of Wall Street expectations. The company reported earnings per share of $31.04, missing the consensus estimate of $32.37. Quarterly sales reached $4.629 billion, reflecting an 8.2% year-over-year increase, but still fell short of the expected $4.637 billion [2] Notable Stock Movements - Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. (NYSE:ALEX) shares surged by 38% to $20.89 following the announcement of a $2.3 billion all-cash deal to go private [8] - Exicure Inc (NASDAQ:XCUR) shares increased by 35% to $7.10 after positive results from a Phase 2 trial related to multiple myeloma treatment [8] - Tronox Holdings plc (NYSE:TROX) shares rose by 30% to $4.86 after receiving non-binding letters of support for financing up to $600 million for its rare earth supply chain development [8] - Top Wealth Group Holding Ltd (NASDAQ:TWG) shares plummeted by 71% to $6.31 after announcing a public offering priced at $7.00 per unit [8] - Phreesia, Inc. (NYSE:PHR) shares fell by 21% to $15.80 following third-quarter results [8] - SLM Corporation (NASDAQ:SLM) experienced a decline of 16% to $25.86 after a downgrade from Compass Point and Morgan Stanley, with price targets reduced significantly [8] Commodity Market - In commodity trading, oil prices decreased by 1.1% to $58.23, while gold prices increased by 0.7% to $4,248.20. Silver saw a rise of 4.5% to $61.005, whereas copper prices fell by 2.2% to $5.3275 [5] European Market Performance - European shares showed mixed results, with the eurozone's STOXX 600 declining by 0.10%. Spain's IBEX 35 Index rose by 0.13%, while London's FTSE 100 fell by 0.03%, Germany's DAX 40 gained 0.49%, and France's CAC 40 decreased by 0.69% [6] Asian Market Performance - Asian markets closed mostly lower, with Japan's Nikkei rising by 0.14%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell by 1.29%, China's Shanghai Composite declined by 0.37%, and India's BSE Sensex decreased by 0.51% [9] Employment Data - U.S. private employers added an average of 4,750 jobs per week during the four weeks ending November 22. Job openings rose by 12,000 to 7.670 million in October, compared to 7.658 million in September [10]

Core Insights - Exicure, Inc. (NASDAQ:XCUR) stock experienced a significant increase of 63.23%, reaching $8.70, following the announcement of positive results from its Phase 2 trial of burixafor in multiple myeloma patients [6] Group 1: Trial Results - Approximately 90% of study participants achieved the primary endpoint of collecting ≥2 × 10⁶ CD34+ cells/kg within two leukapheresis sessions [2][3] - Among the 19 participants, 17 (89.5%) met the primary endpoint, with two requiring an additional session to achieve the target [3] - The median time to neutrophil engraftment was 13 days, and the median time to platelet engraftment was 17.5 days for those who proceeded to transplant [4] Group 2: Mechanism and Efficacy - Burixafor is an investigational small molecule that blocks CXCL12 binding to CXCR4 receptors, facilitating rapid mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells from the bone marrow [2] - The combination of burixafor with propranolol enhanced mobilization by inhibiting the β2-adrenergic receptor [3] - Peak peripheral levels of CD34+ cells were observed within one hour of burixafor administration, allowing for same-day administration and apheresis [4] Group 3: Safety Profile - The burixafor combination was well tolerated, with no related adverse events exceeding Grade 2 [6] - Among participants with prior exposure to daratumumab, 87.5% achieved the primary endpoint, indicating the treatment's effectiveness even in previously treated patients [5]

Core Viewpoint - Exicure has experienced a significant stock price rally due to promising Phase 2 trial results for its investigational drug burixafor, which is designed for hematopoietic progenitor cell mobilization in multiple myeloma patients [1][3]. Group 1: Stock Performance - Exicure shares surged 70% in pre-market trading to approximately $9, following a previous close of $5.33, marking a year-to-date decline of 64.89% [1]. - The early-morning rally was a response to the positive trial results, indicating a strong market reaction to the new data [3]. Group 2: Clinical Trial Results - Nearly 90% of trial participants achieved the required CD34+ cell thresholds within two leukapheresis sessions when treated with burixafor in combination with propranolol and G-CSF [4]. - The therapy demonstrated effectiveness in patients previously treated with daratumumab, a group that typically has lower mobilization success [5]. - Burixafor's rapid activity was highlighted, with peak CD34+ cell levels appearing within an hour, distinguishing it from other drugs in the same class [5]. Group 3: Institutional Ownership - Despite its small size and previous decline, Exicure has maintained a presence in the portfolios of major institutional investors, including BlackRock, Carlyle Group, Vanguard, Geode Capital Management, and UBS Group [6][7]. - As of September 30, 2025, BlackRock held 5,730 shares of Exicure, indicating continued interest from professional investors [6].

Core Insights - Biotechnology stocks experienced significant movements in after-hours trading, with several companies reporting strong gains driven by positive trial results and strategic announcements [1] Company Performances - Exicure, Inc. (XCUR) saw a substantial increase of 72.61% to $9.20 after announcing positive Phase 2 trial results for burixafor, achieving a primary endpoint success rate of approximately 90% in multiple myeloma patients [2] - Artiva Biotherapeutics, Inc. (ARTV) rose 10.39% to $3.40 despite a regular session decline, with no new updates reported [3] - iBio, Inc. (IBIO) advanced 8.38% to $1.81, following a significant 39.17% increase during regular trading [3] - Cartesian Therapeutics, Inc. (RNAC) increased by 6.55% to $7.16, recovering from a prior decline [4] - Metagenomi, Inc. (MGX) gained 7.18% to $1.94, with plans to present preclinical data at an upcoming conference [5] - BioAtla, Inc. (BCAB) rose 4.81% to $0.85, despite no new updates [6] - ProMIS Neurosciences, Inc. (PMN) climbed 3.02% to $7.85, following a publication related to Alzheimer's disease biomarkers [7] - DiaMedica Therapeutics Inc. (DMAC) increased by 4.77% to $9.18, with no new announcements [8] - Wave Life Sciences Ltd. (WVE) shares surged 4.97% to $19.44 after a significant 147.26% increase during regular trading, linked to a $250 million public offering [9] - Assembly Biosciences, Inc. (ASMB) gained 5.96% to $37.49, reporting positive interim results from Phase 1b studies of HSV inhibitors [10]

Core Insights - Exicure, Inc. announced positive results from its Phase 2 trial of burixafor (GPC-100) in combination with propranolol and G-CSF for mobilizing hematopoietic progenitor cells in multiple myeloma patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation, with approximately 90% of participants achieving the primary endpoint [1][3][6] Company Overview - Exicure, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing therapies for hematologic diseases, with its lead program being burixafor (GPC-100) [10] - Burixafor is a small molecule antagonist of CXCR4, designed to enhance the mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells for autologous stem cell transplant procedures [8] Trial Details - The Phase 2 trial was an open-label, multicenter study involving 19 participants, where 17 achieved the primary endpoint of collecting ≥2 × 10⁶ CD34+ cells/kg [3] - The median time to neutrophil engraftment was 13 days, and the median time to platelet engraftment was 17.5 days, indicating rapid mobilization kinetics [3] Efficacy and Safety - The combination treatment was well tolerated, with no burixafor-related adverse events exceeding Grade 2, demonstrating an excellent safety profile [5][6] - Notably, 84.2% of participants had prior exposure to daratumumab, yet 87.5% of these still achieved the primary endpoint, suggesting the treatment's effectiveness even in challenging cases [4][6] Future Applications - Burixafor is being considered for other diseases requiring improved stem cell mobilization, including sickle cell disease and acute myeloid leukemia, indicating its potential for broader therapeutic applications [9][10]

Financial Performance - Total revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $500,000, compared to no revenue for the same period in 2024[21]. - The net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $2,437,000, compared to a net loss of $1,091,000 for the same period in 2024, indicating an increase in loss of approximately 123.8%[25]. - As of September 30, 2025, Exicure, Inc. reported a net loss of $2,048,000, compared to a net loss of $2,520,000 for the same period in 2024, indicating an 18.7% improvement in losses year-over-year[34]. - The company reported a basic and diluted loss per common share of $0.39 for the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $0.57 for the same period in 2024[21]. - The Company reported total revenues of $0 for the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $50,000 for the same period in 2024[104]. - The Company incurred a total operating expense of $2,391,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $2,572,000 for the same period in 2024[104]. Assets and Liabilities - Total current assets decreased from $13,673,000 on December 31, 2024, to $5,439,000 on September 30, 2025, representing a decline of approximately 60.2%[19]. - Cash and cash equivalents decreased from $12,508,000 on December 31, 2024, to $4,438,000 on September 30, 2025, a decline of about 64.6%[19]. - The accumulated deficit increased from $199,264,000 on December 31, 2024, to $201,312,000 on September 30, 2025, reflecting a rise of approximately 1%[19]. - Total liabilities increased slightly from $8,284,000 on December 31, 2024, to $8,340,000 on September 30, 2025[19]. - As of September 30, 2025, total financial liabilities measured at fair value are $5,787,000, all classified as Level 3 liabilities[115]. Cash Flow and Operating Activities - The company experienced a net cash used in operating activities of $7,408,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, significantly higher than the $2,065,000 used in the same period of 2024[34]. - Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at the end of the period were $4,438,000, down from $12,508,000 at the beginning of the period, reflecting a decrease of 64.6%[34]. - The company expects to incur significant expenses and negative cash flows for the foreseeable future, necessitating additional funding[51]. Strategic Alternatives and Uncertainties - The company has substantial uncertainties regarding its ability to raise additional capital needed to fund operations and strategic alternatives due to a lack of revenue source[12]. - The company is exploring strategic alternatives to maximize stockholder value, which may involve unexpected costs and liabilities[12]. - As of September 30, 2025, Exicure's management expressed substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern due to insufficient cash to fund operations[50]. Acquisitions and Collaborations - Exicure acquired GPCR Therapeutics USA Inc. for $1,600,000, which included the purchase of 6,000,000 common shares[40]. - The company entered into a License and Collaboration Agreement with GPCR, requiring milestone payments and recurring royalty payments based on future sales[41]. - GPCR USA is conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial involving GPC-100 for blood cancer patients, with results expected to be announced in Q4 2025[42]. - The total purchase price for the acquisition of GPCR USA was $7,881,000, which included $1,635,000 in cash, $500,000 in equity consideration, and $5,246,000 in fair value of contingent consideration[67]. - The assets acquired included cash and cash equivalents of $45,000, property and equipment valued at $626,000, and intangible assets worth $3,784,000, totaling $9,291,000[67]. - Goodwill recorded from the acquisition amounted to $3,340,000, reflecting the excess of the purchase price over the net fair value of identifiable assets acquired[67]. Legal Proceedings and Settlements - The settlement of the securities class action lawsuit includes a payment of $5,625,000, fully covered by insurance[118]. - The Company is involved in multiple legal proceedings, including derivative lawsuits and a breach of contract claim, which may impact management resources[123]. - The Company recorded an accrual of approximately $1,100,000 for the unsatisfied portion of its self-insured retainer as of September 30, 2024[119]. Accounting and Financial Reporting - The company plans to adopt the new accounting standard ASU 2024-03 for the fiscal year 2027, which will require additional disclosures about specific expense categories[63]. - The company’s annual goodwill impairment review is performed on December 31 each year, assessing qualitative factors to determine potential impairment[61]. - The effective tax rate for the Company was 0% for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, due to generated tax losses and a full valuation allowance against deferred tax assets[107].