ARCT Stock Up as Updated COVID-19 Jab Betters PFE & BNTX's Comirnaty

Core Insights - Arcturus Therapeutics and CSL Seqirus reported positive results from a 12-month follow-up analysis of their sa-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, ARCT-154, leading to a stock increase of 5.4% and an additional 2.5% in after-market hours [1][2] Vaccine Efficacy - ARCT-154 demonstrated a stronger and longer-lasting immune response compared to the conventional mRNA vaccine Comirnaty, with effective results against various strains using only one-sixth of the dosage (5 μg vs 30 μg) [2] - The bivalent vaccine ARCT-2301 also showed enhanced immune responses compared to Comirnaty, persisting for up to six months against key variants [2] Market Performance - Year-to-date, Arcturus shares have decreased by 26.4%, contrasting with a 1.8% decline in the industry [4] Regulatory Approvals - ARCT-154 received approval in Japan in November 2023 as the first sa-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for adults, with an updated formulation targeting variant JN.1 also approved [4] - The FDA approved updated mRNA vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna targeting the KP.2 strain, with emergency use authorization for low-dose formulations for younger individuals [6] Pipeline Developments - Arcturus is advancing its pipeline with ARCT-032 for cystic fibrosis, having received FDA clearance for its IND application, and is set to begin a phase II study [8] - Another candidate, ARCT-810, is in phase II for ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency, with potential for growth through successful development [9] Company Ranking - Arcturus currently holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), indicating strong market confidence [10]