Biotech Stocks Blasts Off After Eczema Drug Trial

Core Viewpoint - Nektar Therapeutics Inc's stock has surged by 83.7% to $17.52 following positive results from a mid-stage study of its eczema drug, rezpegaldesleukin, which met both primary and secondary goals [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - Nektar Therapeutics is experiencing its best trading day since a 91.5% increase on August 7, 2023, after similar promising data for the same drug [1] - The stock has broken above several moving averages, including the 320-day trendline, and is up 23.7% in 2025 [1] Group 2: Options Trading Activity - Options traders are actively engaging with Nektar stock, with 6,952 calls and 6,360 puts exchanged, representing 7.9 times the typical volume for an entire session [2] - The most popular option is the July 9 put, where new positions are being sold to open [2] Group 3: Short Interest Dynamics - A potential short squeeze could further propel the stock's breakout, as short interest has decreased by over 90%, yet 750,000 shares sold short still represent 6.2% of NKTR's total available float [3] - At the current trading pace, it would take shorts more than four trading days to cover their positions [3]