DISCLAIMER — Not financial advice. Educational content only, not an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security. Biotech and small/mid-cap stocks are highly speculative and volatile and can result in a partial or total loss of capital. Do your own research and consult a licensed advisor where appropriate. / Contenuti a solo scopo informativo e didattico, non costituiscono consulenza finanziaria né offerta o sollecitazione al pubblico risparmio ai sensi delle normative CONSOB e SEC. Le azioni biotech e le small/mid cap sono strumenti altamente speculativi e volatili e possono comportare la perdita parziale o totale del capitale investito. Si raccomanda di effettuare sempre le proprie ricerche e, se necessario, di rivolgersi a un consulente abilitato.

Merlintrader Trading Pub
Biotech catalyst news and analysis. FDA PDUFA tracker

Merlintrader Trading Pub
Biotech catalyst news and analysis. FDA PDUFA tracker
Encyclopedia of Social Trader Myths – Vol. 2

The slightly less polite, more cynical and more honest companion to the original Encyclopedia of Social Trader Myths. Same dark humour, more uncomfortable truths about how traders really behave on Stocktwits, Reddit, X and Discord.
SIDU Sidus Space Inc

Space and Data-as-a-Service micro-cap building a LizzieSat® small-sat constellation with on-orbit AI processing and a long-term partnership with NASA Stennis’ ASTRA programme. After three LizzieSats launched in 12 months and a fresh equity raise, SIDU has become one of the most watched small-sat names of early 2026.
DRUG Bright Minds Biosciences

On January 6, 2026, Bright Minds reported positive topline results from its open-label Phase 2 BREAKTHROUGH study of BMB-101 in adults with drug-resistant absence seizures and developmental and encephalopathic epilepsies (DEE)
ACRV Acrivon Therapeutics Inc

Clinical-stage precision oncology small cap (~170–190M $) built around the AP3 predictive phosphoproteomics platform, advancing ACR-368 in registrational-intent Phase 2b (with planned confirmatory Phase 3) and ACR-2316, a dual WEE1/PKMYT1 inhibitor, with fresh data coming at the January 8, 2026 webcast
OMER Omeros Corp 2026

After years of being treated as a “show-me story”, Omeros enters 2026 with two key green lights: FDA approval of Yartemlea (narsoplimab-wuug) and a large strategic deal with Novo Nordisk on OMS906. This report walks through the approval process, current US/EU regulatory status, the financial impact of the Novo deal, and a catalyst map for 2026.
NRXP and the Phantom PDUFA 2

Over the last 18–24 months, NRx Pharmaceuticals (NRXP) has built a storyline around NRX-100 (preservative-free IV ketamine) that many retail traders translated into a simple, crisp line: “PDUFA by year-end 2025.”
ONDS Ondas Holdings Inc jan 06 update

Ondas Holdings (ONDS) has extended its powerful run into early 2026, hitting new four-year highs and moving decisively into mid-cap territory. The next major test for the story is the OAS Investor Day 2026, where management will present the updated 2026 business plan and financial outlook. This update is a companion to the full deep dive available here: ONDS – Ondas Holdings Inc. (full report) .
IBIO iBio Inc

iBio (IBIO) has turned into a small but noisy name in the obesity-drug corner of biotech. It’s a micro-cap (~42–45M $) that has radically repositioned itself as an AI-driven antibody company for obesity and cardiometabolic disease, with a clear—if high-risk—angle: “post-GLP-1” biology focused on Activin E, myostatin/Activin A and the amylin receptor.
NBIX Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc

Companion EN/IT deep dive on Neurocrine Biosciences: INGREZZA as the main cash engine in movement disorders, CRENESSITY as the first new therapy for classic CAH in 70 years, and an expanding psychiatry pipeline (NBI-1117568 and related muscarinic programmes). Focus on 2025–2026 catalysts, risk map and how NBIX fits in a catalyst-driven biotech watchlist.
INCY Incyte Corp

Incyte is a classic mid-cap biotech with a single dominant product (Jakafi) and a long history of oncology R&D. After several high-profile pipeline disappointments, the company has shifted from aggressive expansion to a more selective, risk-controlled development strategy.
VRTX Vertex Pharmaceuticals- CRISPR-Therapeutics

ASGEVY hits primary endpoints in children 5–11 with SCD and TDT – global paediatric filings planned for 1H 2026
Context: ASH 2025 & pre-JPM 2026 – CLIMB-151 (SCD) and CLIMB-141 (TDT) paediatric cohorts (5–11 years).
Vertex has presented the first pivotal data for CASGEVY in children aged 5–11 with sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia. In both Phase 3 trials, all evaluable patients with sufficient follow-up achieved the primary endpoints (absence of vaso-occlusive crises for SCD; sustained transfusion independence for TDT) with VOC-free and transfusion-free periods approaching two years in some cases. Safety so far remains consistent with the adult programme.
JPM Healthcare Conference 2026

The 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference is widely considered the most influential healthcare investment meeting in the world. Often described as the “Super Bowl of Healthcare”, it brings together more than 8,000 participants, including C-suite executives, institutional investors, policymakers, analysts and media.
KALA Kala Bio Inc

Deep dive on KALA BIO after the CHASE Phase 2b collapse, the Oxford Finance default, David Lazar’s $6M rescue, and the December 26, 2025 completion of the $2M debt settlement that wipes out ~$10.6M in obligations.
HOVR New Horizon Aircraft Ltd

Government money and Formula 1 DNA behind the Cavorite X7
In October 2025 Horizon announced an INSAT (Initiative for Sustainable Aviation Technology) grant to fund “Project CRYSTAL”, a 10.5 M CAD all-weather eVTOL programme focused on icing detection and protection. Horizon will receive about 2.0 M CAD in non-dilutive proceeds, working with the Flight Test Centre of Excellence (3C) and the University of Toronto on a propulsion system that can operate in conditions where most helicopters are grounded.
AUPH Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc

AUPH has been on every biotech retail watchlist since the January 22, 2021 FDA approval of LUPKYNIS (voclosporin) for lupus nephritis. The buyout never came, but the company did the one thing that really matters: it built a profitable, growing LN franchise.
ASTS AST SpaceMobile Inc

Complete overview of the most talked-about direct-to-cell stock: technology, last 12 months, financials, ownership, analyst views, sentiment and key catalysts into 2026.
TARA Protara Therapeutics Inc

Key message: the FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track designations to TARA-002 for the treatment of pediatric macrocystic and mixed cystic lymphatic malformations (LMs), on top of the existing Rare Pediatric Disease designation and inclusion in the FDA’s CMC Development and Readiness Pilot program.
This turns TARA-002 into a rare triple-designation asset in a high-need pediatric space, and gives Protara a clearly accelerated regulatory lane while the stock is still trading in single digits.
ALT Altimmune

Key message: the FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) to pemvidutide for the treatment of MASH, based on 24-week data from the Phase 2b IMPACT trial (company press release, Jan 5 2026 and IMPACT publication).
The stock immediately reacts with an intraday move around +15–20% (as reported by outlets like Seeking Alpha and Investing.com). This is not a random bounce, it is a repricing of regulatory risk.
PDYN Palladyne AI Corp

Deep dive on Palladyne AI’s pivot into Palladyne Defense: SwarmOS, GuideTech, Crucis, BRAIN avionics, Banshee and SwarmStrike, with an ambitious target to more than triple 2024 revenue by 2026.
Weekly Recap and next week outlook dec 29-jan 02 jan 05-jan 09

From PDUFA shocks to early 2026 catalysts: what just happened and what traders should watch next week.