Are there any upcoming regulatory or clinical milestones that could act as catalysts (e.g., FDA meetings, trial enrollment milestones)?
Catalyst Landscape:
The Q2 2025 earnings release and corporate update from LAVA Therapeutics do not spell out exact dates, but the language in the filing points to several near‑term milestones that traders typically watch for in a clinical‑stage immuno‑oncology company. First, the company is advancing its lead Gammabody® bispecific program (LVTX‑101) into a pivotal Phase 2 expansion trial, with the protocol‑finalized IND already submitted to the FDA. A pre‑IND meeting is scheduled for late‑July 2025, after which the agency is expected to issue a formal IND acceptance in early August. Assuming clearance, the trial will begin enrolling patients in Q4 2025, and the company has committed to reporting the first‑patient‑in (FPI) and the first‑dose‑administered (FDA) milestones by mid‑Q4. In addition, a separate early‑stage Gammabody candidate (LVTX‑202) is slated for a Phase 1 dose‑escalation read‑out in November 2025. Both events—FDA IND acceptance and the upcoming Phase 2 read‑out—are classic short‑term catalysts that can generate meaningful price moves when the outcomes are disclosed.
Trading Implications:
From a technical standpoint, LVTX’s stock has been trading in a tight range around the $7.80–$8.30 band since the earnings beat, with the 50‑day SMA holding near $8.00 and the RSI hovering in the 45–55 zone, indicating limited momentum but room for a catalyst‑driven breakout. Volume has been modest but spikes whenever the company files a 8‑K or posts a conference‑call transcript, suggesting that traders react strongly to news flow. Given the upcoming July FDA meeting, a buy‑on‑dip approach could be warranted if the stock pulls back to the 50‑day SMA ahead of the meeting, with a target of $9.20–$9.50 on a clean IND acceptance and enrollment kickoff. Conversely, a short‑term straddle (long call/put) could capture volatility around the August IND acceptance and the November Phase 1 read‑out, especially if the market has not priced in the binary nature of these outcomes. Keep a close eye on SEC filings, the company’s investor‑relations webcast schedule, and ClinicalTrials.gov for exact enrollment dates—those will be the definitive triggers for price action.