SLS Stock Rises Overnight: Healthcare Execs Tout AML Drug As ‘Game Changer’ Ahead Of Final Trial Trigger

• A medical-device industry executive predicted that GPS could become an “absolute blockbuster” after the results are released.
• A Stocktwits user highlighted a now-deleted LinkedIn comment attributed to a J&J product director calling GPS and Regal a “game changer for AML care.”
• Regal has recorded 78 of the 80 events required to trigger its final efficacy analysis.

Shares of Sellas Life Sciences (SLS) climbed 2% overnight late Sunday after healthcare executives touted its acute myeloid leukemia (AML) drug as a potential “game changer,” intensifying investor interest as the closely watched Regal trial approaches its final trigger.

SLS stock fell 13% on Friday, marking its worst session in more than three months, though it remained up 32% for the month. 

AstraZeneca, J&J Execs Tout Sellas’ GPS 

The comments emerged as part of a weekend LinkedIn discussion about the rise of personalized cancer vaccines and their potential to prevent cancer from returning.

The original post, by Healthspan AI adviser Stuart Diamond, focused on Moderna and Merck’s personalized mRNA cancer vaccine intismeran, combined with Keytruda, meeting the primary endpoint in a Phase 3 melanoma trial. Michael Anglestein, a senior respiratory biologics sales specialist at AstraZeneca, then turned the conversation to Sellas’ galinpepimut-S (GPS).

“The REGAL Phase 3 trial for AML is a game changer for CR1 & CR2 patients,” Anglestein said. “The trial has been going on for 5 1/2 years with no futility and very few side effects.” Anglestein added that GPS and Sellas’ other clinical candidate, SLS009, would be “game changers” for AML and potentially other cancers.

Rob Tomko, a medical-device industry executive, agreed. “Going to be an absolute blockbuster once the results come out,” Tomko said. “I couldn’t agree more!”

A Stocktwits user also highlighted a LinkedIn comment attributed to Michael Frascello, a product director at Johnson & Johnson, that appears to have since been deleted. “Agree Sellas GPS and REGAL will be a game changer for AML care,” Frascello reportedly said.

When another user asked how much research supported his view, and mentioned shareholder speculation about J&J potentially acquiring Sellas, Frascello said: “This is based on my own personal research and analysis.” He also added:“I’ve been analyzing SLS for over a year and a half now!” The chatter drew attention as J&J targets more than $50 billion in oncology sales by 2030 and continues expanding through acquisitions.

Sellas’ Regal Nears Final Trigger

The key catalyst for Sellas is Regal, which has recorded 78 of the 80 events required to trigger its final efficacy analysis. After the 80th event, the company plans to announce the milestone before beginning database lock, review, statistical analysis and unblinding.

Sellas CEO Angelos Stergiou said the company had entered a quiet period, while its team prepares for the database lock and advances regulatory work. Regal will be considered successful if GPS produces a median overall survival of 12.6 months, compared with eight months for the control arm. Positive results could drive a potential biologics license application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“We are approaching the pre-specified 80th event in the Phase 3 REGAL trial, marking a critical step toward the final efficacy analysis and, if successful, a potential BLA submission to the FDA,” Stergiou said earlier this month.

How Do Retail Traders Feel About SLS?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for SLS declined to ‘neutral’ from ‘bullish’ levels a day ago amid a 109% jump in 24-hour message volumes.

One user said, “$SLS The most meaningful aspect is not their employers—it is that identifiable pharmaceutical professionals consider the public REGAL evidence compelling enough to make unusually confident predictions under their real names.....”

In a retail poll by another user, 58% of voters expected Sellas to announce Regal’s 80th event this week, while 35% said they did not, based on 60 votes.

SLS stock has surged 588% over the past year. 

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.

Read Next: Why Retail Traders Couldn’t Take Their Eyes Off These Stocks Last Week: NVDA, CRWD, MRVL, CRM, ASTS