Altimmune Retail Buzz Heats Up On MASH Progress, FDA Nod For New Trials: Stock Jumps After Q4 Print

The company plans to unveil details at its virtual R&D Day on March 13.

Shares of Altimmune Inc. (ALT) soared over 8% on Thursday, marking their best session in nearly three months, and extended gains in after-hours trading. Retail buzz on Stocktwits surged, hitting a three-month high.

The clinical-stage biopharma company reported a net loss of $23.2 million, or $0.33 per share, for Q4 2024 — an improvement from a $31.6 million loss ($0.54 per share) a year ago. 

Altimmune ended the year with $132 million in cash and investments, which it expects to fund operations well into the second half of 2026, covering key milestones, including the Phase 2b readout for pemvidutide in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) next quarter.

CEO Vipin K. Garg said the IMPACT trial was one of "the fastest enrolling biopsy-driven Phase 2b MASH trials, reflecting pemvidutide's appeal due to its potent reduction of liver fat and body weight."

"We are confident it will achieve statistically significant improvements in both MASH resolution and fibrosis at trial readout."

Altimmune also said it had secured FDA clearance for two additional indications submitted under Investigational New Drug (IND) applications in Q4, with Phase 2 efficacy studies set to begin mid-2025. The company plans to unveil details at its virtual R&D Day on March 13.

Retail sentiment on Stocktwits turned 'extremely bullish,' with message volume soaring 273% in the 24 hours leading to Thursday's close. 

One user predicted a sharp rally to $50, interpreting comments from Altimmune's chief scientific officer that pemvidutide "is the best drug for many indications."

Another speculated on the new INDs, saying they could be for dyslipidemia (or hypertriglyceridemia) and Cirrhosis.

Altimmune's lead candidate, pemvidutide, is a GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist being developed for obesity and MASH. 

The stock drew attention in December after being added to the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index (NBI).

Shares of Altimmune are down over 12% year-to-date. 

According to Koyfin data, eight of the nine analysts covering the stock rate it a 'Buy' or 'Strong Buy,' while one has a 'Hold' rating.

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