New York, January 21, 2026, 05:35 ET — Premarket
- Corvus Pharmaceuticals shares fell roughly 8% in premarket trading following the announcement of a $150 million stock-and-warrant offering
- Shares surged 167% in the previous session following fresh Phase 1 data on soquelitinib for atopic dermatitis
- The company also paused its $100 million “at-the-market” share sales facility before closing the deal
Shares of Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRVS) dropped nearly 8%, slipping to $19.68 in premarket trading Wednesday. The decline follows the company’s announcement of an underwritten public offering worth $150 million in common stock and pre-funded warrants. These warrants let investors lock in shares now by paying most of the price upfront, with the option to buy later. Jefferies and Goldman Sachs are heading the deal, which also includes a 30-day over-allotment option allowing underwriters to purchase an extra $22.5 million in shares. (Businessinsider)
The timing is key. Corvus is set to raise new funds just a day after a sharp rally thrust the stock back onto momentum traders’ and dilution hawks’ radars. Shares closed Tuesday at $21.41, surging roughly 167% from the previous session.
The surge came after fresh data on soquelitinib, Corvus’ oral drug for atopic dermatitis, or eczema. In cohort 4 of a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled Phase 1 study, 75% of patients on soquelitinib hit EASI 75 — marking a 75% improvement on the Eczema Area and Severity Index — versus just 20% on placebo. No severe or serious adverse events were reported. “We believe this is a successful Phase 1 program … without compromising safety,” CEO Richard A. Miller said, noting plans to launch a Phase 2 trial in Q1 2026. (SEC)
Corvus disclosed in a separate SEC filing linked to the financing that it has suspended sales under its $100 million at-the-market program with Jefferies. This program would have let the company sell shares sporadically into the market. According to the filing, no shares were sold before the suspension.
The offering presents an immediate drag. After a sharp rally, traders often see stock sales as a signal about funding needs — and a warning that the number of shares could rise quickly.
Corvus is promoting soquelitinib as an ITK inhibitor that targets an enzyme tied to T-cell signaling. The company noted the eczema data revealed effectiveness even in patients previously treated with systemic therapies like dupilumab and JAK inhibitors, which are often used in more challenging cases.
Investors zero in on EASI 75 and IGA 0/1 in eczema trials. EASI measures how extensive and severe the condition is, while IGA reflects a clinician’s assessment of the skin, with 0/1 meaning clear or nearly clear.
Corvus is currently testing soquelitinib in a Phase 3 registration trial targeting relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of blood cancer. The company says the new funding will back this effort and upcoming mid-stage studies in inflammatory diseases.
The downside is clear. The Phase 1 eczema group is small, and Corvus pointed out that longer follow-up is still in progress. What seems straightforward now could turn complicated as more data and extended dosing come in.
Next up for investors: the pricing. They’ll focus on the final terms laid out in the prospectus supplement when Corvus sets the deal price. Also under scrutiny is any clearer timeline for the Phase 2 eczema trial, which the company plans to kick off in Q1 2026.
