New York, Jan 12, 2026, 2:38 PM EST — Regular session
- Shares of Johnson & Johnson climbed roughly 2% in afternoon trading following the release of fresh long-term cancer study data.
- Early in the week, fresh data on Rybrevant in metastatic colorectal cancer brought the drug back into the spotlight.
- The company’s fourth-quarter earnings report on Jan. 21 is the next major catalyst for investors.
Shares of Johnson & Johnson climbed roughly 2.3% to $209.03 on Monday, pushing the stock near the high end of its trading range after new oncology data came out over the weekend.
This move is crucial as major drugmakers face mounting pressure to demonstrate lasting growth ahead of earnings season, with healthcare executives filling up their schedules for updates. For J&J, oncology remains a focal point, and Rybrevant has recently caught investors’ attention.
Traders often see early cancer data as a fast indicator of pipeline momentum, despite approvals being far off. Meanwhile, pricing and policy risks have crept back into discussions, sometimes overshadowing solid scientific progress.
New data from the Phase 1b/2 OrigAMI-1 trial revealed a 51% overall response rate—the proportion of patients whose tumors shrank—for amivantamab (Rybrevant) combined with standard chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer, according to the American Journal of Managed Care. The median progression-free survival, indicating how long patients went before their disease advanced, was 9.2 months. Filippo Pietrantonio, an oncologist at Milan’s National Cancer Institute, told AJMC that patients received either FOLFIRI or FOLFOX chemotherapy plus amivantamab.
Johnson & Johnson reported a 73% response rate in the first-line subgroup and highlighted significant activity in patients with liver metastases, a particularly challenging group to treat. “Treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer has remained largely unchanged for many years,” said Kiran Patel, vice president of J&J’s Innovative Medicine unit, in a company statement. JNJ.com
Rybrevant is currently approved for specific non-small cell lung cancers, and investors are eager to see if J&J can extend its use to other solid tumors without hitting safety or tolerability roadblocks. Discussions about expanding its indications usually gain traction only when backed by longer-term data, rather than just an initial glimpse.
Risks remain clear. The colorectal cancer data come from an early-stage study with few patients. Phase 3 trials often stumble, even when mid-stage results appear promising. Plus, any hint of extra toxicity combining targeted drugs with chemotherapy could shift the commercial equation.
Policy remains a key driver. Last week, J&J announced a deal with the Trump administration to lower U.S. drug prices for Americans in return for tariff exemptions, though it kept the exact terms under wraps.
Johnson & Johnson is set to release its fourth-quarter results on Jan. 21, followed by an investor call at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. Investors will be watching closely for guidance on growth in its drug and medical-technology segments, which could steer the stock’s direction into the next week.
