Sometimes good news isn't enough. NovaBridge Biosciences (NBP) started Tuesday in the green after announcing updated trial results, but the enthusiasm didn't last. Shares reversed course and dropped into negative territory despite what looked like encouraging data from its cancer drug study.

What the Data Showed

NovaBridge released updated results from its Phase 1b combination study testing givastomig alongside nivolumab and chemotherapy (mFOLFOX6) in patients with HER2-negative, first-line metastatic gastric cancer. The numbers looked solid.

The overall response rate hit 77% in patients receiving 8 mg/kg of givastomig and 73% in those getting 12 mg/kg. What's interesting is that responses showed up across a wide range of CLDN18.2 and PD-L1 expression levels, suggesting the treatment might work for more patients than initially expected.

Median progression-free survival reached 16.9 months in the 8 mg/kg group, while the 12 mg/kg cohort data remains immature because of shorter follow-up time. Six-month landmark PFS came in at 73% for the lower dose and 91% for the higher dose.

The safety profile looked manageable. The company said the combination therapy was generally well tolerated, with side effects comparable to standard-of-care treatment. Immune-related gastritis appeared in some patients and seemed to correlate with better clinical outcomes.

What Comes Next

NovaBridge plans to launch a global, randomized Phase 2 study in the first quarter of 2026, testing both doses against standard of care. More detailed Phase 1b dose expansion data should be presented at a medical conference later that year.

NBP Price Action: At the time of writing, NovaBridge stock was trading 8.01% lower at $4.02.