Steven Cohen's Biotech Investments Are Becoming More Ambitious Yet More Focused
Steven Cohen's Biotech Investments
Point72 Asset Management's New Stakes: Billionaire hedge fund manager Steven Cohen is making significant investments in small-cap biotech firms, particularly focusing on companies with promising genetic and antibody therapies. His firm has recently acquired stakes in Invivyd Inc. and Design Therapeutics Inc., capitalizing on their recent stock performance.
Invivyd Inc. Investment: Point72 disclosed a new position in Invivyd, purchasing 16.73 million shares for $17.23 million at an average price of $1.03. Invivyd's stock has surged 106% year-to-date, with a notable 22% increase in the past month. Despite being below its 52-week high of $2.74, the stock has rebounded from a low of 35 cents, driven by optimism surrounding its monoclonal antibody candidate VYD222.
Design Therapeutics Stake Increase: Cohen's firm increased its stake in Design Therapeutics by 62.8%, acquiring an additional 1.14 million shares. The current stake is valued at approximately $5.64 per share, reflecting a 24% increase from the initial entry price of $4.55. Design Therapeutics has seen its shares rise nearly 42% in the past month and 19.8% over the past year, with its GeneTACTM molecules targeting specific genetic diseases.
Market Trends and Future Outlook
Growing Hedge Fund Interest: Cohen's investments highlight a broader trend of hedge funds seeking high-risk, high-reward opportunities in the biotech sector. The market response to small-cap biotech stocks indicates a growing appetite for innovative therapies, particularly as these companies show potential for significant breakthroughs.
Performance of Other Biotech Stocks: Alongside Invivyd and Design Therapeutics, Cohen has also invested in Structure Therapeutics and Entrada, which are gaining traction in the market. The performance of these stocks in 2025 suggests that investors are increasingly optimistic about the future of small-cap biotech investments.
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- Emergency Authorization Expiry: Invivyd's PEMGARDA treatment is set to expire on June 29, 2027, unless the company secures full FDA approval beforehand, which could significantly impact its market position and revenue stream.
- Significant Revenue Growth: In 2025, PEMGARDA generated $53.4 million in net product revenue for Invivyd, more than doubling the $25.4 million recorded in its partial sales year of 2024, indicating strong market demand.
- Proactive FDA Communication: Invivyd is actively engaging with the FDA and plans to pursue every available path to ensure PEMGARDA remains accessible for immunocompromised patients, reflecting the company's commitment to patient needs.
- Market Sentiment Dismal: Despite all analysts rating IVVD as a 'Buy', retail sentiment around the stock has remained in the 'bearish' territory over the past 24 hours, indicating investor uncertainty about the future.
- Emergency Use Authorization Termination: The FDA has terminated Invivyd's emergency use authorization for PEMGARDA, effective June 29, 2027, following the Department of Health and Human Services' advanced notice of termination on June 30, 2026, indicating a significant shift in COVID-19 treatment strategies.
- Market Reaction Volatility: Following the announcement, IVVD shares initially fell approximately 6% in premarket trading before rebounding to a 1.8% increase, reflecting the market's mixed response and investor caution regarding the company's future prospects.
- Drug Background Information: PEMGARDA received FDA emergency use authorization in March 2024 for COVID-19 prevention in immunocompromised patients, and the termination of this authorization could impact treatment options for this vulnerable group, potentially affecting Invivyd's market share.
- Ongoing Dialogue: Invivyd has stated it is in discussions with the FDA regarding next steps, indicating that the company is actively seeking solutions, which may influence its future research directions and market strategies.
- EUA Termination Notice: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the termination of the COVID-19 Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) effective June 29, 2027, which directly impacts Invivyd's PEMGARDA, leading to its EUA termination on the same date, potentially affecting the company's future revenue and market position.
- Clinical Trial Results: PEMGARDA has demonstrated strong COVID-19 protection in randomized clinical trials and has been in clinical use for over two years, serving as a critical non-vaccine option for immune-compromised and other vulnerable populations; however, the termination of the EUA may lead to decreased market acceptance.
- Ongoing Regulatory Dialogue: Invivyd is in dialogue with the FDA to seek a regulatory approval pathway for PEMGARDA, although no explicit written advice has been received to date, creating uncertainty that may impact the company's strategic planning and investor confidence.
- Board Commentary: Invivyd's Board Chairman Marc Elia stated that while the EUA has provided an important COVID-19 prevention option for vulnerable populations, it does not equate to product approval, emphasizing the company's confidence that PEMGARDA's clinical data is sufficient to support a Biologics License Application (BLA) and expressing optimism for the future.
- Stock Option Grant: On July 1, 2026, Invivyd granted stock options for a total of 493,000 shares to 14 newly hired non-executive employees as a significant inducement for their employment, reflecting the company's commitment to attracting talent.
- Exercise Price: The options have an exercise price of $0.8544 per share, which matches the closing price of Invivyd's common stock on the grant date, thereby aligning employee incentives with company performance.
- Vesting Schedule: The options vest over four years, with 25% vesting on the first anniversary and the remainder vesting in equal monthly installments, which enhances employee loyalty and stability as they remain with the company.
- Long-Term Incentive: With a 10-year term, the options are subject to the terms of the Invivyd 2026 Inducement Plan, aiming to boost employee motivation and overall company performance through a long-term incentive structure.
- Trial Enrollment Complete: Invivyd has announced the completion of participant enrollment in its LIBERTY clinical trial, which will compare the safety and tolerability of the monoclonal antibody VYD2311 with an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, with initial results expected in Q3 2026, potentially released alongside DECLARATION trial data.
- Significant Clinical Comparison: The LIBERTY trial will evaluate the safety and immune response when VYD2311 is administered alongside the vaccine, and if VYD2311 demonstrates improved side effects and tolerability, it could provide a crucial alternative for COVID-19 prevention, potentially enhancing public health outcomes.
- REVOLUTION Program: The LIBERTY trial is part of Invivyd's broader REVOLUTION clinical program, aimed at establishing VYD2311 as the preferred option for COVID-19 prevention, which, if approved, would offer more choices for Americans and address vaccine hesitancy.
- Participant Scale: The LIBERTY trial involves approximately 210 healthy adults and will last for seven days, focusing on assessing the side effects and tolerability of COVID antibodies versus vaccines, providing critical data for future clinical applications.
- Trial Launch: Invivyd announced that the first participant in its Phase 3 LIBERTY trial has been dosed with VYD2311, an investigational monoclonal antibody for COVID-19, marking a significant advancement in the company's antiviral treatment efforts.
- Trial Design Details: The LIBERTY trial is a randomized, double-blind study aiming to enroll approximately 210 participants aged 18 to 49, focusing on evaluating the safety of VYD2311 and its co-administration with an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, highlighting the company's commitment to innovative therapies.
- Fast-Track Designation: VYD2311 has received fast-track designation from the U.S. FDA, indicating its potential importance in COVID-19 treatment and possibly accelerating its market entry, which could enhance the company's competitive position in the biopharmaceutical sector.
- Market Performance: Invivyd's stock has traded between $0.4830 and $3.070 over the past year, closing at $0.99, and despite recent declines, the clinical progress may positively influence future stock performance.









