Even with phase 2 success, Ventyx halts TYK2 inhibitor, sending stock plummeting 70%

Sometimes even an apparently successful clinical trial may not be enough to save your drug—or your stock price—once you dig into the numbers.

That’s what Ventyx Biosciences found when it reviewed data from a phase 2 trial of TYK2 inhibitor VTX958 in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The San Diego-based biotech reported that the two higher doses, 225 mg and 300 mg, of the four that were assessed hit the study’s primary endpoint of showing a statistically significant proportion of patients who experienced a 75% reduction in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index at Week 16 compared to placebo.