NVCR Stock Slips Despite PMA Application to Treat Pancreatic Cancer

NovoCure Limited NVCR, on Wednesday, announced its submission of a premarket approval (PMA) application to the FDA for Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy for the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer. The approval decision is anticipated in the second half of 2026.

It is worth mentioning that TTFields, which is NovoCure’s proprietary platform technology, are electric fields that exert physical forces to kill cancer cells via a variety of mechanisms.

The PMA submission is a significant milestone for NovoCure, which is likely to strengthen its foothold in the global oncology space.

Likely Trend in NVCR Stock Following the News

Following the announcement, shares of the company lost nearly 1.3% till yesterday’s close.

Historically, the company has gained a top-line boost from its various product innovations. Although the latest announcement is likely to be beneficial for NVCR’s top-line growth going forward, the stock declined overall.

NovoCure currently has a market capitalization of $1.33 billion. It has a P/S ratio of 2.1, lower than the industry’s 5.8. In the last reported quarter, NVCR delivered an earnings surprise of 7.7%.

Significance of NovoCure’s Announcement

Per NovoCure, the PMA application submission is supported by the PANOVA-3 trial, which evaluated the use of TTFields therapy concomitantly with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel (GnP) as a first-line treatment for adults with unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma, compared to GnP alone.

The PMA for pancreatic cancer was submitted as a PMA Panel-Track Supplement to Optune Lua, which is currently indicated for the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. The PMA supplement is expected to be converted to a separate, original PMA for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Management believes that the submission of the application is a key step in NVCR’s efforts to advance TTFields therapy as a treatment option for people with pancreatic cancer.

Industry Prospects in Favor of NVCR

Per a report by Grand View Research, the global pancreatic cancer treatment market was estimated at $2.92 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to reach $5.84 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 12.3%. Factors like the rise in lifestyle-related diseases and a growing elderly population are likely to drive the market.

Given the market potential, the latest announcement is expected to provide a significant boost to NovoCure’s business.

NovoCure’s Notable Development

In July, NovoCure announced its second-quarter 2025 results, wherein the total net revenues for the quarter increased 5.6% year over year. This increase was primarily driven by active patient growth across its major markets. Also, as of June 30, 2025, there were 4,331 total active patients on TTFields therapy globally.

NVCR’s Share Price Performance

Shares of the company have lost 33.2% in the past year compared with the industry’s 14% decline. The S&P 500 has gained 13.8% in the same time frame.

NovoCure’s Zacks Rank & Key Picks

Currently, NVCR carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are LeMaitre Vascular, Inc. LMAT, Encompass Health Corporation EHC and Envista Holdings Corporation NVST.

LeMaitre Vascular, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present, has an estimated long-term growth rate of 17%. LMAT’s earnings surpassed estimates in two of the trailing four quarters, missed once and broke even in the other, the average surprise being 3.2%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

LeMaitre Vascular’s shares have gained 5.2% compared with the industry’s 3.6% growth in the past year.

Encompass Health, carrying a Zacks Rank of 2 at present, has an estimated long-term growth rate of 10.9%. EHC’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 14%.

Encompass Health has rallied 34.9% against the industry’s 0.2% decline in the past year.

Envista Holdings, flaunting a Zacks Rank of 1 at present, has an estimated long-term growth rate of 16.8%. NVST’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 16.5%.

Envista Holdings’ shares have gained 9.4% compared with the industry’s 3.6% growth in the past year.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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