ARMP Soars 72% in a Month Following Infectious Disease Study Success

Armata Pharmaceuticals ARMP shares have skyrocketed 72.3% in the past month. The massive surge in the stock price was observed after the company announced positive top-line results from its early to mid-stage study evaluating its pipeline candidate, AP-SA02, for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB), earlier this week. AP-SA02 is ARMP’s novel intravenously administered multi-phage therapeutic.

The phase Ib/IIa diSArm multiple ascending dose escalation study is assessing the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of intravenous AP-SA02 in addition to best available antibiotic therapy (BAT) compared to BAT alone (placebo) for the treatment of adults with complicated SAB. All patients in the intent-to-treat population received at least one dose of AP-SA02 or placebo.

ARMP’s AP-SA02 Shows Superior Efficacy in Mid-Stage SAB study

The mid-stage phase IIa results from the diSArm study demonstrated the superior efficacy of AP-SA02 in treating complicated SAB. The primary clinical endpoint of investigator-assessed responder rate showed a statistically significant improvement in patients treated with the candidate compared to placebo. At the Test of Cure (TOC) for AP-SA02 (day 12), 88% of patients achieved clinical response, significantly higher than the 58% in the placebo group.

Further evidence of AP-SA02’s efficacy was seen at subsequent evaluation points. At the TOC for BAT and at the end of study (EOS), 100% of patients who received AP-SA02 had clinically responded compared with 25% of placebo recipients, deemed non-responders due to relapse or treatment failure.

Year to date, shares of Armata Pharmaceuticals have gained 21.6% against the industry’s 5.6% decline.

Importantly, the treatment was effective across both methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections, with all MRSA-infected patients treated with AP-SA02 clearing their infections by TOC and maintaining this through EOS.

These findings from Armata Pharmaceuticals’ diSArm study were reinforced by the Clinical Efficacy Adjudication Committee, which independently confirmed a 100% response rate for AP-SA02-treated subjects at TOC and EOS compared to 22–25% non-response in the placebo group.

Additional biomarkers, such as faster blood culture clearance and reductions in interleukin-10 and C-reactive protein, further supported the superior efficacy of AP-SA02. These results underscore AP-SA02’s potential as a promising therapy for difficult-to-treat SAB infections.

ARMP’s AP-SA02 was overall well-tolerated in the phase Ib/IIa diSArm study with no serious adverse events observed.

Armata Pharmaceuticals is also looking to initiate another phase Ib/IIa study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of intravenous and intra-articular AP-SA02 as an adjunct to standard of care antibiotics in adults undergoing treatment of periprosthetic joint infections and/or wound infections caused by S. aureus. The company also has another candidate in its clinical-stage pipeline, AP-PA02, which is being evaluated for treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa respiratory infections.

Armata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Price and Consensus

Armata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Armata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Quote

ARMP's Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

Armata Pharmaceuticals currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the biotech sector are Bayer BAYRY, Halozyme Therapeutics HALO and Amarin AMRN, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

In the past 60 days, estimates for Bayer’s earnings per share have increased from $1.19 to $1.25 for 2025. During the same time, earnings per share have increased from $1.28 to $1.31 for 2026. Year to date, shares of Bayer have gained 30.5%. 

BAYRY’s earnings beat estimates in one of the trailing four quarters, matched twice and missed on the remaining occasion, the average negative surprise being 13.91%. 

In the past 60 days, estimates for Halozyme’s earnings per share have increased from $4.75 to $4.95 for 2025. During the same time, earnings per share estimates for 2026 have increased from $6.27 to $6.47. Year to date, shares of HALO have risen 8.8%.

HALO’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 16.54%.

In the past 60 days, estimates for Amarin’s loss per share have narrowed from $5.33 to $3.48 for 2025. During the same time, loss per share estimates for 2026 have narrowed from $4.13 to $2.67. Year to date, shares of AMRN have lost 46.9%.

AMRN’s earnings beat estimates in two of the trailing four quarters, matched once and missed the same on the remaining occasion, delivering an average surprise of 24.11%.

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