NXTC: NextCure, Inc.

Key Finding: NextCure (NXTC), a clinical-stage biotech with an oncology-focused pipeline, announced a transformative all-stock reverse merger with Avere Therapeutics on July 14, 2026, triggering a massive intraday stock surge of over 200% amid $320M PIPE financing, shifting focus toward IL-23 therapies for inflammatory diseases.

Current Stock Price (as of July 14, 2026, ~3:54 PM EDT, market open)

Last Price
$6.71
+4.53 (+207.74%)
Previous Close
$2.18
Day's Range
$5.76 - $9.90
52-Week Range
$1.55 - $15.74
Volume: 108.8M (vs avg 103K) | Market Cap: ~$24.2M

Fact: Price data from Yahoo Finance real-time quote. View live quote →

Uncertainty flagged: Extreme volatility due to merger announcement; pre-market/extended trading showed prices up to ~$9.23 in some reports. Data snapshots differ across sources due to rapid movement.

Stock Performance & Company Financials

Stock Performance

PeriodNXTC ReturnS&P 500
YTD+52.78%+10.28%
1-Year+36.73%+20.43%
3-Year+68.28%+67.56%
5-Year+92.43%+72.59%

Fact: Returns as of July 14, 2026 (Yahoo Finance). Interpretation: Recent surge driven by merger news dominates short-term performance; long-term reflects typical high-risk biotech volatility with significant drawdowns from 52-week high.

Full performance history →

Key Financials (TTM / Latest Reported)

MetricValue
Revenue (TTM)$0 (pre-commercial)
Net Income (TTM)-$54.66M
EPS (TTM)-$16.82
Cash & Equiv. (mrq)~$29.74M
Market Cap~$24.2M (post-surge)
Enterprise Value~-18M

Fact: No product revenue; consistent losses due to R&D. Cash runway previously projected into 2026-2027 (pre-merger). Interpretation: Typical for clinical-stage biotech; merger brings $320M PIPE which will significantly bolster balance sheet post-close.

Full financials → | Company IR →

Data limitations: Financials reflect pre-merger operations (as of Q1 2026 reports). Post-merger financials and runway will change materially. Revenue remains $0; profitability uncertain until pipeline advancement.

Analyst Ratings

ConsensusPrice Target
Strong Buy / Buy
(3-5 analysts)
$19.33 avg
(High: $25.00 | Low: $3.00-$15.00)
  • Recent: Lucid Capital Markets (May 11, 2026): Buy, $25 PT
  • Recent: Ladenburg Thalmann, Piper Sandler: Buy ratings
  • Implied upside: ~186%+ from pre-surge levels; still significant from current price

Fact: Ratings and targets from Benzinga, Yahoo Finance, Marketscreener (3-5 analysts). Interpretation: Strong Buy reflects pipeline potential pre-merger; targets likely to be reassessed post-Avere deal and ticker change to AVRX.

Uncertainty: Limited analyst coverage for micro-cap; ratings may shift rapidly with merger completion (expected H2 2026).

Yahoo Analyst page → | MarketBeat →

Customers & Competitors

Customers / Partners

  • Simcere Zaiming Pharmaceutical: Collaboration on SIM0505 (CDH6 ADC) – dose optimization and development partner.
  • Former: Eli Lilly (terminated collaboration).
  • Post-merger: Potential new IL-23 therapy partnerships; no commercial customers (pre-revenue stage).

Fact: Primarily R&D collaborations. Interpretation: No meaningful product sales customers yet.

Competitors

CompanyFocus / TickerMarket Cap (approx.)
Arch BiopartnersBiotech (ACHFF)~$41M
CytomX TherapeuticsADCs / Oncology (CTMX)~$180M+
Passage BioGene therapy (PASG)~$200M+
Other ADC/Immuno-oncology peersVarious small-capsVariable

Fact: Direct competitors in ADC/immuno-oncology space. Post-merger: IL-23 psoriasis competitors include AbbVie (Skyrizi), Johnson & Johnson, etc. Yahoo competitors →

Company Overview & History

Overview (Fact): NextCure, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company (incorporated 2015, headquartered Beltsville, MD; ~40 employees) developing novel immunomedicines for cancer and immune-related diseases. Pipeline includes NC410 (LAIR-2 fusion), NC525 (LAIR-1 antibody), SIM0505 (CDH6 ADC in partnership), and others. Full profile →

History (Fact): Founded 2015; IPO ~2019; focused on restoring immune function in oncology. Key milestones include Fast Track designation for SIM0505 (ovarian cancer), ASCO 2026 data presentations, and prior equity raises. Recent pivot via Avere merger announced July 14, 2026.

Interpretation: Shift from pure oncology to broader immunology via merger represents strategic evolution for survival/growth in capital-intensive sector. Uncertainty: Post-merger pipeline prioritization and combined company's direction subject to shareholder approval and integration risks.

Official IR site → | Company website →

Additional Resources & Caveats

Overall Data Limitations & Assumptions: All information current as of July 14, 2026. Stock data highly time-sensitive due to volatility. Financials and ratings pre-merger; analyst targets and post-deal outlook uncertain. Not investment advice. Verify latest data on Yahoo Finance or official sources. Merger expected to close H2 2026, subject to approvals.