Ocugen (OCGN) Stock Soars On FDA Clearance For Pivotal Stargardt Disease Trial

Ocugen Inc OCGN shares are trading higher during Monday’s session after the company received clearance from the U.S. FDA for its Investigational New Drug amendment to start a Phase 2/3 pivotal trial for OCU410ST.

What To Know: This candidate is a modifier gene therapy being developed for Stargardt disease, a leading cause of genetic blindness in children and young adults.

The company stated that collaborative discussions with the FDA have expedited the clinical development timeline by two to three years. The clearance follows positive data from a Phase 1 trial which demonstrated a favorable safety profile and a statistically significant improvement in visual function for treated eyes.

Read Also: Eli Lilly Launches Flat Pricing For Zepbound, Capping Monthly Cost At $499

The trial aims to enroll 51 participants to evaluate the therapy’s effectiveness, with data from a one-year follow-up intended to support a Biologics License Application filing in 2027. Per Ocugen, Stargardt disease affects approximately 100,000 people in the U.S. and Europe.

Price Action: According to data from Benzinga Pro, Ocugen shares were trading higher at $1.18 in pre-market, an increase of 4.5%. The stock has a 52-week range between $0.51 and $1.97. Short interest in the stock remains notable, with a short float of 23.83%.

Read Also: Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Occidental Petroleum In Focus As Expert Says ‘US Economy Is Far Less Sensitive To An Oil Shock’ Amid Israel-Iran Conflict

How To Buy OCGN Stock

By now you're likely curious about how to participate in the market for Ocugen – be it to purchase shares, or even attempt to bet against the company.

Buying shares is typically done through a brokerage account. You can find a list of possible trading platforms here. Many will allow you to buy “fractional shares,” which allows you to own portions of stock without buying an entire share.

In the case of Ocugen, which is trading at $1.13 as of publishing time, $100 would buy you 88.5 shares of stock.

If you're looking to bet against a company, the process is more complex. You'll need access to an options trading platform, or a broker who will allow you to “go short” a share of stock by lending you the shares to sell. The process of shorting a stock can be found at this resource. Otherwise, if your broker allows you to trade options, you can either buy a put option, or sell a call option at a strike price above where shares are currently trading – either way it allows you to profit off of the share price decline.