Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back are listed below. Here's why they are rising:

EBR Systems Inc (ASX: EBR)

The EBR Systems share price is up 4% to 72 cents. This follows the release of the medical device company's quarterly update. EBR Systems' president and chief executive officer, John McCutcheon, was pleased with the progress the company is making. He said: "2025 marked a defining year for EBR as we successfully transitioned from a development-stage company to a commercial medical device business. Achieving FDA approval for the WiSE CRT System in April and initiating our U.S. commercial launch were transformational milestones that position EBR at the forefront of leadless cardiac resynchronisation therapy."

Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS)

The EOS share price is up a further 3% to $10.01. This defence and space company's shares have been rebounding after a major sell-off on Tuesday. The catalyst for this was news that the company's CEO, Dr Andreas Schwer, was given approval to sell 2.5 million EOS shares on-market following the exercise of options that were granted under a long-term incentive plan. Some investors may believe the selling was an overreaction, especially after its CEO committed to retain a shareholding well above the minimum levels required under its recently announced shareholding policy.

Racura Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC)

The Racura Oncology share price is up 21% to $2.89. Investors have been buying this oncology company's shares after it announced the successful dosing of a patient in Hong Kong with its RC220 cancer compound. Importantly, there has been no vein inflammation or other adverse events reported following the dosing. Racura's CEO, Dr Daniel Tillett, said: "The safe dosing of the third patient in our RC220 solid tumour trial in Hong Kong and recruitment of the first dose escalation cohort is an important milestone for Racura Oncology. We are grateful to all the patients, investigators, and clinical teams who have made this trial possible and we look forward to treating patients on the updated protocol."

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

The Woodside Energy share price is up 6% to $33.44. This has been driven by another rise in oil prices overnight amid concerns over the impact of the war in the Middle East on supplies. It isn't just Woodside that is rising today. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy index is up 4.9% at the time of writing.

The post Why EBR, EOS, Racura, and Woodside shares are rising today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The company said in a statement to the ASX that the patient was the third to be dosed with the compound, but the first at the Hong Kong Site.

Good early signs

Racura said no vein inflammation or other adverse events were reported following the dosing, and to date, no dose-limiting toxicities have been observed in any of the three patients dosed.

The company added:

Dosing of the third patient also completes recruitment of the first trial cohort. In accordance with the trial protocol, the Safety Review Committee (SRC) will review all accumulated safety data collected from the three patients. Subject to SRC review and clearance, the trial will then progress to the next planned RC220 dose level of 80 mg/m2 using the updated trial protocol announced 11 February 2026.

Racura Chief Executive Officer Dr Daniel Tillett said on Thursday:

The safe dosing of the third patient in our RC220 solid tumour trial in Hong Kong and recruitment of the first dose escalation cohort is an important milestone for Racura Oncology. We are grateful to all the patients, investigators, and clinical teams who have made this trial possible and we look forward to treating patients on the updated protocol.

Stage 1 of the RC220 trial will be carried out across Australia, Hong Kong, and South Korea, and involves ascending doses "to determine the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and maximum tolerated combined dose of RC220 in combination with doxorubicin in up to 33 patients''.

After interim analysis of the data, another 20 patients will be administered the compound to test for further safety, tolerability, and preliminary cardioprotective and anticancer efficacy signals, Racura said.

Multiple uses being examined

Racura said in its statement to the ASX that RC220 was being tested to address the high unmet needs of patients across multiple cancer indications with a Phase 3 clinical program in acute myeloid leukemia, a Phase 1a/b program in lung cancer, and the trial mentioned previously, which aims to deliver both cardioprotection and enhanced anticancer activity for solid tumour patients.

The ASX biotech's shares traded as high as $2.73 on the news, up 14.7%, before settling back to be 8.8% higher at $2.57.

Racura was valued at $433 million at the close of trade on Wednesday.

The post Which ASX biotech's shares have jumped more than 10% on positive clinical trial news? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

On the flip side, it's been a tough year for Australian technology and healthcare shares. 

The S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) has dropped almost 11% in 2025, including more than 20% since October. 

Similarly, the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) is down more than 24% since January. 

But amidst these struggling sectors have been some diamonds in the rough. 

Let's look at some of the winners from these two sectors in 2025. 

Healthcare winners

One of the best performing ASX shares in 2025 has been 4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX). 

The medical technology company works in the field of respiratory imaging and ventilation analysis in the treatment of lung and respiratory diseases.

The Motley Fool's Aaron Teboneras reported earlier this month on the consistent run of positive results and milestones hit by the company this year. 

Regulatory approvals and new commercial partnerships have expanded its markets and validated its technology, shifting investor views from speculative potential to increasingly visible and growing software revenue.

This has launched the stock almost 680% higher in 2025. 

Despite this unbelievable run, it's still drawing optimism for future growth.

Another healthcare stock winner this year has been Racura Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC). 

It is an Australian clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing cancer treatments.

It has risen almost 100% in 2025, meaning investors almost doubled their returns holding this stock through the year. 

This has been driven by promising scientific research and private placement offers.

Technology winners

Meanwhile, in the technology sector, one of the best-performing ASX shares has been Elsight Ltd (ASX: ELS). 

The company technically sits in the information technology sector, but has risen thanks to tailwinds in the defence sector. 

The company offers advanced communication components for unmanned systems (aerial, ground, and sea) through its flagship product – the Halo platform. 

Its rise has been fuelled by major contract wins, including a US$21.2M contract for CY2026. 

CY25e also marked a pivotal inflection point for the company, achieving profitability and delivering estimated revenue growth of 12x YoY (BPe). 

Its share price has risen by more than 750% this year. 

Finally, another technology stock that has enjoyed a stellar year is Energy One Ltd (ASX: EOL). 

It is a supplier of software products and services to wholesale energy, environmental, and carbon trading markets.

It reported strong growth in the 2025 financial year, reporting revenue growth of 17% to $61.4 million and annual recurring revenue (ARR) rising 22% to $60.4 million.

Its share price is up more than 150% this year. 

The post Why did these ASX shares outperform their peers in 2025? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back are listed below. Here's why they are rising:

Brightstar Resources Ltd (ASX: BTR)

The Brightstar Resources share price is up over 1% to 46 cents. This morning, this gold explorer released positive results from reverse circulation (RC) drilling at the Bull Oak and Havilah deposits, which are part of the Sandstone Hub. Brightstar's managing director, Alex Rovira, commented: "These results from our Sandstone Hub continue illustrate the significant potential growth to our existing MRE. All of these drillholes, at both Havilah and Bull Oak, targeted zones outside of the existing resource and confirmed significant mineralisation in these areas."

Immutep Ltd (ASX: IMM)

The Immutep share price is up 24% to 31.75 cents. Investors have been buying this late-stage immunotherapy company's shares following the release of a promising announcement after the market close on Monday. Immutep has entered into a strategic collaboration and exclusive licensing agreement with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories for the development and commercialisation of Eftilagimod Alfa (efti) in all countries outside North America, Europe, Japan, and Greater China. The agreement will see Immutep receive an upfront payment of US$20 million (~A$30.2 million). It will also be eligible to receive potential regulatory development and commercial milestone payments of up to US$349.5 million (~A$528.4 million), as well as double-digit royalties on commercial sales in these markets.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

The Pilbara Minerals share price is up 2% to $4.11. This may have been driven by a broker note out of Morgan Stanley. It notes that increasing use of energy storage systems due to the AI boom is driving demand for lithium. Given its strong organic growth opportunities, the broker feels that it is well-placed to benefit from any improvements in lithium prices.

Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC)

The Race Oncology share price is up 8% to $2.89. This follows news that the oncology company has received and accepted an offer of a private placement from a supportive group of existing sophisticated shareholders. The company notes that the proceeds will fund the HARNESS-1 Phase 1a/b non-small cell lung cancer trial of RC220 in combination with Tagrisso. Race Oncology's CEO, Dr Daniel Tillett, commented: "Race Oncology is extremely grateful to the shareholders who approached us to ensure that the HARNESS-1 trial is started without delay. We are blessed to have such supportive shareholders who share our belief in the potential of RC220 to transform cancer patients' lives."

The post Why Brightstar Resources, Immutep, Pilbara Minerals, and Race Oncology shares are roaring higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here's why they are falling:

Meteoric Resources NL (ASX: MEI)

The Meteoric Resources share price was down 4.5% to 57.5 cents before being placed into a trading halt. Its trading halt request states: "Meteoric is seeking the trading halt pending release of an announcement in response to media speculation in relation to the Preliminary License (LP) approval process." There is speculation that authorities in Brazil have recommended that the preliminary license for its rare earth mining project be suspended urgently. This would be a big blow to the rare earths developer.

Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC)

The Race Oncology share price is down 9% to $2.64. This is despite the announcement of a positive development from the oncology company this morning, Race revealed that it has received human ethics approval from the St Vincents Hospital Melbourne Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) to initiate a Phase 1a/b clinical trial. It will assess the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of RC220 with Osimertinib. This will be in patients with non-small cell lung cancer that have activating epidermal growth factor receptor mutations. Patient enrolment is subject to final institutional approval and site activation by Monash Health, which is expected in late Q4 2025 to early Q1 2026.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

The Temple & Webster share price is down 33% to $13.67. This morning, this online homewares retailer reported an 18% increase in sales for July to 20 November. While this is sales growth that most companies would be envious of, the market was expecting an even stronger growth rate for the first half of FY 2026. They don't appear to believe that Temple & Webster will be able to make up the ground over the final weeks of the half.

West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF)

The West African Resources share price is down over 13% to $2.63. This gold miner's shares have crashed down to earth after returning from a three-month suspension. The gold miner has been busy negotiating with the Burkina Faso government after it requested a larger equity interest in its Kiaka operation. West African Resources' chair and CEO, Richard Hyde ,said: "Our discussions regarding the ownership structure of our recently constructed Kiaka Project have reflected a shared vision to develop a strong and sustainable mining industry that benefits the Burkinabe people and delivers long-term value for all stakeholders. Sanbrado and Toega have not been part of these discussions."

The post Why Meteoric Resources, Race, Temple & Webster, and West African shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are climbing:

Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS)

The Bravura Solutions share price is up a further 11% to $3.33. Investors have been buying the wealth management software solutions provider's shares this week following the release of a guidance update. Bravura revealed that it now expects FY 2026 revenue to be between $265 million and $275 million. This is ahead of its previous guidance for revenue in line with last year's result of $256.8 million. Also upgraded was its EBITDA guidance, which is now expected to be between $55 million and $65 million. This compares favourably to its previous guidance of $50 million. Management advised that this upgrade was driven by continued strength in the British pound, higher levels of project revenue, and its continued focus on operational efficiency.

Dateline Resources Ltd (ASX: DTR)

The Dateline Resources share price is up 12% to 56 cents. This follows the release of a drilling update from the gold and rare earths explorer this morning. Managing director, Stephen Baghdadi, commented: "This is an exciting phase for Dateline as we ramp up a major drill program at Colosseum, which is instrumental in accelerating our bankable feasibility study and bringing us closer to production. By utilising our in-house diamond rig alongside Major Drilling's high-powered RC rig, we can significantly increase the pace and scope of drilling, allowing us to tackle mineral resource infill, geotechnical work, and new target testing all at once."

Orthocell Ltd (ASX: OCC)

The Orthocell share price is up 5% to $1.51. This has been driven by the release of a sales update from the regenerative medicine company. Orthocell delivered record quarterly revenue of $3 million for the quarter ended 30 September. This represents a 9.1% increase over the previous quarter, which marks the sixth consecutive quarter of record revenue. This was driven primarily by increasing market penetration of nerve repair product Remplir in Australia and Singapore.

Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC)

The Race Oncology share price is up 40% to $4.35. Investors have been fighting to get hold of this biopharmaceutical company's shares after it released positive cancer research data. Managing Director, Dr Daniel Tillett, said: "The discovery (E,E)-bisantrene acts primarily by binding to G4-DNA and RNA structures, and not like the chemotherapeutic doxorubicin, fundamentally changes our thinking on how to best use this drug in the clinic. Bisantrene continues to surprise, and we look forward to building on this mechanism of action discovery in our future clinical and commercial plans."

The post Why Bravura, Dateline, Orthocell, and Race Oncology shares are storming higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The company's stock reached $3.74 in early trading, up 20.2%, marking a new high for the year and a three-year high.

Race Oncology shares have more than tripled over the past 12 months, up from lows of just 92 cents.

The company said in an announcement to the ASX on Thursday that it had discovered the primary mechanism of action of a compound – (E,E)-bisantrene, or RCDS1.

As the company explains:

Scientific studies undertaken by Race Oncology and collaborators have identified the anticancer activity of RCDS1 predominantly results from binding and stabilising of important regulatory DNA and RNA structures called G-quadruplexes (G4) which (Are) found throughout the human genome. G4 sequences form 3-dimensional structures that regulate the expression and translation of many genes involved in causing cancer.

Race Oncology Managing Director Dr Daniel Tillett said it was an important milestone for the company.

The discovery (E,E)-bisantrene acts primarily by binding to G4-DNA and RNA structures, and not like the chemotherapeutic doxorubicin, fundamentally changes our thinking on how to best use this drug in the clinic. Bisantrene continues to surprise, and we look forward to building on this mechanism of action discovery in our future clinical and commercial plans.

New techniques shedding light

Race Oncology said research into bisantrene had been effectively ended in the late 1980s, and there was little understanding of how the compound interacted with DNA.

The company decided to use more modern science to assess the compound, and initially studied RCDS1 "across a large and diverse panel of cancer cells using an extensive array of both historical and modern anticancer drugs''.

The discovery of the primary anticancer mechanism of action of RCDS1 provides several benefits. Knowing how an anticancer drug works at the molecular level makes it much simpler to identify the cancer types (or sub-types) that are most likely to respond to the drug. This knowledge extends to aiding the identification of drug combinations that are likely to be synergistic when used together.

This means that rather than having to "blindly test millions of possible combinations of different drugs in hundreds of cancer types", a more targeted approach to selecting the best drug combinations and cancers to treat could be taken.

Knowing the mechanism of action would also make it easier to attract a large pharmaceutical company into a partnership, Race Oncology said.

Additional preclinical studies would now be carried out, as well as work to identify the most valuable commercial market opportunity for RCDS1.

The post Cancer drug developer's shares race to three-year high, up 20% on new research results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back are listed below. Here's why they are rising:

Deterra Royalties Ltd (ASX: DRR)

The Deterra Royalties share price is up 2.5% to $4.20. This morning, this royalties company announced an agreement to sell its non-core gold offtake assets for a total consideration of US$60 million (A$91 million) to Vox Royalty Corp. Deterra's managing director and CEO, Julian Andrews, commented: "Deterra acquired the portfolio of gold offtakes, along with the Dandoko royalty, as part of the acquisition of Trident Royalties in September 2024, while St Ives has been part of Deterra's portfolio since listing in 2020. Consistent with our strategic investment focus on base, bulk, battery and electrification commodities and our disciplined management of capital, we continuously review our portfolio for opportunities from non-core assets."

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

The DroneShield share price is up a further 7% to $3.79. Investors have been bidding this counter drone technology company's shares higher this week after it announced that it is significantly expanding its research and development (R&D) operations in the United States. DroneShield USA's CEO, Matt McCrann, said: "As we continue to scale our operations globally, this expansion in the U.S. plays a crucial role in enhancing our ability to innovate and deliver advanced solutions for the evolving defense industrial base right here in the U.S. We're investing in the future of defense, and our growing footprint and impact in the U.S. market directly supports that effort."

Lindian Resources Ltd (ASX: LIN)

The Lindian Resources share price is up 8% to 27 cents. This morning, this rare earths developer announced the appointment of DRA Pacific to complete the Kangankunde Phase 2 Expansion Study. The release notes that DRA is a global leader in rare earths processing with a proven track record of delivering innovative, technically advanced solutions across all stages of project development.

Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC)

The Race Oncology share price is up over 10% to $3.32. This follows the release of a positive announcement from the clinical stage biopharmaceutical company this morning. It revealed that the Republic of Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has approved the Investigational New Drug (IND) application to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of RC220 in combination with doxorubicin in solid tumour patients. CEO Dr Daniel Tillett notes that "this approval allows patient enrolment in Korea and confirms the strength of the RC220 data package."

The post Why Deterra Royalties, DroneShield, Lindian, and Race Oncology shares are rising today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Its shares are up a sizeable 9% to $3.26 at the time of writing.

Which ASX All Ords share?

The share in question today is Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC).

It is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on cancer care. Its lead asset, RCDS1, is a small molecule anticancer agent that has demonstrated therapeutic activity in cancer patients with a well characterised safety profile.

Race Oncology is also advancing a proprietary formulation of RCDS1 (RC220) to address the high unmet needs of patients across multiple oncology indications, as well as exploring the use of RC220 as a low intensity treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia and other cancers.

This morning, the ASX All Ords share announced that the Republic of Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has approved the Investigational New Drug (IND) application to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of RC220 in combination with doxorubicin in solid tumour patients. This is subject to minor updates of the trial protocol.

According to the release, the MFDS IND approval follows a detailed review of the comprehensive RC220 data package. This includes dossier modules covering non-clinical pharmacology and toxicology, chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) for the active pharmaceutical ingredient drug substance and the RC220 drug product, specifications and analytical methods, together with the clinical trial protocol.

Important milestone

The ASX All Ords share's CEO and managing director, Dr Daniel Tillett, believes this is an important milestone for RC220 and the company. He said:

IND approval from the Korean MFDS is the result of focused effort from the Race team, working closely with the Korean regulators to achieve this important milestone. This approval allows patient enrolment in Korea and confirms the strength of the RC220 data package. We look forward to collaborating with our clinical partners in Korea to evaluate the potential of RC220 in combination with doxorubicin as a treatment option for adult patients with solid tumours.

The Korean healthcare and regulatory systems are internationally recognised for their high standards. Patient recruitment into oncology trials in Korea has historically been robust. We are excited to commence patient enrolment in Korea and further progress our global development strategy for RC220.

Following today's gain, the Race Oncology share price is now up 175% since this time last month.

The post Guess which ASX All Ords share is up 9% on 'important milestone' appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The rocketing stock in question is clinical stage biopharmaceutical company Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC).

Race Oncology shares closed yesterday trading for $1.80. In earlier trade, shares leapt to $2.30 each, up 27.8%. After some likely profit-taking, in later morning trade, shares are swapping hands for $2.11 apiece, up 17.2%.

Here's what's stoking investor interest in the ASX All Ords healthcare share, whose dedicated mission is to be at the heart of cancer care.

ASX All Ords healthcare share lifts off on IP hopes

The Race Oncology share price is off to the races (sorry, couldn't resist) after the company announced significant scientific discoveries into the nature of tumour treatment drug bisantrene have enabled it to submit a new composition of matter patent application.

In short, Race Oncology scientists said they found a way of patenting the active chemical form of bisantrene. That's despite the drug's age and extensive clinical history, which dates back to the early 1980s. If granted, this composition of matter patent will last until 2045.

The ASX All Ords healthcare share stressed that these are the most valuable form of intellectual property (IP) in the pharmaceutical industry, ensuring exclusivity of the drug for at least 20 years.

The company's scientists reportedly discovered that bisantrene consists of three photoisomers with different biological and anticancer activities, which "rapidly interconvert" when exposed to visible light.

Race said it has created a range of manufacturing and physical processes to enable the controlled infusion of the pure active (E,E)-bisantrene isomer into patients.

It has submitted three patent applications relating to (E,E)-bisantrene.

What did management say?

Commenting on the progress sending the ASX All Ords healthcare share rocketing today, Race Oncology CEO Daniel Tillett said, "Being able to generate new composition of matter IP covering the active isomer of bisantrene fundamentally changes the commercial prospects of Race Oncology."

He added:

We now expect to have 20 years of the strongest IP protection possible for the RC220 and RC110 formulations containing (E,E)-bisantrene. These discoveries highlight the commercial value of undertaking new preclinical research on clinically established pharmaceutical assets.

I congratulate the entire Race preclinical team for their inspiration and extraordinary efforts in making this fundamental discovery and turning science into a valuable outcome for all our investors.

With today's big boost in the Race Oncology share price factored in, the ASX All Ords healthcare share is up 54.0% so far in 2025.

The post Why did this ASX All Ords healthcare share just rocket 28%? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The companies have grabbed investor interest today, with each releasing promising news. And this is sending them racing ahead of the 0.2% gains posted by the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) in late morning trade on Thursday.

Here's what we know.

ASX biotech shares rocket on updates

Cancer trial progress

The first ASX biotech share leaping higher today is Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC), which is primarily focused on cancer care.

The Race Oncology share price is up 10.2% at the time of writing, with shares trading for $1.42 apiece. This outperformance comes after the company announced that it had submitted the human ethics application package for its RC220 Phase 1 solid tumour trial.

The company will conduct the trial at Southside Cancer Care Centre in New South Wales. It will study the efficacy of the ASX biotech share's RC220 product in combination with doxorubicin in adult cancer patients.

Race Oncology expects the first patient recruitment to occur in Q1 2025.

The company noted:

Regulatory and institutional packages have been completed for submission to a second Australian site immediately following HREC approval of the trial, with both sites planned to be activated simultaneously.

Race Oncology plans up to 10 additional sites to follow.

"This is a critical milestone for the team; selection and evaluation of an appropriate site and the start of the ethical review for this study," Race chief medical officer Michelle Rashford said.

Breast cancer monitoring

Moving on to the second ASX biotech share lifting off today, Inoviq Ltd (ASX: IIQ), which develops diagnostics and therapeutics for cancer.

The Inoviq share price is up 6.0% at 53 cents a share after the company reported the successful completion of disease specificity testing for breast cancer.

According to the release, the company's neuCA15-3 blood test was analytically and clinically validated to detect breast cancer across all stages (81% sensitivity and 93% specificity), key breast cancer types and subtypes.

Management highlighted that the test was also effective for breast cancer monitoring.

"The next step towards commercialising the neuCA15-3 test is to transfer and optimise the test on a system compatible with high-throughput commercial diagnostic instruments," Inoviq CEO Leearne Hinch said.

Point-of-care test milestone

Which brings us to the third ASX biotech share rocketing higher today, Lumos Diagnostics Holdings Ltd (ASX: LDX).

Shares in the point-of-care diagnostic technologies company are currently trading for 3.9 cents apiece, up 25.8%.

Lumos roused investor enthusiasm after the company announced a new milestone in the commercial rollout of its FebriDx point-of-care test.

The company said it had received approval from the United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Panel for FebriDx to be reimbursed at a rate of US$41.38 per test.

FebriDx is able to distinguish between bacterial and non-bacterial infections at the point of care.

Commenting on the progress sending the ASX biotech share soaring today, Lumos CEO Doug Ward said, "This reimbursement pathway is another important step towards removing barriers to access and potentially benefitting millions of Americans."

The post 3 ASX biotech shares rocketing 10% to 26% on BIG news! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

According to The Australian, HaemaLogiX has hired Jefferies and Ord Minnett to assist in its preparations to become an ASX healthcare stock in the second quarter of the new year.

The biotech hopes to raise about $50 million in the ASX IPO.

As a private company, HaemaLogiX has previously raised $24.1 million. It is currently undertaking a pre-ASX IPO capital raise. It hopes to raise between $15 million and $20 million by mid-December.

What is HaemaLogiX?

The company focuses on treating blood cancers, such as myeloma. Its aim is to improve the quality of life and survivability of patients with these incurable diseases.

Myeloma, also known as multiple myeloma, is a type of bone marrow cancer. Myeloma Australia estimates there are 18,000 Australians living with it today.

HaemaLogiX is working with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre to undertake the first human trial of its CAR-T immunotherapy, KMA.CAR-T, for kappa-type multiple myeloma.

The organisations hope that the first patient will be treated in the second quarter of 2025.

HaemaLogiX is also investigating the use of its medicines for auto-immune diseases, such as amyloidosis.

The proceeds of this next capital raising will be used for the fourth clinical trial of HaemaLogiX's KappaMab immunotherapy drug.

KappaMab can be used in addition to existing treatments. In the latest trial, the overall response rate was 83%. The risk of death was 46% lower in the treatment group compared to the control group.

Who's in charge of this aspiring ASX healthcare stock?

The company's founders and majority shareholders are Dr Rosanne Dunn; Bryce Carmine; board chair Dr John Cullity and Alan Liddle.

Former federal health minister Greg Hunt is a board director.

HaemaLogiX's managing director is Damian Clarke-Bruce, who previously ran Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC). Race is another ASX biotech developing drugs to treat various cancers.

Clarke-Bruce said:

We have two distinct vehicles and our drugs and our target are significantly differentiated from what's on the market.

We're confident that we will have good efficacy with an excellent safety profile … this is great translational science.

HaemaLogiX says it currently has 75 patent filings with tenures from 2036 to 2045.

ASX IPOs in 2024

Two of the biggest ASX IPOs this year were Mexican restaurant chain, Guzman y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG), which raised $335 million, and miner Metals Acquisition CDI (ASX: MAC), which raised $325 million.

This week, payments company Cuscal Ltd (ASX: CCL) had its ASX IPO.

Next month, alternative asset manager HMC Capital Ltd (ASX: HMC)'s will float its data centre trust, DigiCo Infrastructure REIT.

The real estate investment trust (REIT) will float on 12 December.

The ASX IPO issue price will be $5 per share and HMC hopes to raise about $2 billion.

The post ASX IPO watch: Aspiring healthcare stock has attracted former Macquarie CEO to invest appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

However, two ASX healthcare shares are bucking the trend. One is rising on the back of a company update, while the other is likely continuing northwards due to positive momentum.

Let's check out the details.

2 ASX healthcare shares bucking the trend today

Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC)

The Race Oncology share price lifted 5.88% to $1.44 shortly after the market opened on Thursday. This followed news of the successful completion of a drug discovery program.

Race Oncology shares have since fallen back to $1.39, up 2.21%.

The clinical-stage cancer drug biotech announced today that a program using NMR-based fragment screening had identified 39 molecular candidates (also called 'hits') that bound themselves to an m6A RNA demethylase protein called the FaT and Obesity-associated protein (FTO).

These hits have never been seen before or used in any previously reported FTO inhibitors.

FTO is one of the key proteins in the RNA regulatory system. It controls m6A RNA levels. Dysregulation of RNA epigenetics is a key driver of several metabolic diseases and many cancers.

Race said the successful testing would allow for the development of novel and patentable molecules.

These would have the potential to become new drugs specifically targeting the m6 A RNA epigenetic pathway.

There is much industry interest in developing FTO inhibitor drugs as potential new cancer treatments.

Race said the successful testing was "a major milestone" in its development of new FTO inhibitors that were "structurally distinct" from known FTO inhibitors. This means Race can develop patentable leads.

Race said it now "has a clear opportunity" to be the first to the clinic with a purpose-built, targeted FTO inhibitor that might have utility beyond cancer".

Race's Vice President of Research, Prof. Mike Kelso, commented:

Identification of chemical 'hits' that bind to a protein target of interest is a critical step in modern drug discovery.

Our successful FTO program at Monash provides Race with valuable new IP in the RNA epigenetics space, an enormously exciting area at the cutting-edge of oncology research and drug development.

Race said the next step would be a 'hit-to-lead' medicinal chemistry program. It described this as "an expensive undertaking", with the company currently evaluating its options.

The ASX healthcare share has climbed 63.5% in 2024 so far and is up 52.75% over the past 12 months.

Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG)

The Australian pharmaceutical distributor and wholesaler has no official news for the market today.

However, the ASX healthcare share rose by as much as 4.3% during intraday trading to a high of $2.42. The Sigma Healthcare share price is currently $2.40, up 3.45%.

A likely driver of today's share price rise is the ongoing momentum generated by Sigma's proposal to merge with Chemist Warehouse.

Investors are excited about this prospect, with the ASX healthcare share up by about 225% since news of the proposal broke on 11 December last year.

Earlier this month, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced it would not oppose the merger. Investors are now awaiting further news as the merger plans progress.

The ASX healthcare share is up 140% in the year to date and up almost 253% over the past 12 months.

The post 2 ASX healthcare shares having a stellar run today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back are listed below. Here's why they are rising:

Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX: PNI)

The Pinnacle Investment Management share price is up 3% to $22.12. This follows news that the investment management company has raised $400 million via a fully underwritten institutional placement. These funds were raised at $20.30 per new share, which represents a 5.3% discount to its last close price. The proceeds will be used to acquire strategic interests in two high quality international asset management firms for combined consideration of $142.8 million. This comprises US$60.5 million for a 22.5% equity stake in VSS Holdings and GBP25.75 million for a 25% equity stake in Pacific Asset Management. VSS is a New York headquartered private markets investment management firm specialising in structured capital. Whereas Pacific Asset Management is a London-based asset management platform that provides technology-enabled multi-asset portfolio solutions.

PWR Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWH)

The PWR Holdings share price is up over 13% to $7.77. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Bell Potter this morning. According to the note, the broker has upgraded this automotive cooling solutions company's shares to a buy rating with an $8.00 price target. This follows a sharp drop in its share price on Wednesday following the release of a disappointing update. Bell Potter said: "[W]e see H1 as an abnormal result and with the likelihood of a much improved H2 and FY26 we see this as a buying opportunity."

Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC)

The Race Oncology share price is up 3% to $1.40. This morning, this oncology company announced that it has successfully completed an FTO-targeted drug discovery program at Monash University's Fragment Platform (MFP). It notes that 39 unique FTO protein-binding molecules were identified using state-of-the-art NMR fragment screening. The identified compounds are confirmed FTO-binding chemical structures for the development of novel FTO targeting drugs. It believes this provides valuable new intellectual property aiding the development of novel m6A RNA epigenetic pathway drugs.

Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd (ASX: VUL)

The Vulcan Energy share price is up 6% to $6.58. Investors have been buying the lithium developer's shares after it announced an agreement with one of the world's largest chemical producers, BASF. The two parties have entered into a staged agreement to collaborate on the development of a renewable geothermal heat project to supply BASF with baseload heat. They will also look at the potential construction of a commercial Lithium Extraction Plant in Ludwigshafen, BASF's global headquarters.

The post Why Pinnacle, PWR, Race Oncology, and Vulcan shares are flying today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Three companies in particular stand out, with two finishing in the green and one in the red.

Integral Diagnostics Ltd (ASX: IDX), Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU), and Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC) are the three in question.

Integral and Race put up their FY24 numbers, whereas Neuren reported its earnings for the first half of 2024.

However, It was Integral and Neuren that finished in the green today, up over 1% each. Meanwhile, Race settled down nearly 8%. Let's take a look.

ASX healthcare stocks mixed after earnings

Integral finished 1.17% higher today. The ASX healthcare stock had a reasonably solid year, recovering from a sharp sell-off in October.

Despite a 6.6% increase in revenue to $469.7 million in FY24, IDX posted a statutory net loss of $60.7 million.

But the loss was due to non-cash charges in its New Zealand division, meaning it wasn't reflected in the company's cash flows.

As such, the company's operating profit rose by 7.4% to $91.5 million.

CEO Dr Ian Kadish expressed optimism about the future, citing strong industry fundamentals and the upcoming merger with Capitol Health Limited:

We are pleased to report a materially stronger 2H FY24 profit result compared to 1H FY24. Strong industry fundamentals, a more favourable regulatory environment, and improving company performance allow us to focus on both organic and inorganic growth opportunities, including the transformational proposed merger with [Capitol Health].

Neuren shines in H1 2024

Neuren Pharmaceuticals reported a sharp increase in royalty income in H1 2024, which soared to $24.3 million from $3.5 million in the previous year. It finished 1.03% in the green today.

The company also posted a profit after tax of $8 million, a significant turnaround from its losses last year.

The ASX healthcare stock's performance was driven by the continued success of its DAYBUE label's commercialisation in North America.

After the strong year, management projected full-year guidance for DAYBUE revenue set between $132 million-$138 million.

CEO Jon Pilcher expressed confidence in the company's trajectory:

We anticipate full-year revenue from DAYBUE of $132-138 million and we now have highly encouraging results from Phase 2 trials of NNZ2591 across three syndromes. With cash and short-term investments of $213 million, Neuren is in the ideal position to optimise the potential of NNZ-2591 in multiple indication.

Race Oncology in the red

Race Oncology reported a net loss of $13.8 million in FY24, widening from the previous year's loss of $9.9 million.

This came as research and development (R&D) expenditures were up 44% year over year to almost $11 billion.

Meanwhile, share-based payment expense increased by 142% year over year to more than $1.4 million.

Shares finished 7.51% in the red today as investors digested the news.

At the end of the year, the ASX healthcare stock had $18.3 million in net assets on the balance sheet, down from $25.4 million last year.

This came as it burnt more than $4 million of cash during the year.

In addition, the company made progress in advancing its lead asset, RC220 bisantrene, towards human clinical trials.

Reflecting on the year, Race's chair, Mary Harney, emphasised the strategic importance of these developments:

The past year saw us make robust progress on our objective of taking the new bisantrene formulation, RC220 into humans for the first time.

Reflecting on a period of significant clinical progress and key strategic milestones for Race, I'm encouraged that our commitment to advancing cardioprotective anticancer therapies has produced promising results, supported by strong preclinical data and regulatory acknowledgment.

ASX healthcare stocks snapshot

These ASX healthcare shares had different reactions after their FY24 earnings. While Integral and Neuren finished higher today, Race shares finished in the red after a mixed year.

The post Two up, one down: ASX healthcare stocks split after FY24 results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

As always, there are outliers, and these two ASX healthcare shares are outperforming today.

Let's find out why.

Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC)

Race Oncology shares are 2.18% higher at $1.64 apiece after the biotech reported positive progress in its Phase 2 trial of Bisantrene for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

The clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company is investigating a small-molecule chemotherapeutic drug called bisantrene in the treatment of cancer.

The ASX healthcare share is in the green on news that investigators at the Sheba Medical Centre in Israel have successfully concluded the Phase 1b/2 trial of RC110 bisantrene, which met the predetermined efficacy criteria.

In a statement, Race Oncology said 40% of patients with highly advanced disease showed a response to the bisantrene combination treatment. Five patients had complete responses, and one had a partial response. This surpassed the trial's predefined efficacy goal of at least three complete responses.

Race said the trial results strongly supported the company's intention to initiate a new Phase 1/2 investigator-sponsored AML trial using the reformulated version of bisantrene, called RC220.

The ASX healthcare share is currently up 92.95% in the year to date and 34.43% over the past 12 months.

Alcidion Group Ltd (ASX: ALC)

Alcidion Group shares are up 2.56% to 8 cents per share on Tuesday. This follows the technology solutions developer releasing its quarterly activities report this morning.

Investors in this ASX healthcare share appear to be pleased with the numbers on Tuesday.

Alcidion reported record quarterly cash receipts of $18.6 million in 4Q FY24. That's up from $17.6M in the prior corresponding period (pcp).

The company said it was also seeing the impact of cost-saving initiatives. Staff costs in 4Q were $6.3 million, down significantly from $8.1 million pcp.

Alcidion said it expected unaudited FY24 revenue to be in the range of $37 million to $37.5 million. Approximately 74% of that is annual recurring revenue (ARR) and 26% is services revenue.

Alcidion Group Managing Director Kate Quirke said:

Q4 was a strong period for cash collections with record cash receipts of $18.6M resulting in a positive cashflow for the quarter and the second half of the year.

As indicated at the time of our half year results, we expected to deliver a strong second half cashflow result which now positions us well as we head into the new financial year.

The ASX healthcare share is down 1.25% in the year to date and down 39.23% over the past 12 months.

The post 2 ASX healthcare shares outperforming on big news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back are listed below. Here's why they are rising:

A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

The A2 Milk share price is up over 2% to $6.66. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Citi this morning. In response to very positive industry data, the broker is feeling confident about the company's outlook. Particularly given the improving birth rate outlook in China and its belief that domestic brands are not going to limit its growth. As a result, it has reaffirmed its buy rating and $7.85 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of almost 18% for investors over the next 12 months.

Actinogen Medical Ltd (ASX: ACW)

The Actinogen Medical share price is up 19% to 3.7 cents. This morning, this biotech announced that positive trial data relating to its Xanamem product in patients with elevated blood pTau. The company's chief medical officer, Dr Dana Hilt, said: "To our knowledge Xanamem is the first drug of this class to have such compelling data. The previously published PET study highlighted just how effective Xanamem is at reaching its target enzyme in the brain at safe and well tolerated doses of 5 and 10 mg/day. No other inhibitor of 11β-HSD1 has ever demonstrated robust central nervous system target engagement in this direct way."

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)

The Karoon Energy share price is up 2% to $1.80. This may be a delayed reaction to the energy company's drilling and operational update yesterday. That update confirmed that the Bauna Project restarted production on 11 June as scheduled. In addition, it advised that Who Dat production is currently averaging over 40,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day on a gross basis. As a result, Karoon Energy expects Who Dat production for the quarter ended 30 June 2024 to be approximately 0.8 million boe.

Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC)

The Race Oncology share price is up 6% to $1.81. Investors have been buying this clinical stage biopharmaceutical company's shares following the release of a positive announcement relating to its RC220 bisantrene formulation. The company is advancing RC220 to address the high unmet needs of patients across multiple oncology indications. According to the release, toxicology and safety pharmacology studies showed no unexpected or unacceptable toxicities. This means that the completed data package supports the use of RC220 bisantrene in human clinical trials.

The post Why A2 Milk, Actinogen Medical, Karoon Energy, and Race Oncology shares are rising appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In early trade, the ASX healthcare stock was up as much as 15% to $1.96.

The clinical stage biopharmaceutical company's shares have eased back a touch since then. At the time of writing, they are up 7% to $1.83.

Why is this ASX healthcare stock surging?

The catalyst for this strong gain has been the release of a positive announcement relating to its RC220 bisantrene formulation.

The company is advancing RC220 to address the high unmet needs of patients across multiple oncology indications.

In October, Race Oncology contracted Attentive Science and Agilex Biolabs to undertake the regulatory-standard Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) non-clinical toxicology and safety pharmacology studies required to advance RC220 bisantrene into human clinical trials.

These studies aimed to demonstrate in two animal species that RC220 bisantrene is safe and amenable to administration via peripheral IV infusion in humans. In addition, they aimed to establish an acceptable starting dose for Phase I clinical studies.

According to the release, this GLP program has been delivered on time and on-budget.

More importantly, the GLP toxicology and safety pharmacology studies showed no unexpected or unacceptable toxicities. As a result, management notes that the completed data package supports the use of RC220 bisantrene in human clinical trials.

The company advised that three doses of RC220 bisantrene were administered via peripheral veins. These were low, medium and high doses, which reflect the expected dose-range in humans. Pleasingly, these doses showed similar systemic effects to those seen when using the historical bisantrene formulation administered via a central line.

Examination of the animals after a four-week post-dose recovery period showed that all observed toxicities were reversible. Importantly, there were no formulation-specific adverse macroscopic or histological findings at the sites of infusion.

What now?

Data from these studies will be used to support regulatory and ethics submissions for evaluation of RC220 bisantrene in human clinical trials. This includes the upcoming Phase 1a/1b trial in Australia, Hong Kong, and South Korea, an investigator-sponsored Phase 1/2 AML trial, and a US FDA Investigational New Drug (IND) application in 2025.

The ASX healthcare stock's CEO, Dr Daniel Tillett, described the news as "another major milestone" for the company. He commented:

Receiving clear confirmation of the safety of RC220 bisantrene in these studies and identifying a suitable starting dose for our upcoming trial is another major milestone in bringing our new drug product to cancer patients. I congratulate and thank the Race preclinical team, Attentive Science and Agilex Biolabs for completing these studies on time and on-budget.

Following today's gain, Race Oncology's shares are now up approximately 115% since the start of the year.

The post Guess which ASX healthcare stock is surging 15% on a 'major milestone' appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME), Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC), and Regis Healthcare Ltd (ASX: REG) have all hit fresh 52-week highs in trading today.

Here's a look at what's driving investor confidence within each company.

Pro Medicus continues strong performance

Pro Medicus shares nudged its new 52-week high of $135.67 this afternoon. This continues the ASX healthcare share's impressive gain of more than 97% over the past year — and outperforming the healthcare sector by more than 88%.

The recent surge follows several positive developments. For example, Pro Medicus' US subsidiary, Visage Imaging, recently secured five new customer contracts valued at $45 million, as my colleague Bernd reported.

Goldman Sachs values the ASX healthcare stock as a buy with a $136.00 per share price target.

In a note from May, the broker said Pro Medicus was "well positioned into FY25 given a full year benefit of some large, high-profile contracts". It also liked the "accelerating frequency and size of [the company's] new contract wins".

CommSec shows the ASX healthcare share rated as a moderate buy from the consensus of analyst estimates.

Race Oncology leaps on FDA news

Race Oncology also hit a new 52-week high of $2.09 on Wednesday, continuing its buying trend from Tuesday.

This came after the company announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had extended the Rare Paediatric Disease Designation (RPDD) of its novel drug compound, RC220 bisantrene.

The compound is indicated for treating childhood subtypes of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

"US FDA RPDD is granted for new treatments of serious or life-threatening diseases which affect fewer than 200,000 people in the US and which primarily affect individuals less than 18 years of age", the announcement read.

This designation qualifies Race Oncology to receive a "highly valuable" Priority Review Voucher (PRV). Recent PRV sales "to third parties on the open market" have fetched around US$110 million.

The news has benefitted the ASX healthcare share, which now stands around 49% higher over the past 12 months.

Regis Healthcare on a high

Regis Healthcare was the third ASX healthcare stock to reach a 52-week high today, touching $4.36 in morning trade. The company is a healthcare giant and one of Australia's largest providers.

Analysts at Macquarie recently upgraded Regis Healthcare's rating to outperform, with a price target of $5.50. This upgrade follows favourable recommendations from the Aged Care Taskforce, which looks at innovation in the healthcare sector.

The company's recent acquisition of CPSM, completed in December, added five high-quality aged care homes to its portfolio. As reported by my colleague Tristan, it now boasts 68 residences with a combined total of 7,604 beds.

Regis Healthcare shares are up 96% in the past 12 months.

The post 3 ASX healthcare shares smashing new 52-week highs today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are pushing higher:

Capitol Health Ltd (ASX: CAJ)

The Capitol Health share price is up 10% to 29.7 cents. On Monday, this diagnostic imaging company announced that it had accepted a merger offer from Integral Diagnostics Ltd (ASX: IDX). The latter made an offer with an implied exchange ratio of 0.12849 Integral Diagnostics shares for every Capitol Health share. This equated to 32.6 cents per share at the time, which was a 33% premium to Friday's closing price. Ord Minnett notes that the proposed merger will establish a clear number three player in the Australian diagnostic imaging sector.

Infratil Ltd (ASX: IFT)

The Infratil share price is up almost 4% to $10.43. Investors have responded positively to the infrastructure investment company's capital raising. It has raised NZ$1 billion at a 6.8% discount of NZ$10.15 per new share. Infratil CEO, Jason Boyes, said: "We are very pleased with the strong level of support for the Placement, particularly from our existing shareholders. We are also excited to welcome several high quality institutional investors onto our register. The capital raised will create significant capacity to fund growth investments at our Trans-Tasman data centre platform, CDC, and across the broader Infratil portfolio."

Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM)

The Newmont Corporation share price is up almost 2.5% to $62.51. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of UBS this morning. According to the note, the broker has upgraded the gold miner's shares to a buy rating with a $75.00 price target. This implies potential upside of 20% for investors from current levels.

Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC)

The Race Oncology share price is up 18% to $2.08. Investors have been buying this clinical stage biopharmaceutical company's shares after the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) extended Rare Paediatric Disease Designation (RPDD) to RC220 bisantrene for the treatment of childhood subtypes of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This qualifies a sponsor eligible to receive a Priority Review Voucher (PRV) from the FDA at the time of marketing approval or authorisation for drug in the paediatric rare disease area. PRVs are transferable and very valuable. Management notes that two PRVs have been sold in recent times for US$110 million.

The post Why Capitol Health, Infratil, Newmont, and Race Oncology shares are charging higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.