Medicus Pharma Appoints Babar Rao to Leadership Team
Medicus Pharma announced that Babar Rao, MD, FAAD, an internationally recognized academic dermatologist and Principal Investigator of the SKNJCT-003 Phase 2 clinical study, will join the Company's leadership team during a business update webcast on March 26, 2026 at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time. The SKNJCT-003 study represents a randomized, double-blind Phase 2 clinical trial designed to rigorously evaluate the therapeutic contribution of doxorubicin delivered through the SkinJect microneedle platform in patients with nodular basal cell carcinoma. The update call will follow the filing of the Company's Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025, expected after market close on March 25, 2026. During the call, Dr. Rao will provide clinical interpretation and independent investigator perspective on the recently reported positive dataset from SKNJCT-003. The randomized design of SKNJCT-003, including a device-only control arm, provides a rigorous framework for evaluating the incremental therapeutic contribution of doxorubicin delivered through the SkinJect microneedle system. The study results demonstrate clear separation in clinical response between the D-MNA treatment arm and P-MNA treatment arm in the 200-microgram cohort at Day 57, supporting the continued development of SkinJect as a potential non-surgical treatment option for patients with basal cell carcinoma. The biological activity observed in the device-only arm likely reflects tumor disruption and localized immune activation resulting from microneedle insertion, a phenomenon previously described in intratumoral and microneedle-mediated device studies evaluating solid tumors. The 200-microgram treatment cohort demonstrated the strongest efficacy signal, achieving 73% clinical clearance and 40% histological clearance at Day 57. Importantly, the magnitude of response observed in the active treatment cohort relative to the device-only control arm provides clinically meaningful evidence of drug-mediated therapeutic effect within a biologically active microneedle delivery platform. The Company believes the dataset represents decision-grade evidence supporting continued development of the SkinJect program and advancement toward regulatory discussions and potential strategic partnerships.
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- Financial Overview: Medicus Pharma Ltd. reported a GAAP EPS of $2.74 for FY 2024, but the company faced a significant net loss of $35.4 million, up from $11.2 million in 2024, indicating increased financial pressure on the firm.
- Cash Position: As of the reporting date, Medicus had cash and cash equivalents of $8.7 million, an improvement from $4.2 million in 2024; however, the sustainability of this cash flow remains a concern for supporting future operations and growth.
- Market Reaction: The widening net loss has led to cautious market sentiment regarding Medicus's outlook, potentially affecting its attractiveness as a small-cap healthcare stock, prompting investors to closely monitor future financial performance and strategic adjustments.
- Future Outlook: Despite the current financial challenges, Medicus must develop effective strategies to enhance profitability, particularly in a highly competitive healthcare landscape, where increasing market share and controlling costs will be crucial.

Overall Response Rate: The Phase 2 skin injection study reported an 80% overall response rate (ORR) for the treatment being evaluated.
Agentic AI-Enabled Drug Development: The update highlights advancements in drug development facilitated by agentic AI technologies, indicating a shift towards more innovative approaches in the pharmaceutical industry.
- Clinical Data Highlights: Medicus Pharma's Phase 2 SkinJect® study shows an 80% overall response rate (ORR) in the 200µg cohort at Day 57, indicating significant efficacy that positions this dosage as a leading regimen, thereby enhancing the company's competitive edge in skin cancer treatment.
- Independent Clinical Interpretation: Renowned dermatologist Dr. Babar Rao is expected to highlight a 73% clearance rate in the 200µg cohort at Day 57 during the conference call, suggesting that approximately three out of four treated lesions may achieve visual resolution, which could alleviate procedural burdens on healthcare systems and improve patient access to care.
- Strategic Development Plans: CEO Dr. Raza Bokhari will discuss the exploratory nature of the Phase 2 study aimed at addressing the large unmet need in basal cell carcinoma, with plans to refine histological clearance endpoints in upcoming FDA meetings to further advance clinical development.
- Capital Strategy Update: CFO Carolyn Bonner is expected to provide insights on the $31.9 million raised in 2025 and $8.7 million in cash, emphasizing the company's disciplined investment in clinical development aligned with key upcoming value inflection points, showcasing a robust financial position.
- Earnings Beat: Zevra Therapeutics reported Q4 earnings of $0.19 per share, significantly surpassing the analyst consensus of $0.05, indicating a notable improvement in profitability and boosting investor confidence.
- Sales Growth: The company achieved quarterly sales of $34.125 million, exceeding the analyst estimate of $28.051 million, reflecting strong product demand and solid market performance, which may drive future growth potential.
- Stock Surge: Following the earnings report, Zevra Therapeutics shares jumped 17.2% to $10.70 in pre-market trading, indicating a positive market reaction to the company's performance and potentially attracting more investor interest.
- Optimistic Market Outlook: This earnings beat not only enhances the company's short-term stock price but may also lay a foundation for long-term development, strengthening market confidence in its future growth prospects.
- Significant Clinical Clearance: The SKNJCT-003 study demonstrated a 73% clinical clearance rate in the 200-µg treatment cohort at Day 57, indicating that approximately three out of four treated lesions may achieve visual tumor clearance, potentially reducing the need for surgical interventions for skin cancer patients.
- Enhanced Histological Clearance: The cohort achieved a 40% histological clearance rate, showcasing the treatment's efficacy and supporting SkinJect as a potential non-surgical option, which could redefine treatment standards for skin cancer, especially for high-risk patients.
- Biological Activity Mechanism: The study revealed that SkinJect's microneedle delivery system not only provides therapeutic effects but also activates local immune responses through micro-injury, enhancing treatment outcomes and further supporting the platform's application potential in skin oncology.
- Advancing Regulatory Discussions: Medicus plans to engage in an End-of-Phase-2 meeting with the FDA to determine the optimal registrational development pathway, which is expected to accelerate discussions with strategic partners and lay the groundwork for future clinical development.
- Market Performance: U.S. stocks traded lower this morning, with the Dow Jones index falling over 300 points, down 0.67% to 48,411.44, indicating weakened market sentiment that could impact investor confidence.
- Kroger Earnings: Kroger reported mixed fourth-quarter results, with adjusted EPS of $1.28 exceeding market expectations of $1.20, yet sales of $34.725 billion fell short of the $35.064 billion forecast, highlighting challenges in sales growth.
- Future Guidance: The company anticipates FY2026 adjusted EPS between $5.10 and $5.30, slightly below the $5.29 estimate, which may affect investor confidence regarding Kroger's future growth prospects.
- Sector Movements: Energy shares rose by 1.5%, while healthcare stocks dipped by 1.3%, reflecting varied market reactions across sectors that could influence investor asset allocation strategies.









