Insider Trading February 17, 2026

Disc Medicine CMO Sells Shares as FDA Requests More Data on EPP Drug

William Jacob Savage disposes of 3,256 shares to meet tax obligations amid regulatory scrutiny of bitopertin and mixed analyst reactions

By Sofia Navarro IRON
Disc Medicine CMO Sells Shares as FDA Requests More Data on EPP Drug
IRON

Disc Medicine's Chief Medical Officer William Jacob Savage sold 3,256 shares on February 17, 2026, to cover tax withholding from vested restricted stock units. The move coincides with a regulatory setback for the company's erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) therapy bitopertin, after the FDA issued a Complete Response Letter requesting additional Phase 3 APOLLO results; analysts have adjusted price targets but maintained positive ratings overall.

Key Points

  • CMO William Jacob Savage sold 3,256 shares on Feb 17, 2026, at $62.86 per share, totaling $204,672; he now holds 92,589 shares.
  • The FDA issued a Complete Response Letter for bitopertin, requesting more Phase 3 APOLLO data despite acknowledging PPIX reductions.
  • Analysts adjusted price targets - Stifel to $110 (from $125), Cantor Fitzgerald to $125 (from $153) - while BMO reaffirmed an Outperform rating with a $120 target; recommendation levels were retained.

Insider transaction details

Disc Medicine (NASDAQ: IRON) Chief Medical Officer William Jacob Savage executed a sale of 3,256 shares of the company’s common stock on February 17, 2026, at a price of $62.86 per share. The total value of the transaction was $204,672. Following the sale, Savage directly holds 92,589 shares of Disc Medicine.

The company disclosed that the sale was carried out to satisfy tax withholding responsibilities connected to the vesting of restricted stock units. No other change to Savage’s ownership beyond the stated post-sale balance was disclosed.


Regulatory development on bitopertin

Separately, Disc Medicine has experienced a significant regulatory development regarding its erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) candidate, bitopertin. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a Complete Response Letter requesting further data from the ongoing Phase 3 APOLLO study before it can consider approval.

The FDA’s communication acknowledged that bitopertin produces a meaningful reduction in protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) levels. However, regulators determined that earlier trials did not adequately demonstrate a clear link between reductions in PPIX and clinical endpoints based on sunlight exposure, leading to the request for additional evidence.


Analyst reactions and market posture

Following the FDA action, several sell-side analysts adjusted price targets for Disc Medicine while generally retaining positive recommendation stances. Stifel reduced its price target to $110 from $125 and maintained a Buy rating. Cantor Fitzgerald lowered its target to $125 from $153 while keeping an Overweight rating. BMO Capital reiterated an Outperform rating with a $120 price target and expressed continued optimism about the prospect of eventual approval for bitopertin.

These analyst moves reflect differing assessments of the regulatory pathway but do not, in the cases noted, change the respective firms' overall recommendation levels.


Takeaway

The insider sale by the company’s chief medical officer was explicitly executed to cover tax obligations tied to RSU vesting. At the same time, Disc Medicine faces heightened regulatory scrutiny for its lead EPP therapy, prompting requests for further Phase 3 evidence and producing mixed analyst adjustments to price targets amid maintained positive ratings.

Reporting here is focused on the disclosed transaction and confirmed regulatory and analyst actions; no additional claims or inferences beyond those disclosures are made.

Risks

  • Regulatory uncertainty - The FDA’s request for additional Phase 3 results introduces approval timing risk for bitopertin, affecting the biotech and healthcare sectors.
  • Clinical endpoint linkage - Prior trials did not demonstrate a sufficient association between PPIX reduction and sunlight exposure-based endpoints, creating uncertainty for the drug’s approval pathway and investor valuation in biotech.
  • Market sentiment variability - Analyst target adjustments and mixed reactions increase volatility risk for Disc Medicine shares, impacting capital markets and investor decision-making.

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