Insider Trading February 17, 2026

Disc Medicine COO Disposes $203K in Stock to Cover RSU Taxes; FDA Requests More Data on Lead Drug

Jonathan Yen-Wen Yu sold 3,231 shares as Disc Medicine navigates regulatory scrutiny over bitopertin and mixed analyst reactions

By Leila Farooq IRON
Disc Medicine COO Disposes $203K in Stock to Cover RSU Taxes; FDA Requests More Data on Lead Drug
IRON

Disc Medicine Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Yen-Wen Yu sold 3,231 shares of the company on February 17, 2026, generating roughly $203,100 to satisfy tax withholding tied to vested restricted stock units. The transaction occurred amid volatility in IRON shares and follows a Complete Response Letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requesting additional Phase 3 data on the company’s lead candidate, bitopertin. Analysts have adjusted price targets while largely keeping positive ratings.

Key Points

  • COO Jonathan Yen-Wen Yu sold 3,231 shares on Feb. 17, 2026 at $62.86 per share, totaling about $203,100, to cover tax withholding from vested restricted stock units - impacting investor perception in the biotech and equities sectors.
  • After the sale, Yu directly holds 54,324 shares; Disc Medicine has a $2.54 billion market capitalization and reportedly holds more cash than debt, per InvestingPro data - relevant to corporate finance and capital markets.
  • The FDA issued a Complete Response Letter for bitopertin, requesting additional Phase 3 APOLLO study data to link PPIX reductions to sunlight exposure-based endpoints; analysts adjusted price targets while maintaining positive ratings - affecting the healthcare and biotech clinical development landscape.

Disc Medicine NASDAQ:IRON Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Yen-Wen Yu executed a sale of 3,231 shares of the company’s common stock on February 17, 2026, according to regulatory disclosures. The shares changed hands at $62.86 apiece, producing proceeds of approximately $203,100. At the time of reporting, IRON shares were trading at $65.56, a level higher than the price at which Yu sold.

Following the disposition, Yu retains direct ownership of 54,324 Disc Medicine shares. The SEC filing that disclosed the transaction included a footnote explaining that the sale was completed to satisfy tax withholding obligations stemming from the vesting of restricted stock units.


Company financials and market backdrop

Disc Medicine carries a market capitalization of $2.54 billion. Data from InvestingPro cited in the filing indicates the company holds a cash position that exceeds its debt, which the report says provides a degree of financial flexibility. The company, however, has not been profitable over the most recent twelve-month period.

Analysts continue to express generally favorable views toward IRON, with a consensus recommendation described as bullish and price targets spanning from $75 to $128. The InvestingPro platform is noted as offering an expanded Pro Research Report on Disc Medicine among its library of more than 1,400 reports covering leading U.S. stocks.


Regulatory development and analyst reactions

Separately, Disc Medicine received a Complete Response Letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its investigational drug bitopertin, a therapy developed for erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) and X-linked protoporphyria (XLP). The FDA has asked for additional data from the ongoing Phase 3 APOLLO study prior to considering approval, citing that the current submission did not provide sufficient evidence linking reductions in protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) to clinical endpoints based on sunlight exposure, even as the agency recognized the drug’s potential.

In response to the CRL, two firms revised their price targets lower while retaining positive ratings: Stifel set a new target at $110 and Cantor Fitzgerald adjusted its target to $125. BMO Capital, meanwhile, reiterated an Outperform rating and kept its $120 price target, underscoring continued confidence in the possibility of eventual approval. The FDA specifically acknowledged bitopertin’s ability to significantly lower PPIX levels, a biomarker relevant to the conditions, but emphasized that more robust trial evidence is required.


Investor and market implications

These regulatory and analyst developments have drawn increased attention from investors and market participants. The combination of insider selling to meet tax obligations, the FDA’s request for further Phase 3 data, and shifting price targets has concentrated focus on the success of ongoing clinical trials as a key determinant of Disc Medicine’s near-term prospects.

Note: The SEC filing footnote states the reason for the insider sale as tax withholding related to RSU vesting.

Risks

  • Regulatory risk: The FDA’s CRL for bitopertin and its request for more robust Phase 3 data creates uncertainty around the timing and likelihood of approval, directly impacting the biotech and healthcare sectors.
  • Clinical-trial uncertainty: The FDA indicated current evidence does not adequately connect biomarker reductions (PPIX) to clinical endpoints tied to sunlight exposure, highlighting the risk that ongoing trials may not produce the required data.
  • Market sensitivity to insider transactions: The COO’s share sale to cover RSU tax obligations, combined with price target adjustments by analysts, may increase short-term stock volatility in equity markets exposed to biotech names.

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