Insider Trading February 13, 2026

Ionis Research EVP Sells $1.27M in Stock as Company Posts Multiple Clinical and Regulatory Milestones

Executive vice president executed planned sales under a 10b5-1 plan while Ionis advances HAE drug approval and other Phase 3 and regulatory wins

By Ajmal Hussain IONS
Ionis Research EVP Sells $1.27M in Stock as Company Posts Multiple Clinical and Regulatory Milestones
IONS

Eric Swayze, Executive Vice President of Research at Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS), sold 15,642 shares on February 13, 2026, in two transactions totaling roughly $1.27 million under a Rule 10b5-1 plan. The stock has risen sharply over the past year and is trading near its 52-week high as the company reports several clinical and regulatory achievements, including European Commission approval for Dawnzera and positive Phase 3 results for collaborating programs.

Key Points

  • Insider sale: Eric Swayze sold 15,642 Ionis shares on February 13, 2026, for about $1.27 million under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on August 14, 2024.
  • Company progress: Ionis received European Commission approval for Dawnzera and reported positive Phase 3 results for bepirovirsen in collaboration with GSK; FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to zilganersen.
  • Market movement and valuation: Ionis stock has risen 159.66% over the last year, trading near a 52-week high of $86.74, and InvestingPro indicates the stock appears overvalued relative to its Fair Value - sectors impacted include biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and capital markets.

Eric Swayze, who serves as Executive Vice President of Research at Ionis Pharmaceuticals, reported the sale of 15,642 shares of common stock on February 13, 2026, in a Form 4 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The combined proceeds from the two transactions were approximately $1.27 million.

The dispositions were recorded in two tranches. The first sale consisted of 9,435 shares at prices between $80.76 and $81.76. The second sale covered 6,207 shares at prices ranging from $81.765 to $82.315. According to the filing, these transactions were carried out pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan that Swayze adopted on August 14, 2024.

Post-transaction holdings reported in the filing show that Swayze directly retains ownership of 32,105 Ionis shares. The filing also notes indirect ownership of 318 shares through his son.

The insider selling comes as Ionis shares have climbed 159.66% over the past year and are trading near a 52-week high of $86.74. InvestingPro is cited in the filing as indicating that the stock appears overvalued relative to its Fair Value.


Recent corporate and clinical developments

Ionis has reported a string of product and trial developments that accompany the insider transaction. The company received European Commission approval for Dawnzera, a therapy for hereditary angioedema (HAE), after Phase 3 trials that demonstrated a significant reduction in monthly attack rates. In addition, Ionis announced positive Phase 3 results for bepirovirsen, GSK’s hepatitis B drug developed in collaboration with Ionis, which reportedly achieved statistically significant cure rates.

Analyst reactions highlighted in the company update include RBC Capital raising its price target on Ionis to $95 while maintaining an Outperform rating, citing the company’s transition to a fully integrated commercial model. TD Cowen reiterated a Buy rating with a $99 price objective and emphasized expected growth driven by products such as Tryngolza and Dawnzera. Separately, the FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to Ionis’ zilganersen for Alexander disease following promising study results.


Context and implications

The filings and recent company announcements together portray a period of accelerated regulatory and clinical activity for Ionis, alongside notable insider sales executed under an established plan. The information in the filings and corporate disclosures is factual and limited to the transactions, ownership figures, valuation commentary from InvestingPro, and the listed clinical and regulatory outcomes.

Risks

  • Valuation risk - InvestingPro’s assessment that IONS appears overvalued compared to Fair Value highlights market valuation uncertainty for the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors.
  • Insider activity interpretation - While the sales were executed under a pre-established 10b5-1 plan, insider selling can create short-term market uncertainty for investors in Ionis stock within the healthcare and capital markets sectors.
  • Clinical and regulatory dependency - The company’s near-term outlook is tied to the commercial and clinical success of drugs like Dawnzera, Tryngolza, bepirovirsen, and zilganersen, which means regulatory and trial outcomes remain material uncertainties for the biotech and pharmaceutical industries.

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