Novartis stock gains as remibrutinib MS data offsets CAR T trial pause
Published on 09/02/2026 at 07:11 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Novartis stock (ISIN CH0012005267) moved higher on September 1, 2026 as investors reacted to positive Phase III results for the oral multiple sclerosis candidate remibrutinib, while digesting a pause in some experimental cell therapy trials.
Remibrutinib trial success lifts sentiment
According to a Novartis media release dated September 1, 2026, remibrutinib, an oral Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor for relapsing multiple sclerosis, met its primary endpoints in the REMODEL-1 and REMODEL-2 Phase III trials, showing superiority to teriflunomide in reducing annualized relapse rate and inflammatory brain lesions.
Reuters reported on September 1, 2026 that the remibrutinib data helped Novartis shares rise about 4 percent on the day, with the stock up roughly 17 percent year to date as investors looked beyond safety updates in cell therapy studies.
In the second quarter of 2026, remibrutinib generated revenue of 64 million Swiss francs according to the same Reuters report, highlighting the drug's growing commercial potential even ahead of a possible broader launch.
Cell therapy trial pause and market reaction
At the same time, Novartis confirmed it has paused eight clinical trials of an experimental cell therapy, referred to in reports as a CAR T candidate for autoimmune and neurological conditions, after three patients experienced a severe immune reaction that proved fatal; this halt was implemented on August 24, 2026 as reported by a Reuters-based summary on September 1, 2026.
Further detail on the safety events was provided by Biospace on September 1, 2026, which noted that three patients died after receiving Novartis' CAR T candidate rapcabtagene autoleucel, leading to suspension of several immunology and neurology studies while oncology trials in lymphoma and leukemia remained unaffected.
Despite this negative safety news, investors appeared more focused on the remibrutinib success, with the stock rising intraday; a Swiss market overview from finanzen.ch shows Novartis shares on SIX Swiss Exchange gaining about 4.3 percent to 128.52 Swiss francs at 12:28 local time on September 1, 2026, after opening at 129.02 Swiss francs.
More background on Novartis stock
For additional quotes, news and regulatory information on Novartis stock, the following links offer deeper coverage of the company and its latest developments.
Latest quarterly figures and analyst view
Beyond the clinical news, the latest quarterly numbers frame how remibrutinib and other growth drivers fit into Novartis' financial picture. Based on data summarized by TipRanks on September 1, 2026, Novartis reported second quarter 2026 revenue of 14.16 billion Swiss francs and net profit of 3.21 billion Swiss francs for the quarter ending June 30, 2026.
In comparison, for the same quarter a year earlier, revenue stood at 14.84 billion Swiss francs and net profit at 4.04 billion Swiss francs according to this analyst summary, meaning revenue decreased by about 4.6 percent year on year and net profit declined by roughly 20.6 percent.
Analyst consensus compiled in the same source describes Novartis as a Moderate Buy with a consensus price target of 127.73 Swiss francs, while a specific analyst at Jefferies has a Hold rating and a price target of 110 Swiss francs, indicating some divergence between individual houses and the broader view.
For investors, the combination of slightly lower year on year revenue and profit in the most recent quarter with strong late stage data for remibrutinib and ongoing safety questions in cell therapies creates a nuanced risk reward profile.
Product focus: remibrutinib in multiple sclerosis
Remibrutinib, the oral BTK inhibitor at the center of Novartis' latest news, targets relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, aiming to reduce relapses and inflammatory lesions while offering the convenience of oral dosing compared with some injectable or infusion therapies.
As highlighted in the September 1, 2026 Novartis release, remibrutinib demonstrated superiority over teriflunomide on key measures such as annualized relapse rate and MRI lesion burden, and the safety profile in the Phase III trials was described as favorable, an important consideration in chronic autoimmune conditions.
While second quarter 2026 sales of 64 million Swiss francs are still modest relative to Novartis' overall revenue base, they represent a concrete starting point, and the late stage data could support further growth in coming years if regulators grant approval and treatment guidelines are updated.
Novartis stock in the market
In the US market, Novartis American Depositary Shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker NVS; a performance snapshot from GuruFocus on September 1, 2026 shows the shares at 161.25 US dollars, within a 52 week range of 121.57 to 170.46 US dollars.
With the current price of 161.25 US dollars compared to a GF Value estimate of 130.84 US dollars in that same analysis, Novartis is described as trading about 23 percent above this fair value metric, suggesting the market is already pricing in a degree of optimism about its pipeline and dividend sustainability.
For retail investors, the recent move that put Novartis shares closer to the upper end of their 52 week range underscores how clinical successes like the remibrutinib data can quickly shift sentiment, especially when they arrive alongside mixed signals from safety related news.
Key data on Novartis
- Company: Novartis AG
- ISIN: CH0012005267
- Ticker: NVS
- Trading venue: SIX Swiss Exchange and NYSE (ADR)
- Price (as of September 1, 2026): 161.25 USD
- Market capitalization: data not specified in the cited sources (as of September 1, 2026)
- Sector / Industry: Healthcare / Pharmaceuticals
- Index membership: SMI and S&P 500 (via ADR)
