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Vaxcyte Stock Jumps 31% After Positive Phase 3 Data

Vaxcyte via GlobeNewswire2 min read6 sources

Why is Vaxcyte stock up today?

Vaxcyte (PCVX) stock jumped 30.7% to $73.82 on Monday after its VAX-31 pneumococcal vaccine met every main goal in a Phase 3 trial against Pfizer's Prevnar 20 and Merck's Capvaxive.

Key numbers

Vaxcyte share price (close)$73.82+30.7% vs $56.48 prior close
Intraday high$90.75+60.7% vs prior close
Trial participants4,047adults at about 30 US sites
Strains passed vs Prevnar 2020 of 20all shared strains
Strains passed vs Capvaxive17 of 192 missed stricter bar
Guggenheim price target (per [3])$125from $116

What happened

Vaxcyte (PCVX) stock jumped 30.7% to $73.82 on Monday after its VAX-31 pneumococcal vaccine met every main goal in a Phase 3 trial against Pfizer's Prevnar 20 and Merck's Capvaxive. Vaxcyte tested the shot in 4,047 adults against both rival vaccines. Against Pfizer's, it passed the immune-response bar on all 20 shared strains of bacteria. Against Merck's, it missed a stricter-than-usual bar on 2 of 19 shared strains. It also beat both rivals on three strains only it covers, plus a related strain called 20B. Shares briefly hit $90.75 before settling lower.

Why it matters

Vaxcyte has no vaccine on the market yet, so its value rests largely on VAX-31. The shot covers 31 strains of pneumococcal bacteria, which cause pneumonia and other serious infections, versus 20 and 21 for the rival vaccines. If regulators approve it, Pfizer and Merck could face a new competitor in a market projected to reach about $12 billion by 2030 (per). Merck shares fell 3.3% and Pfizer 1.4% on the day.

Who this affects

Marketmixed
Medium impact
Pfizer and Merck shares slipped as investors weighed new competition.
Companybullish
High impact
Vaxcyte shareholders gain as its lead vaccine clears Phase 3.
Competitorsbearish
Medium impact
Pfizer and Merck face a possible future rival; negative.
Industryneutral
Medium impact
Pneumococcal vaccine market may see stronger competition.

Vaxcyte vs Pfizer, Merck

VaxcytePCVX$10.98B+30.7%——
PfizerPFE$156.23B-1.4%—10.0x
MerckMRK$344.27B-3.3%—16.9x

As of 2026-10-05

How we got here

  1. Vaxcyte closes at $56.48, the last close before the trial data.

  2. Vaxcyte releases OPUS-1 Phase 3 results before the US market opens; shares hit $90.75.

  3. Guggenheim raises its Vaxcyte price target to $125 from $116.

  4. Vaxcyte closes at $73.82, up 30.7%; Merck falls 3.3% and Pfizer 1.4%.

What to watch

  • Results from the OPUS-2 and OPUS-3 adult Phase 3 trials of VAX-31H1 2027
  • Infant Phase 2 data for VAX-31H1 2027
  • Vaxcyte plans to submit its FDA approval application (BLA) for VAX-31H1 2028

Educational content only. Not investment advice.

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