Cocrystal Pharma shares surge 10.31% premarket after Emory IRB approves Phase 1b study for CDI-988.

Cocrystal Pharma surged 10.31% in premarket trading following the announcement that its CDI-988 antiviral candidate received Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval from Emory University for a Phase 1b human challenge study targeting norovirus prevention and treatment. The trial, set to begin in Q1 2026, marks a critical regulatory milestone after prior FDA clearance and positive Phase 1 safety data. CDI-988 is the first oral broad-spectrum antiviral designed to inhibit norovirus replication, addressing a market gap with no existing approved therapies. The study’s potential to advance a novel treatment for a virus responsible for 700 million annual cases globally likely drove investor optimism, highlighting the drug’s unmet medical need and commercial potential.