Healthcare stocks jump on US filings and big funding: Osteopore, Echo IQ and Anteris lead
A small-cap healthcare rally had a clear centre: distribution deals, US regulatory steps, and big cheques. Osteopore, Echo IQ and Anteris led the week, while a handful of names slipped despite solid operational updates.
- Osteopore jumped on a Hong Kong distribution deal that gives it a sales doorway into the Greater Bay Area.
- Echo IQ rose after filing for US FDA clearance, following Mayo Clinic validation results.
- Anteris surged as it locked in a large capital raise with Medtronic buying stock alongside public investors.
- Several “real revenue” updates didn’t stop sell-offs, showing investors still want near-term proof of sales.
Osteopore (ASX:OSX) ran hardest this week, up 66.67%, after announcing an exclusive distribution agreement in Hong Kong. Echo IQ (ASX:EIQ) followed with a 48.57% rise after it lodged its US FDA submission for heart failure detection software. Anteris Technologies (ASX:AVR) climbed 40.90% as it secured a large funding package, including a strategic buy-in from Medtronic.
Regulators mattered, because they unlock selling in the US
Echo IQ’s move came down to a simple investor belief: a regulatory filing is closer to getting paid. The company said Mayo Clinic Platform validation showed very high sensitivity and strong specificity for EchoSolv HF. In plain terms, the software picked up most true cases and didn’t over-call too often. That matters because hospitals will not roll out screening tools that flood clinicians with false alarms. 4DMedical (ASX:4DX) also leaned into the US with a AU$150 million raise to push its FDA-cleared CT-VQ lung imaging. Yet the stock fell -20.28% for the week. The most likely reason is timing and dilution fear. Even “small” dilution can worry investors when a company is still spending heavily to build sales.Big cheques and big partners changed the mood
Anteris didn’t just raise money; it raised money next to a global device leader. Medtronic’s subsidiary joined via a private placement as part of the broader raise. Investors often read that as a vote of confidence. It also reduces a near-term worry: running out of cash before a pivotal heart valve trial is complete. Cambium Bio (ASX:CMB) rose 30.43% after disclosing a funding boost tied to Phase 3 trial preparation. Phase 3 is the expensive stage. It’s where a company tries to prove a treatment works in a large group. The market tends to react when a company can show it has a plan to pay for that step.Commercial updates: strong numbers helped some, but not all
Compumedics (ASX:CMP) gained 36.36% after reporting record first-half sales orders and a sharp jump in shipped revenue. Investors care about shipped revenue because it usually means the product has left the building and invoicing follows. PolyNovo (ASX:PNV) told a solid growth story, with 1H sales up 26% and a new manufacturing facility completed. Even so, the stock finished down -9.54% after a large gap move earlier in the week failed to hold. In everyday terms, early buyers took profits, and not enough new buyers stepped in at the higher price.Diagnostics stayed busy, but reimbursement is still the make-or-break
Rhythm Biosciences (ASX:RHY) started commercialising its ColoSTAT blood test and landed an NHS England evaluation step. That is a meaningful validation marker, but it does not equal guaranteed purchasing. The shares still fell -6.25%, which suggests investors want to see who pays, at what price, and how fast. Pacific Edge (ASX:PEB) put a spotlight on the same issue. Test volumes dipped, but two February dates matter more than the quarter’s number: a Medicare contractor advisory committee meeting on 20 February 2026, and a reimbursement-related hearing on 24 February 2026. For beginners, Medicare coverage decisions can decide whether doctors order a test routinely, or only in limited cases. That directly affects sales.Bottom Line?
The next clear share-price catalysts are on the calendar: Pacific Edge’s 20 February 2026 Medicare advisory meeting and the 24 February 2026 hearing. Investors will also watch for progress on US clearances already in motion, including Echo IQ’s FDA decision after its December 2025 submission.
Questions in the middle?
- Will Pacific Edge win broader Medicare coverage, and will that translate into higher US test volumes within months rather than years?
- After 4DMedical’s AU$150m raise, how quickly can Philips help place CT-VQ into US hospitals and government programs in a way that shows up in revenue?
- Can Anteris keep trial timelines on track now that funding is secured, or will manufacturing scale-up slow the pivotal study?
