N2TECH's shares closed at 1,925 won on the junior KOSDAQ, up 29.98 percent from the previous session. The stock opened at 1,831 won and fell as low as 1,646 won before rebounding to the daily limit.
The rally came after U.S. biotech firm Moderna and pharmaceutical giant Merck said their personalized mRNA cancer treatment showed positive results in a Phase 3 trial, marking a major step toward potential regulatory approval.
The treatment was tested in patients with melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer. It is tailored to mutations in each patient's tumor and uses mRNA to give the immune system instructions to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Shares of Moderna soared 176.97 percent in New York on Wednesday following the announcement, sparking a broader rally among South Korean stocks that investors associate with Moderna or mRNA technology. Somagen also closed at its daily limit of 3,750 won, up 29.98 percent, while ST Pharm jumped 11.68 percent to 110,900 won.
N2TECH mainly makes equipment for semiconductor production. However, investors have viewed the company as a Moderna-related stock because it previously sought to distribute Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines in South Korea.
Thursday's surge reflects growing investor interest in mRNA technology after the successful trial raised hopes that the technology used in COVID-19 vaccines could play a broader role in cancer treatment, although N2TECH is not directly involved in developing Moderna's cancer vaccine.
AJP Takeaways
• N2TECH shares closed at the daily limit of 1,925 won on Aug. 20, 2026, up 29.98 percent on the KOSDAQ.
• The rally followed positive Phase 3 results for a personalized mRNA cancer treatment developed by Moderna and Merck for patients with melanoma.
• Somagen also rose 29.98 percent to its daily limit on Aug. 20, while ST Pharm gained 11.68 percent.
• N2TECH mainly makes semiconductor production equipment and is not directly involved in the cancer vaccine program, but investors have linked it to Moderna because of its past efforts to distribute the company's COVID-19 vaccines in South Korea.
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