BRODSKY & SMITH INVESTOR ALERT: Updates on Ongoing Investigations for Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE – WTRG), Cadence Bank (NYSE – CADE), Avidity Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq – RNA), and Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (NYSE – PLYM)
Essential Utilities Merger: Essential Utilities will be acquired by American Water Works in an all-stock, tax-free merger, raising concerns about whether the Board acted in the best interest of shareholders regarding the deal's fairness.
Cadence Bank Acquisition: Cadence Bank is set to be acquired by Huntington Bancshares in a $7.4 billion all-stock deal, with investigations into whether the Cadence Board fulfilled its fiduciary duties and ensured fair value for shareholders.
Avidity Biosciences Sale: Avidity Biosciences will be acquired by Novartis for $72.00 per share in cash, prompting investigations into the Board's adherence to fiduciary responsibilities and the fairness of the transaction.
Plymouth Industrial REIT Transaction: Plymouth Industrial REIT is being acquired for $22.00 per share in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $2.1 billion, with inquiries into whether the Board breached its fiduciary duties in the process.
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- Independent Launch: Atrium Therapeutics, Inc. officially launched today as an independent company focused on delivering RNA therapeutics for patients with rare genetic cardiomyopathies, starting with approximately $270 million in cash, marking a significant milestone in the precision cardiology sector.
- Clinical Trial Candidates: The company's lead candidates, ATR 1072 and ATR 1086, target PRKAG2 syndrome and PLN cardiomyopathy, respectively, and are expected to enter clinical trials, addressing the unmet medical needs for effective treatments for these severe conditions.
- Technological Platform Advantage: Atrium's RNA delivery platform combines the tissue selectivity of monoclonal antibodies with the precision of oligonucleotides, aiming to directly target the biological drivers of cardiac diseases, thereby enhancing therapeutic efficacy and overcoming limitations of traditional delivery methods.
- Market Potential: With an estimated 1,000-2,000 patients suffering from PRKAG2 syndrome and 2,000-4,000 from PLN cardiomyopathy in the U.S., Atrium's innovative treatment solutions are poised to meet the urgent demand for effective therapies, potentially increasing the company's market share in precision cardiology.

- Independent Launch: Atrium Therapeutics, Inc. officially launched today as an independent company focused on delivering RNA therapeutics for patients with rare genetic cardiomyopathies, starting with approximately $270 million in cash, marking a significant milestone in precision cardiology.
- Clinical Trial Candidates: The company's lead candidates, ATR 1072 and ATR 1086, target PRKAG2 syndrome and PLN cardiomyopathy respectively, with IND submissions expected in the second half of 2026, addressing a significant unmet need in the market with no approved therapies.
- Platform Advantage: Atrium's RNA delivery platform combines the tissue selectivity of monoclonal antibodies with the precision of oligonucleotides, aiming to effectively target the biological drivers of cardiac diseases, thus paving the way for RNA therapies in precision cardiology with vast potential.
- Future Development Plans: Atrium plans to initiate IND-enabling preclinical studies for ATR 1086 in 2026, targeting an IND submission in 2027, and anticipates advancing both programs into clinical trials based on Phase 1 trial results, while expanding its precision cardiology pipeline.
- Earnings Beat: Applied Optoelectronics reported a fourth-quarter loss of only $0.01 per share, significantly better than the analyst consensus estimate of a $0.11 loss, indicating improvements in cost management and market demand, which boosts investor confidence.
- Strong Sales Performance: The company achieved quarterly sales of $134.274 million, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $134.120 million, suggesting that its products continue to gain competitive traction in the market, potentially driving future revenue growth.
- Stock Surge: Following the earnings report, Applied Optoelectronics shares jumped 20.4% to $64.69 in pre-market trading, reflecting market optimism about the company's future performance and likely attracting more investor interest.
- Positive Guidance: The company issued first-quarter sales guidance above market expectations, further solidifying its market position in the optoelectronics sector and indicating stable growth potential for the upcoming quarters.
- Clinical Trial Results: Avidity Biosciences' del-desiran demonstrated efficacy in the Phase 1/2 MARINA trial for patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1, achieving approximately 40% mean reduction in DMPK mRNA, providing new hope for treatment.
- Multiple Improvement Metrics: The treatment showed significant improvements across various measures including muscle function, strength, mobility, and patient-reported outcomes, indicating that del-desiran could become a transformational therapy for patients, addressing the urgent need for effective treatments.
- Safety and Tolerability: The trial results indicated that del-desiran has an acceptable safety and tolerability profile, with most adverse events being mild or moderate, laying a solid foundation for its future clinical applications and boosting confidence among investors and patients.
- Future Research Plans: Avidity is advancing the global Phase 3 HARBOR trial, with topline data expected in the second half of 2026, and if results are positive, it could become the first approved drug for DM1, representing significant market potential.
- Significant Efficacy: Del-desiran effectively delivered siRNA to muscle, resulting in an approximately 40% mean reduction in DMPK mRNA across all treated participants, indicating the potential clinical value of this therapy for myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1).
- Functional Improvements: Participants exhibited significant improvements in multiple functional assessments post-treatment, including hand function, muscle strength, and activities of daily living, highlighting del-desiran's potential to enhance patient quality of life.
- Good Safety Profile: Most treatment-emergent adverse events were mild or moderate and did not lead to participant discontinuation, indicating that del-desiran has an acceptable safety and tolerability profile, which bolsters its credibility as a potential treatment option.
- Future Research Plans: Avidity is advancing the global Phase 3 HARBOR study, which is expected to be the first approved drug for DM1, further validating the efficacy and safety of del-desiran.
- Share Distribution Announcement: Avidity Biosciences has announced a share distribution on February 12, 2026, where holders of Avidity common stock will receive one share of Atrium Therapeutics for every ten shares held, aimed at enhancing company value through the spin-off.
- Merger Progress: This share distribution is linked to Avidity's acquisition by Novartis, with completion contingent on specific conditions including shareholder approval, indicating the company's strategic positioning in merger integration.
- Innovative Drug Platform: Avidity's Antibody Oligonucleotide Conjugates (AOCs™) platform is advancing clinical projects targeting rare muscle diseases, showcasing its innovative capabilities in RNA therapeutics, which could yield long-term growth potential for the company.
- Market Outlook: Through collaboration with Novartis, Avidity plans to expand its pipeline in cardiology and immunology, further enhancing its market competitiveness and addressing the growing healthcare demands.




