Celcuity's Precision Oncology Push Catches Eye of Top-Performing Fund Apis Capital
NEW YORK – As the race to personalize cancer treatment intensifies, a standout performer in the hedge fund world is turning its gaze toward a lesser-known biotech. Apis Capital Advisors, in its fourth-quarter 2025 investor letter, highlighted Celcuity Inc. (NASDAQ: CELC) as a company advancing a compelling precision oncology strategy. The mention comes after Apis's flagship fund posted a net gain of 55.1% for the full year, significantly outpacing global benchmarks.
The fund's strong performance was driven by long positions in sectors like Technology and Healthcare, where Celcuity operates. Apis Capital emphasized a continued focus on bottom-up stock selection and niche opportunities in healthcare as key to future returns.
Celcuity, with a market cap of approximately $5.06 billion, is developing therapies using its proprietary CELsignia platform. The technology aims to identify which cancer patients are most likely to respond to specific targeted treatments, a crucial step in improving outcomes and reducing ineffective care. The stock closed at $109.42 on January 30, 2026.
"The market is increasingly rewarding companies that offer clear diagnostic pathways to effective therapy," said Dr. Anya Sharma, a biotech analyst at Veritas Insights. "Celcuity's platform could reduce the trial-and-error in oncology, which is a massive value driver for payers and patients alike."
However, the path is not without risk. "This is a classic high-stakes biotech bet," noted Michael Torrence, portfolio manager at Caldera Capital. "The science is fascinating, but commercial success hinges on clinical data we haven't seen yet. At this valuation, there's very little room for setbacks."
A more skeptical view came from retail investor David Chen, active on financial forums: "Another 'platform' story getting hyped because a hot fund name-dropped it. Remember, 31 hedge funds held it last quarter—that's not exactly a concentrated, high-conviction bet. I'll believe it when they have an approved product generating revenue."
According to the letter, 31 hedge funds held Celcuity at the end of Q3 2025, up from 15 the prior quarter. While Apis Capital acknowledged Celcuity's potential, it also pointed investors toward AI stocks it believes may offer faster, higher returns in the short term.
What's Next: Investors will be watching for upcoming clinical trial readouts from Celcuity to validate its platform's utility. Its performance may also serve as a barometer for investor appetite in precision medicine plays amid a volatile market for clinical-stage biotechs.