Bio-Path Stock Surge Shocks Shorts

BPTH stock is up 553% year-to-date

The shares of Bio-Path Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:BPTH) jumped more than 34% out of the gate, marking the biotech's first trek above the round $20 mark since April 3. Boosting the shares is Bio-Path's request to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to withdraw a stock offering, after issuing a prospectus filing in March.

More recently, BPTH stock has accelerated this upside, gaining 53.8% to trade at $24.07, bringing its year-to-date gain to 553%. The shares gapped to an annual high of $73.52 on March 7, thanks to some positive data for the company's experimental cancer drug, but quickly pulled back to the $15.50 region -- site of its 200-day moving average. The equity is now above its 20-day moving average, which briefly served as resistance in late March.

Short sellers are likely feeling the heat during today's surge. Short interest has more than tripled year-to-date, and the 428,405 shares currently sold short represent a healthy 18.1% of BPTH's available float.