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Kalshi to allow bets on clinical trials, FDA decisions

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on July 16, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: July 16, 2026

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Kalshi Enables Bets on Clinical Trial Outcomes and FDA Decisions

Kalshi Launches Prediction Markets for Drug Development Events

Introduction to Kalshi's New Betting Markets

July 16 (Reuters) - Prediction market platform Kalshi will start taking bets on the outcomes of clinical trials and FDA regulatory reviews, it said on Thursday, making drug-development odds public for the first time.

The new markets will be launched in partnership with AppliedXL, which monitors and predicts the outcomes of clinical trials.

How the Clinical Trial and FDA Decision Markets Work

Market Structure and Participation

The markets allow investors to act on a view about a single drug, instead of the entire company, Kalshi said.

People will be able to bet only on the outcomes of late-stage trials as a part of the pilot program. Kalshi and AppliedXL will list a contract only after a trial finishes enrolling.

Contract Details and Criteria

Each contract will be based on details of a named public document — the registered primary endpoint on ClinicalTrials.gov, the FDA approval letter or the voting record of the agency's advisory committee.

AppliedXL will define the criteria for reading that document before the contract opens for trading, not after results arrive.

Examples of Available Contracts

FDA Decisions and Clinical Trial Outcomes

Contracts available at launch include more than a dozen U.S. Food and Drug Administration decisions, including whether it will approve Gilead's experimental cancer drug, anito-cel, and Summit Therapeutics' experimental lung cancer drug, ivonescimab.

Other bets include if an early Alzheimer's disease drug being developed by AriBio will meet the main goals of a late-stage trial.

Regulatory and Compliance Measures

Trader Verification and Restrictions

The platform will require employment verification for all traders and prohibit trading by anyone who holds material nonpublic information.

Background on Kalshi

Company Overview

Launched in 2021, Kalshi allows people to bet on events such as sports, election outcomes and weather.

(Reporting by Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)

Key Takeaways

  • The pilot covers only late-stage (e.g., Phase 3) trial outcomes and FDA regulatory decisions, based on predefined, public documents (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov endpoints, approval letters, advisory committee votes) (streetinsider.com).
  • These markets enable traders to bet on individual drug events rather than whole-company performance, enhancing transparency in drug development odds (streetinsider.com).
  • AppliedXL’s AI-driven system defines resolution criteria before markets open and verifies outcomes against official sources, aiming for transparency and auditability (streetinsider.com).

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Kalshi's new market offering?
Kalshi will allow users to bet on the outcomes of clinical trials and FDA regulatory decisions, starting with late-stage trials.
Who is Kalshi partnering with for these markets?
Kalshi is launching the new prediction markets in partnership with AppliedXL, which specializes in monitoring and predicting clinical trial outcomes.
What types of contracts will be available for trading?
Contracts will be based on public documents, such as registered endpoints, FDA approval letters, or advisory committee voting records, for drugs from companies like Gilead, Summit Therapeutics, and AriBio.
Are there any trading restrictions on the platform?
Yes, Kalshi requires employment verification for traders and prohibits trading by anyone with material nonpublic information.
When will a contract be listed for trading on Kalshi?
A contract will be listed only after a clinical trial finishes enrolling, and the decision criteria will be set before opening the contract for trading.

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