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☆ US life expectancy climbs in 2022 after COVID retreat
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Mariam E Sunny | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The study estimated babies' life expectancy if mortality conditions when they were born were to persist throughout their lives. "There were positive outcomes all around ... all the groups by race and sex experienced increases in life expectancy," Arias said. Life expectancy increased by 1 year for Asian non-Hispanic infants to 84.5 years, and by 0.8 year for White non-Hispanic babies to 77.5. In all groups, previous declines in mortality due to COVID explained more than 80% of the increases in life expectancy, according to the report. Declines in deaths from heart disease, unintentional injuries, cancer, and homicide also contributed to longer life expectancy overall, but their impact varied.

Persons: Octavio Jones, Elizabeth Arias, Arias, COVID, Mariam Sunny, Nancy Lapid, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Department of Health Sarasota COVID, REUTERS, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, White, Thomson Locations: Sarasota , Florida, U.S, Alaska, Bengaluru

People walk by a CVS pharmacy store in Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S., November 17, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies CVS Health Corp FollowNov 1 (Reuters) - CVS Health Corp (CVS.N) beat Wall Street estimates for quarterly profit on Wednesday as strength in its drugstores and pharmacy benefit management business offset higher-than-expected medical costs at its insurance unit. CVS' medical benefit ratio, or the percentage of claims paid compared to premiums collected, was 85.7% in the third quarter, compared with analysts' estimates of 85.1%. CVS' pharmacy and consumer wellness segment recorded 6% revenue growth to $28.87 billion, boosted by higher drug prices and prescription volume. The company reported an adjusted profit of $2.21 per share, beating estimates of $2.13 per share, according to LSEG data.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Julie Utterback, Mariam Sunny, Leroy Leo, Saumyadeb Chakrabarty, Vinay Dwivedi Organizations: REUTERS, CVS Health, CVS Health Corp, CVS, Morningstar, PBMs, Revenue, Walgreens, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City , New York, U.S, United States, Bengaluru

[1/2] A UnitedHealth Group health insurance card is seen in a wallet in this picture illustration October 14, 2019. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 13 (Reuters) - UnitedHealth (UNH.N) reported a third-quarter profit on Friday ahead of analysts' estimates, helped by a lower-than-feared rise in medical costs at the company's health insurance unit. UnitedHealth's profit beat and slight raise in annual forecast set the stage for other insurers in the industry that suffered a nearly $60-billion wipeout in market value in June, on fears of a spike in medical costs. UnitedHealth said in July it expects quarterly medical costs to be "a little bit lower" sequentially. In the third quarter, the company's medical loss ratio, the percentage of spend on claims compared to premiums collected, was 82.3%, versus 83.2% in the second quarter.

Persons: Lucy Nicholson, Stephens, Scott Fidel, UnitedHealth, Mariam Sunny, Bhanvi, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: REUTERS, Humana, Thomson Locations: COVID, Bengaluru

☆ Alnylam gives up on expanded use of heart-disease drug in US after FDA declines approval
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Mariam E Sunny | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, U.S., August 29, 2020. The FDA, in 2019, approved Pfizer's (PFE.N) oral drug tafamidis, sold under the brand names Vyndaqel and Vyndamax, to treat transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy in the United States. Alnylam said it will focus on another drug candidate, vutrisiran, an under-the-skin injection in late-stage trials to treat ATTR amyloidosis-related cardiomyopathy. Branded as Amvuttra, vutrisiran is also approved in the U.S. to treat nerve damage in adult patients with hereditary ATTR amyloidosis. William Blair analyst Myles Minter estimates peak U.S. sales of $2.2 billion for vutrisiran as an ATTR cardiomyopathy treatment.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, patisiran, ATTR amyloidosis, Alnylam, Luca Issi, ATTR, William Blair, Myles Minter, Mariam Sunny, Pooja Desai Organizations: Food and Drug Administration, FDA, REUTERS, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, RBC, Thomson Locations: White Oak , Maryland, U.S, Massachusetts, United States, Bengaluru

☆ Drug distributor Cardinal sees sales boost from weight-loss drugs in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Mariam E Sunny | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 15 (Reuters) - Drug distributor Cardinal Health Inc (CAH.N) on Tuesday raised fiscal 2024 expectations for sales at its pharmaceutical unit, banking on growing demand for newer weight-loss drugs, including GLP-1 treatments. Cardinal peers AmerisourceBergen (ABC.N) and McKesson (MCK.N) have also flagged a potential boost to revenues for drug distributors due to high demand for these drugs. It now expects revenue from its pharmaceuticals unit to rise 10% to 12% in fiscal 2024, compared with its previous expectation of about 10% growth. It raised its 2024 profit forecast slightly to a range of $6.50 to $6.75 per share, from $6.45 to $6.70 it had forecast previously. Excluding one-off items, Cardinal Health reported a profit of $1.55 per share in the fourth quarter ended June 30, topping expectations of $1.49 per share.

Persons: Novo, Eli Lilly's, it's, Cardinal, AmerisourceBergen, Aaron Alt, Vaibhav Sadhamta, Mariam Sunny, Pooja Desai Organizations: Health Inc, Cardinal Health, Thomson Locations: United States, Bengaluru

An Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical manufacturing plant is pictured at 50 ImClone Drive in Branchburg, New Jersey, March 5, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File PhotoAug 8 (Reuters) - Eli Lilly (LLY.N) on Tuesday raised its annual forecasts after beating estimates for quarterly results, driven by strong demand for its new diabetes drug Mounjaro, ahead of a decision on its use as a weight-loss treatment. The company is leaning on Mounjaro, approved last May in the U.S. for diabetes, to soften the hit from insulin price cuts and competition for cancer therapy Alimta. A decision on Mounjaro to treat obesity, expected later this year, could help the drugmaker tap a multi-billion dollar market. Lilly now expects annual revenue in range of $33.4 billion to $33.9 billion, compared with its prior range of $31.2 billion to $31.7 billion.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Mike Segar, Mounjaro, Wells, Mohit Bansal, Lilly, Bhanvi Satija, Mariam Sunny, Sriraj Organizations: Company, REUTERS, Novo Nordisk, Thomson Locations: Branchburg , New Jersey, U.S, Bengaluru

REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File PhotoAug 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. drug regulator's approval of Biogen (BIIB.O) and Sage Therapeutics' (SAGE.O) first-of-its-kind postpartum depression (PPD) pill is unlikely to allay the drugmakers' growth concerns, analysts said on Monday. Adverse commentary after their PPD drug was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday sent Sage shares tumbling 40%, while Biogen dropped 3% in premarket trading. Zurzuvae's use as a clinical depression treatment represents a more than $1 billion sales opportunity compared with $250 million to $500 million potential for postpartum depression, said Jefferies analyst Michael Yee. "Postpartum depression is not necessarily where a big commercial opportunity is," Biogen CEO Christopher Viehbacher said last month. The U.S. FDA said last week that additional studies might be required to support the drug's approval for major depressive disorder (MDD), or clinical depression.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Sage, Biogen, Baird, Brian Skorney, Skorney, Zurzuvae, Jefferies, Michael Yee, Christopher Viehbacher, Yee, Mariam Sunny, Bhanvi, Manas Mishra, Vinay Dwivedi Organizations: Food and Drug Administration, FDA, REUTERS, Sage Therapeutics, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, U.S, Thomson Locations: White Oak , Maryland, U.S, Bengaluru

Companies Centene Corp FollowJuly 28 (Reuters) - Centene Corp (CNC.N) said on Friday it was working to enroll people back into government-backed Medicaid plans after the end of pandemic-relief measures left hundreds of thousands of members without coverage. Medicaid memberships, the largest contributor to Centene's revenue, were hit by the removal of pandemic-related relief measures on April 1 that rendered several members ineligible for insurance coverage. Centene lost a little more than 260,000 Medicaid members in the second quarter due to redetermination, and had around 16 million members under Medicaid as of June 30. The company on Friday, however, beat Wall Street estimates for second-quarter profit, helped by strong membership growth in its commercial marketplace business even as a fall in Medicaid memberships hurt. On an adjusted basis, the company earned $2.10 per share in the second quarter, above estimates of $2.03.

Persons: Centene, Sarah London, Julie Utterback, Mariam Sunny, Leroy Leo, Shinjini Ganguli, Shounak Organizations: Centene, Wall, Medicaid, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

June 27 (Reuters) - Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA.O) on Tuesday warned that lower spending by inflation-spooked consumers and a hit from a larger-than-expected drop in COVID product sales would likely persist into next year, sending its shares plunging nearly 9%. Walgreens' shares were at $28.87 in early trading, hitting an over 11-year low after the company slashed its profit forecast for the year. The pharmacy chain also said its newly launched healthcare business, through which it operates doctors' offices, missed Walgreens' target for sales growth. "There are some factors impacting us today that are likely to extend into next year, namely the macroeconomic-driven consumer pressure and COVID headwinds." In the third quarter of the fiscal year, Walgreens reported a 0.2% fall in same-store sales at its retail division, compared with estimates of a 2.1% rise.

Persons: Rosalind Brewer, Brewer, Manas Mishra, Mariam Sunny, Pooja Desai Organizations: Walgreens Boots Alliance, Walgreens, CVS Health, Rite, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

June 27 (Reuters) - Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA.O) slashed its profit forecast for the year as persistently high inflation hits sales of consumer healthcare goods and demand for COVID shots and tests wanes, sending its shares plunging 8% on Tuesday. "Our revised guidance takes an appropriately cautious forward view in light of consumer spending uncertainty," CEO Rosalind Brewer said in a statement. Walgreens' shares were trading at $29.21, on track to open at their lowest levels since 2012, if losses held. In the third quarter of the fiscal year, Walgreens reported a 0.2% fall in same-store sales at its retail division, compared with estimates of a 2.1% rise, according to brokerage TD Cowen. Walgreens said its forecast cut reflected "challenging consumer and macroeconomic conditions, and lower COVID-19 vaccine and testing volumes".

Persons: Rosalind Brewer, TD, Walgreens, Manas Mishra, Mariam Sunny, Pooja Desai Organizations: Walgreens Boots Alliance, CVS Health, Walgreens, TD Cowen, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

Companies Indivior PLC FollowJune 2 (Reuters) - Indivior Plc (INDV.L) said on Friday it agreed to pay $102.5 million to settle a lawsuit by dozens of U.S. states accusing it of illegally suppressing generic competition for its opioid addiction treatment Suboxone. Suboxone was approved for U.S. sale in 2002, and Indivior had the exclusive right to sell the treatment in tablet form until 2009. States said Indivior switched to an oral film version of Suboxone from a tablet version to extend its monopoly, just as generic manufacturers were poised to sell their own lower-cost tablets. Generic tablets obtained federal approval in 2013. Indivior expects to pay the $102.5 million in cash this month.

Persons: drugmaker, Indivior, Suboxone, Josh Kaul, Mariam Sunny, Jonathan Stempel, Maju Samuel, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Indivior, D.C, U.S, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Thomson Locations: Chesterfield , Virginia, U.S, Washington, Indivior's, Philadelphia, Suboxone, Wisconsin, United States, Bengaluru, New York

☆ AbbVie's weak newer drug sales fan worries as Humira faces rivals
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 27 (Reuters) - AbbVie Inc (ABBV.N) on Thursday missed quarterly revenue estimates for its newer treatments, fueling concerns over the drugmaker's attempts to cushion the blow to sales from blockbuster Humira losing patent exclusivity. The company's shares tumbled 6% in premarket trade as investors shrugged off a raised annual profit forecast. In the first quarter, Humira recorded sales of $3.54 billion, compared with analysts' average estimate of $3.58 billion. That helped Abbvie beat sales expectations. AbbVie had trimmed its full-year profit expectations earlier this month by 8 cents, citing a $150 million hit from acquired in-process research and development (IPR&D) and milestone expenses.

April 3 (Reuters) - About one in six adults globally have experienced infertility at least once in their life, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a report on Monday, urging countries to actively collect more consistent data on the disease. "Based on the data we have, we cannot say that infertility is increasing or constant ... the jury's still out on that question," he said, citing that data so far has been mixed and inconsistent. The report highlights the need for countries to collect and share consistent data on infertility, separated by age and cause, as well as information on those who need fertility care. About 17.8% of adults in high-income countries have experienced infertility at least once and about 16.5% of adults in low- and middle-income countries, according to the report. Reporting by Bhanvi Satija and Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika SyamnathOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The panelists seemed significantly more confident about the demographic profile used during the GSK study in comparison to Pfizer's (PFE.N) RSV vaccine, which was recommended by the FDA panel on Tuesday. Pfizer and GSK are running a tight race to tap into the RSV vaccine market, which is estimated to be over $5 billion and could exceed $10 billion by 2030, according to analysts. There is currently no approved vaccine to prevent lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in older adults, which causes death of 14,000 adults aged 65 and older annually in the United States. In October, late-stage data of GSK's RSV vaccine showed it to be 82.6% effective in preventing lower respiratory tract disease in people aged 60 and over, while Pfizer's vaccine was 66.7% effective. If approved, we estimate peak sales for GSK vaccine to be about $2.8 billion globally, said Evan Wang, Guggenheim Securities analyst, ahead of the panel vote.

Feb 28 (Reuters) - A panel of outside advisers to the U.S. health regulator on Tuesday recommended Pfizer Inc's (PFE.N) respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, bringing it closer to becoming one of the first approved RSV shots for older adults in the United States. GSK (GSK.L), which is another forerunner in a crowded race to develop the first RSV vaccine, will face scrutiny from a panel of experts to the FDA on Wednesday. "The population where the vaccine is going to potentially have the biggest impact is less represented in this study," said Hana Sahly, one of the 12 FDA panelists. The FDA is scheduled to decide on the vaccines by May, and typically follows the recommendations of its independent panel of experts. Pfizer's vaccine was 66.7% effective in preventing RSV-related lower respiratory tract illness with over two symptoms, while GSK's vaccine was 82.6% effective in preventing lower respiratory tract disease in people aged 60 and over.

☆ U.S. FDA panel votes for Pfizer's RSV vaccine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Feb 28 (Reuters) - A panel of outside advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday recommended Pfizer Inc's (PFE.N) respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, paving the way for one of the first approved RSV shots in the United States for older adults. The FDA advisory committee voted 7 to 4 in favor of the drug, saying data from the clinical study conducted by the company established that the treatment was effective and safe in preventing the lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in 60 years and older. (This story has been corrected to change the voting ratio to "7 to 4" from "7 to 12" in paragraph 2)Reporting by Mariam E Sunny and Khushi Mandowara in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju SamuelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Feb 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc's (RETA.O) drug for the treatment of a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive damage to the nervous system, sending shares up nearly 160% after the bell. The drug, Skyclarys, is Reata's first product to gain approval, and Jefferies analyst Maury Raycroft projected that U.S. sales of the drug could reach $400 million by 2030. Reata estimates the disorder, called Friedreich's ataxia, affects about 5,000 patients in the United States. Raycroft, before the FDA decision, estimated the drug could be priced at about $425,000 per patient annually. The FDA has previously approved drugs for neurological conditions based on limited data such as for Biogen Inc's (BIIB.O) Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm and Amylyx's ALS drug.

☆ Senator Warren urges U.S. patent office to scrutinize Merck's Keytruda
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Michael Erman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Senator Bernie Sanders, as well as Representatives Katie Porter and Pramila Jayapal also signed the letter. They expressed particular concern over Merck's efforts to patent a subcutaneous version of the currently infused drug, which Reuters reported on late last year. They wrote that Merck’s use of dozens of patents to fend off Keytruda competitors "appear(s) to be an example of the anti-competitive business practices ... that we have long beenconcerned about." Merck, which reported $20.9 billion in 2022 sales of Keytruda, has relied on the immunotherapy to fuel its growth. They urged Vidal to "give close scrutiny to any of Merck’s requests for new patents for Keytruda, and reject those that do not clearly meet the agency’s standards."

Feb 21 (Reuters) - Medtronic Plc (MDT.N) said on Tuesday it expects inflation in various markets to hit its profit in the next fiscal year after the medical device maker beat earnings estimate for the third quarter on strong demand for its heart and diabetes devices. While inflation in many countries has eased in recent months, the management expects a delayed improvement in its earnings as its costs remain high. "VBP has affected us more than many of our competitors, given the size and breadth of our business in China. Stifel analyst Rick Wise expects Medtronic to get past pricing pressure in China in "the not too distant future". Reporting by Leroy Leo and Mariam E Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju SamuelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. NIH starts trial for Shionogi's COVID-19 pill
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Feb 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) said on Wednesday that it had started a clinical trial to evaluate Japan's Shionogi & Co Ltd's (4507.T) experimental oral antiviral drug to treat COVID-19. The drug, S-217622 or ensitrelvir, will be tested in adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Ensitrelvir is an oral antiviral agent taken once daily for five days to suppress replication of the virus. The trial will enroll about 1,500 people from different sites across the world, the government health organization said in a statement. Reporting by Mariam E Sunny; Editing by Anil D'SilvaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Stabilization of Humira sales after the initial erosion, coupled with strong growth of its newer drugs Skyrizi and Rinvoq for autoimmune disorders, could provide a floor to its earnings in 2024. "Now it's a question of what will the volume erosion look like?" In the fourth quarter, Humira sales dropped 26.5% to $573 million in international markets such as Europe, where it already faces competition from multiple less expensive versions. Overall, Humira sales rose 4.6% to $5.58 billion, in line with estimates, lifted by growth in the U.S. market. Excluding items, AbbVie earned $3.60 per share in the fourth quarter, beating analysts' average estimates by 4 cents.

☆ AbbVie's 2023 profit forecast misses as Humira faces heat from rivals
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Most analysts are expecting the stock to be driven by management's comments on Humira sales this year during the investor conference call. AbbVie's weak forecast suggests that Humira rivals could nibble away at the blockbuster drug's market share at a faster pace this year than analysts' projections. In the fourth quarter, Humira sales dropped 26.5% to $573 million in international markets such as Europe, where it already faces competition from multiple cheaper versions. Overall, Humira sales rose 4.6% to $5.58 billion, in line with estimates, lifted by growth in the U.S. market. Excluding items, AbbVie earned $3.60 per share in the fourth quarter, beating analysts' average estimates of $3.56 per share.

☆ Factbox: Which CVS rivals also own primary care services
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Here is a list of some big companies that are also providing medical services or have announced similar deals:UnitedHealth Group IncUnitedHealth's (UNH.N) Optum Health business provides services that range from primary care to specialty care such as cardiology and oncology. UnitedHealth last year also announced a deal to buy LHC Group (LHCG.O), which provides healthcare services at home, for about $5.4 billion. Walgreens Boots AlliancePharmacy chain Walgreens (WBA.O) in 2021 took a majority stake in primary care provider VillageMD, which has nearly 400 clinics in the United States including 200 co-located with Walgreens retails stores, as of the end of 2022. VillageMD completed the acquisition of urgent care provider Summit Health in a deal valued at $9 billion. Amazon.com IncAmazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) agreed to buy primary care provider One Medical for $3.49 billion in July to expand its virtual healthcare and add brick-and-mortar doctors' offices.

RSV, which produces symptoms similar to a cold but can be fatal for young children and older adults, causes about 14,000 deaths annually in adults ages 65 and older. Moderna, Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and GSK Plc (GSK.L) are racing to get their RSV vaccines to market first. Pfizer's RSV vaccine was found to be 66.7% effective against two or more symptoms in late-stage trials. "It's very exciting to see progress in RSV vaccines in older adults, and I think both of those vaccines have shown pretty remarkable results as well," Hoge said. The RSV vaccine market could be worth more than $10 billion globally, half of which would come from the United States, according to Cowen analyst Tyler Van Buren.

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