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FRANKFURT, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Bayer's (BAYGn.DE) new CEO plans to cut management jobs to speed up decision-making as a first step to overhaul the embattled German industrial group, which is facing investor pressure to break up, three people familiar with the matter said. But the new CEO will likely have only a short respite period to come up with concrete strategic proposals. Anderson has been tasked with reviving Bayer's share price, which has underperformed rivals, weighed down by the lingering costs of U.S. weedkiller litigation. Anderson said last month he was not ruling out any options as part of his review of the company's strategy and structure, saying he was "leaving no stone unturned". He added he would provide an initial update in the coming months and detailed plans in early 2024.

Persons: Bill Anderson, Anderson, Roche, Oliver Kohlhaas, Kohlhaas, Werner Baumann, Ludwig Burger, Patricia Weiss, Emma, Victoria Farr, Josephine Mason, David Holmes Organizations: Bayer, McKinsey, Artisan Partners, Reuters, Bluebell Capital Partners, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, Frankfurt

☆ VIEW Reactions to EU probe of Chinese electric cars imports
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT URSULA VON DER LEYEN"Global markets are now flooded with cheaper electric cars. "So I can announce today that the Commission is launching an anti-subsidy investigation into electric vehicles coming from China. UK TRADE MINISTER KEMI BADENOCH"I think it just highlights the difficulties that all countries are having with the supply chain for electric vehicles. "China's apparent advantage and cost-competitive imports are already impacting European auto makers' domestic market share, with a massive surge in electric vehicle imports in recent years. At the same time, the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is also a game-changer in the electric vehicle value chain.

Persons: Annegret, URSULA VON DER, LAURENCE BOONE, BRUNO LE MAIRE, Von der, KEMI BADENOCH, MATTEO SALVINI, SIGRID DE VRIES, AIWAYS, ALEXANDER KLOSE, Aiways, KINGSMILL, they've, They've, STUART COLE, AJ BELL, DANNI HEWSON, Josephine Mason, Catherine Evans, Louise Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, European Commission, European Union, FRENCH FINANCE, EU, League, GENERAL, Volkswagen, BMW, Tesla, INSTITUTE SENIOR, CITI, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, China, Europe, Brussels

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 6.8 with an epicentre some 72 km (45 miles) southwest of Marrakech. "When I felt the earth shaking beneath my feet and the house leaning, I rushed to get my kids out. [1/14]Residents rest in central Marrakesh following a powerful earthquake in Morocco, September 9, 2023. It was Morocco's deadliest earthquake since 1960 when a quake was estimated to have killed at least 12,000 people, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Marrakech is due to host the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank from Oct. 9.

Persons: Mohamed Azaw, Mohamed Ouhammo, Montasir, Abdellatif Ait, Saida Bodchich, Hannah McKay, Waaziz Hassan, Mohammad Kashani, Zakia Abdennebi, Tarek Amara, Alexander Cornwell, Ahmed Tolba, Jose Joseph, Muhammad Al Gebaly, Adam Makary, Michelle Nichols, Graham Keeley, Josephine Mason, Angus McDowall, Tom Perry, Tomasz Janowski, Frances Kerry, Alexander Smith, Peter Graff, Daniel Wallis Organizations: WHO, Moroccan, Interior Ministry, Geological Survey, Food, High, REUTERS, World Health Organization, UNESCO, . Geological Survey, University of Southampton, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, IMF, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Morocco, U.S, Amizmiz, Asni, Tansghart, Abdellatif Ait Bella, Marrakesh, Huelva, Jaen, Spain, Jemaa, Moroccan, Turkey, Algeria, Tunis, Imsouane, Dubai, Bengaluru, Cairo, New York, Madrid, London

☆ China's Xpeng says German carmakers ready to tackle crisis as EV race hots up
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMUNICH, Sept 6 (Reuters) - German carmakers are ready to tackle their worst crisis, an executive at Chinese EV maker Xpeng said on Wednesday, as China's carmakers expand overseas, putting pressure on Europe in the race to electrify. Globally, China leads EV sales, the latest data from tech industry researcher Counterpoint shows. The U.S. has the fastest growing EV sales with Germany in third place. "The Chinese companies are flooding into overseas markets like mushrooms, deepening their sense of crisis," Gu said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said EV competition from abroad should be a spur, not a worry for German carmakers.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Hildegard Mueller, Markus Soeder, Angelika Warmuth, Xpeng, Brian Gu, Gu, Jia Jianxu, Zheng, Zhang Yan, Victoria Waldersee, Josephine Mason, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: German Association of, Automotive, REUTERS, Rights, HK, IAA, EV, Germany, Reuters, Volkswagen, SAIC, Xuanyuan Academy, Germany's IAA, New Energy Vehicle Congress, Gang, Thomson Locations: Bavarian, Munich, Germany, Europe, Xpeng, China, U.S, Britain, France

☆ China's Xpeng says German carmakers ready to tackle crisis in EV race
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Globally, China leads EV sales, the latest data from tech industry researcher Counterpoint shows. The U.S. has the fastest growing EV sales with Germany in third place. Chinese companies including Xpeng, BYD and Leapmotor (9863.HK) are seeking the higher margins and faster growth overseas markets can offer, which means they are challenging European companies on their home turf with cheaper models. "The Chinese companies are flooding into overseas markets like mushrooms, deepening their sense of crisis," Gu said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said EV competition from abroad should be a spur, not a worry for German carmakers.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Hildegard Mueller, Markus Soeder, Angelika Warmuth, Xpeng, China's carmakers, Brian Gu, Gu, Mueller, ” Gu, “, ”, Jia Jianxu, Zheng, Zhang Yan, Victoria Waldersee, Josephine Mason, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: German Association of, Automotive, REUTERS, Rights, HK, IAA, Automotive Industry, EV, Germany, Reuters, Volkswagen, SAIC, Xuanyuan Academy, Germany's IAA, New Energy Vehicle Congress, Gang, Thomson Locations: Bavarian, Munich, Germany, Europe, China, U.S, Britain, France

☆ Xpeng says it plans to expand into more European markets next year
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

People visit at the XPeng Motors booth at the Auto Shanghai show, in Shanghai, China, April 19, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsMUNICH, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng (9868.HK) plans to expand into more European markets, including Germany, Britain and France in 2024, president Brian Gu told reporters on Monday at the IAA Mobility motor show in Munich. China's EV makers are seeking to expand in the region, aiming for higher margins and faster growth in overseas markets and challenging European companies on their home turf with cheaper models. Chinese EV makers are also struggling with a bruising price war at home that has squeezed their profitability and capped growth. While their EV sales picked up rapidly in South East Asia and South America, the European market has remained difficult for Chinese auto brands.

Persons: Aly, Brian Gu, Gu, ”, Zhang Yan, Victoria Waldersee, Josephine Mason, Jason Neely Organizations: Auto, REUTERS, Rights, HK, IAA Mobility, China's, EV, Thomson Locations: Auto Shanghai, Shanghai, China, Germany, Britain, France, Munich, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, South East Asia, South America, Europe

The logo of Russian technology giant Yandex is on display at the company's headquarters in Moscow, Russia December 9, 2022. Moscow already demands a 50% discount on all foreign deals after consultants selected by the Russian government have valued the business. But three people familiar with the exit process for foreign companies said that some deals are facing demands for additional discounts before the government gives a green light. Another person, who works on M&A transactions and with foreign companies, said deals exceeding $100 million were at particular risk of being denied. In its biannual financial stability review, the central bank said foreign companies under pressure to leave Russia were doing so on "unfavourable" terms.

Persons: Evgenia, Carlsberg's, Intesa, Vladimir Putin's, Suren Gortsunyan, Rybalkin, Gortsunyan, Alexey Kupriyanov, Elena Fabrichnaya, Alexander Marrow, Victor Goury, Josephine Mason, Jane Merriman Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Heineken, Arnest, Companies, Nasdaq, Russia, Dyakin, Partners, Aspring, Nato, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, MOSCOW, Russian, London, Laffont, Gdansk

Wegovy is the first-to-market in a new class of highly effective weight-loss drugs. The self-injection drug has transformed the fortunes of Novo, whose shares have surged about 165% since Wegovy's U.S. launch two years ago. The lion's share may be claimed by frontrunners Novo and its U.S. rival Eli Lilly and Co (LLY.N). Last month, Novo launched Wegovy in Germany, its first big European market. Reporting by Maggie Fick and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen Editing by Josephine Mason and Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Novo Nordisk Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, LUDOVIC MARIN, Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen's, Jorgensen, Eli Lilly, Wegovy, Novo, Maggie Fick, Jacob Gronholt, Pedersen, Josephine Mason, Mark Potter Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Chateau, BMI, Reuters, frontrunners Novo, Pfizer, Thomson Locations: Versailles, Paris, COPENHAGEN, Europe, Danish, United States, Denmark, Norway, Brussels, Wegovy, Germany

☆ Novo Nordisk CEO 'confident' Catalent will resolve Wegovy output problems
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A general view of the drug product manufacturing laboratory in biologics and sterile injectables, Catalent, in Brussels, Belgium June 27, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 25 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk Chief Executive Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen said on Friday he was confident Catalent (CTLT.N) would resolves its problems making Novo's hugely-popular weight-loss drug Wegovy as the company scrambles to boost output to meet soaring demand. "I am confident in that," Jorgensen said at a Reuters Newsmaker event, when asked about the issues Catalent has had. Novo hopes to have a third external facility filling and finishing the injection pens by 2024, Jorgensen said. Even so, it will be "quite some years" before the company can satisfy the whole market for Wegovy, Jorgensen said.

Persons: Yves Herman, Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, Jorgensen, Catalent, Novo, Maggie Fick, Josephine Mason, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Novo Nordisk, Reuters, Wegovy, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Danish

A selection of injector pens for the Wegovy weight loss drug are shown in this photo illustration in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., March 31, 2023. REUTERS/Jim Vondruska/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFRANKFURT, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Supplies of Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) popular weight-loss drug Wegovy are limited in Germany less than a month after its launch in Europe's largest drug market, major drug distributors and doctors told Reuters. The volumes of the weekly injection that the Danish drugmaker has delivered to the country so far have fallen short of strong demand, the wholesalers said. "Demand is by far exceeding the available volumes," a spokesperson for Noweda, which has almost a quarter of the German drug wholesale trade, told Reuters, adding the problem was nationwide. The distributors, which act as go-betweens for drug companies and pharmacies, declined to give details of volumes.

Persons: Jim Vondruska, Thomas Horbach, Sanacorp, Pharmahandel, Pharma Privat, Helios St, Elisabeth Klinik, Jodok Fink, ”, Ludwig Burger, Maggie Fick, Josephine Mason, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Noweda, Novo, Pharma, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Novo, Germany, Europe, Munich, Oberhausen, Freiburg, Frankfurt, London

☆ Novo hires Thermo Fisher as second manufacturer for Wegovy weight-loss drug - source
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A selection of injector pens for the Wegovy weight loss drug are shown in this photo illustration in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., March 31, 2023. REUTERS/Jim Vondruska/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) has hired Thermo Fisher (TMO.N) as its second contract manufacturer for its hugely popular weight-loss drug Wegovy, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. Thermo is doing the filling of the Wegovy injection pens at its factory in Greenville, North Carolina, the source said, declining to be named because the information is confidential. Novo Chief Financial Officer Karsten Munk Knudsen told Reuters in May the company had signed up a second contract manufacturer in the United States, but the identity of the company has not previously been reported. Wegovy launched in the United States in June 2021, the first-to-market in a new class of highly effective weight-loss drugs.

Persons: Jim Vondruska, Karsten Munk Knudsen, Wegovy, Knudsen, Catalent's, Maggie Fick, Josephine Mason, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Novo Nordisk, Reuters, Novo, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Greenville , North Carolina, United States, Danish, Brussels, Belgium

☆ Novo hires Thermo Fisher as second manufacturer for Wegovy weight-loss drug -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A selection of injector pens for the Wegovy weight loss drug are shown in this photo illustration in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., March 31, 2023. REUTERS/Jim Vondruska/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) has hired Thermo Fisher (TMO.N) as its second contract manufacturer for its hugely popular weight-loss drug Wegovy, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. Thermo is doing the filling of the Wegovy injection pens at its factory in Greenville, North Carolina, the source said, declining to be named because the information is confidential. Novo Chief Financial Officer Karsten Munk Knudsen told Reuters in May the company had signed up a second contract manufacturer in the United States, but the identity of the company has not previously been reported. Wegovy launched in the United States in June 2021, the first-to-market in a new class of highly effective weight-loss drugs.

Companies Novo Nordisk A/S FollowCOPENHAGEN, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) limits on U.S. supplies of starter doses of its hugely popular Wegovy weight-loss drug will last into next year even as the Danish drugmaker spends billions boosting output, its CEO told Reuters on Thursday. Earlier on Thursday, the company said it would continue to restrict U.S. supplies of starter doses of Wegovy as the company struggles to keep up with soaring demand. Novo has denied this, but when asked about this on Thursday Jorgensen said there may be shortages. The company expects to apply for regulatory approval for an expanded label indication in the U.S. and European Union later this year. "It'll take some time before we get it on label," Jorgensen said.

Persons: Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, Thursday Jorgensen, Jim Vondruska, Jorgensen, " Jorgensen, Martin Lange, Nikolaj Skydsgaard, Jacob Gronholt, Josephine Mason, Jason Neely, Mark Potter Organizations: Novo Nordisk, COPENHAGEN, Reuters, REUTERS, Wegovy, Union, American Heart Association, Pedersen, Thomson Locations: Danish, Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Philadelphia, Copenhagen, London

NEW YORK/LONDON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Lean times faced by many U.S. and European companies may last longer than expected as they try to sell off their bulging inventories in an economic climate where demand is stalling. Full-to-bursting warehouses means fewer orders for manufacturers, which translates into lower levels of business activity and, ultimately, weaker growth. Now, global demand is falling as borrowing costs have risen, so companies have started running down stocks. Maersk controls about one-sixth of global container trade, transporting goods for a host of major retailers and consumer goods companies. Refinitiv I/B/E/S data shows U.S. and European companies are expected to report their worst quarterly results in years.

Persons: Vincent Clerc, Hugo Boss, Moller, Stanley Black, Decker, destocking, Levi Strauss, Rajiv Sharma, Arun Sundaram, Guillermo Novo, Cyrus de la Rubia, Siddharth Cavale, David Gaffen, Josephine Mason, Mark John, Jonathan Cable, Helen Reid, Jane Merriman Organizations: U.S, Maersk, Heineken, 3M, . Bureau of Labor Statistics, CFRA Research, Retailers, BASF, London, Rutgers University, Hamburg Commercial Bank, doesn't, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, U.S, United States, Ashland, Hamburg, New York, London

☆ Novo Nordisk extends U.S. supply curbs on weight-loss drug Wegovy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Nikolaj Skydsgaard | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The news came as the Danish drugmaker raised its full-year profit and sales forecasts for a second time. Wegovy is a weekly injection that can help patients to shed 15% of their weight alongside diet and exercise changes. Reuters has reported that larger doses are also in short supply, which Novo has denied. Many analysts had expected Novo to raise earnings guidance, given the huge U.S. demand for the weekly injection. The company also warned that it expected "continued periodic" supply constraints and drug shortages across a number of products and geographies.

Persons: Jacob Gronholt, Pedersen, Ozempic, Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, Novo, " Jorgensen, Henrik Hallengreen Laustsen, Laustsen, Nikolaj Skydsgaard, Josephine Mason, Mark Potter Organizations: Novo Nordisk, REUTERS, Reuters, World Health Organization, Jyske Bank, Thomson Locations: Novo, Copenhagen, Denmark, U.S, COPENHAGEN, Danish

A selection of injector pens for the Wegovy weight loss drug are shown in this photo illustration in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., March 31, 2023. The study called SELECT involved 17,500 patients aged 45 years or older with no prior history of diabetes and started almost five years ago testing if the weekly injection has medical benefits. The landmark trial data shows Wegovy has "the potential to change how obesity is regarded and treated," said Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president for development at Novo Nordisk, in a statement. Novo Nordisk said it expects to file for regulatory approvals of a label indication expansion for the weekly injection in the United States and European Union this year. The detailed results from the trial will be presented at a scientific conference later in 2023.

Persons: Jim Vondruska, Wegovy, Danish drugmaker, That's, Martin Holst Lange, Soren Lontoft Hansen, Novo, Maggie Fick, Nikolaj Skydsgaard, Josephine Mason, Sharon Singleton, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, COPENHAGEN, Novo Nordisk, Nordisk, European Union, World Health Organization, Barclays, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, LONDON, Danish, Europe's, United States, Europe, European, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Norwegian

A selection of injector pens for the Wegovy weight loss drug are shown in this photo illustration in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., March 31, 2023. The increasingly popular Wegovy has transformed the weight-loss market since its U.S. launch in June 2021, capturing the attention of patients, investors and celebrities worldwide. Novo's news lifted shares in Europe's second-most valuable listed company after LVMH (LVMH.PA) by more than 17% to record highs. Novo said the eagerly-awaited study results, which have not been peer reviewed, showed that patients on Wegovy had a 20% lower incidence of heart attack, stroke or death from heart disease compared to those on a placebo. Lilly's shares rose nearly 15% in early U.S. trading, boosted by its upbeat quarterly results and Novo's trial data.

Persons: Jim Vondruska, Novo, Wegovy, Jeff Levin, Willis, Willis Towers Watson, Martin Holst Lange, Novo's, Eli Lilly, Mounjaro, Soren Lontoft Hansen, Maggie Fick, Nikolaj Skydsgaard, Jacob Gronholt, Ludwig Burger, Patrick Wingrove, Terje Solsvik, Josephine Mason, Sharon Singleton, Kirsten Donovan, Jan Harvey, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, COPENHAGEN, Novo Nordisk, Willis Towers, U.S, Union, Pfizer Inc, Amgen Inc, World Health Organization, Barclays, Reuters, Pedersen, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, LONDON, Europe's, Europe, United States, Novo, Wegovy, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, New York, Oslo

☆ Two measures of global corporate health flash red
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO) lowered its estimate for global container trade this year as companies reduce inventories and higher interest rates and recession risks in Europe and the United States drag on global economic growth. The company, one of the world's biggest container shippers, said it expects container volumes to fall by as much as 4%. Maersk controls about one-sixth of global container trade, transporting goods for retailers and consumer companies such as Walmart (WMT.N), Nike (NKE.N) and Unilever (ULVR.L). The International Monetary Fund last week said that it expects global economic growth to slow this year, led by advanced economies even as food prices have come down and the March banking turmoil has been contained. It expects the global growth to slow to 3% this year and next, from 3.5% last year.

Persons: Jon Nazca, . Moller, Mark Read, Grey, Sophie Lund, Yates, Hargreaves Lansdown, Swift, David Jackson, Josephine Mason, Catherine Evans, Deepa Babington Organizations: Triple, Majestic, REUTERS, Maersk, WPP, Walmart, Nike, Unilever, Reuters, Ogilvy, Apple, Amazon.com Inc, Companies, Global, Nissan, Caterpillar, Monetary Fund, DHL Group, Thomson Locations: Strait, Gibraltar, Algeciras, Spain, U.S, Europe, United States, Beijing, slowdowns, China

☆ Two measures of corporate health flash red
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Persons: Jon Nazca, . Moller, Mark Read, Grey, Sophie Lund, Yates, Hargreaves Lansdown, Josephine Mason, Catherine Evans Organizations: Triple, Majestic, REUTERS, Maersk, WPP, Walmart, Nike, Unilever, Reuters, Ogilvy, Apple, Amazon.com Inc, Companies, Global, Nissan, Caterpillar, Monetary Fund, DHL Group, Thomson Locations: Strait, Gibraltar, Algeciras, Spain, U.S, Europe, United States, Beijing, slowdowns, China

[1/2] An Airbus A380 of German air carrier Lufthansa is seen at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, February 12, 2019. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File PhotoBERLIN, Aug 3 (Reuters) - The boom in holiday travel shows no signs of ending, German airline group Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) said on Thursday, as advance bookings for this winter and next year were already a double-digit percentage above the year-earlier level. "Demand will remain exceptionally strong for the foreseeable future," Lufthansa Chief Executive Carsten Spohr told journalists during a conference call as the group published better-than-expected quarterly profits. British Airways owner IAG (ICAG.L) said the outlook for summer travel was encouraging, although it was "mindful" of uncertainty in the wider economy. For the German airline, Spohr said an unimpeded trend towards more premium-class flights, especially among leisure travellers, has underpinned yields and he expected ticket prices to remain at current levels for the foreseeable future.

Persons: Kai Pfaffenbach, Carsten Spohr, Spohr, Maria Sheahan, Josephine Mason, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Airbus, Lufthansa, REUTERS, Ryanair, British Airways, IAG, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Europe's

SummaryCompanies Plans to file trial data with FDAComments sooth some investor concernsAbsence of "clinically meaningful" in interim trial data worried investorsLONDON, July 28 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca Chief Executive Pascal Soriot said on Friday the company is "very encouraged" by interim data from a key lung cancer drug trial, but he did not explain why the company had not declared results as "clinically meaningful". The drugmaker's (AZN.L) shares fell by as much as 8% earlier this month after the company released interim data from the late-stage clinical trial called TROPION-Lung01 testing an experimental precision drug called datopotamab deruxtecan. Speaking to media on Friday after the company released better-than-expected quarterly results, Soriot said people would understand when full results are released why the company did not use that description, but he did not comment further. The company said on Friday it will continue with its plan to file data from the trial with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), soothing some investor concerns. In a briefing with analysts, Susan Galbraith, executive vice president of oncology R&D, said the FDA response to the data so far had been "encouraging".

Persons: Pascal Soriot, Soriot, Susan Galbraith, Maggie Fick, Josephine Mason, David Evans, Susan Fenton Organizations: LONDON, AstraZeneca, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, FDA, U.S, Thomson

SummaryCompanies Q2 sales and earnings beat estimatesReiterates full-year guidanceNo revenue from COVID vaccine in Q2Shares up 3.1% in early tradeCompany is largest drugmaker in ChinaLONDON, July 28 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca (AZN.L) on Friday delivered better-than-expected profits and sales in the second quarter as a strong performance of its blockbuster cancer drugs helped offset the loss of COVID-19 vaccine sales. The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker posted an adjusted profit of $2.15 per share, up 25% and exceeding the $1.98 per share expected in company-compiled consensus estimates. Total revenue in the quarter was $11.4 billion, up 6% and beating company-compiled analyst estimates of $10.97 billion. Excluding COVID medicines, sales in China grew by 7% at constant exchange rates in the quarter, the fourth consecutive quarter of growth on that basis. AstraZeneca is the largest drugmaker in China, which accounted for 13% of last year's revenue.

Persons: Swedish drugmaker, Pascal Soriot, Markus Manns, Alexion, drugmaker, Maggie Fick, Radhika Anilkumar, Nivedita Bhattacharjee, Josephine Mason Organizations: AstraZeneca, UK's, Pfizer, Moderna, U.S, Union Investment, Thomson Locations: China LONDON, Swedish, China, London, Bengaluru

☆ Exclusive: UK probes Novo's Ozempic, weight-loss drug Saxenda over suicidal, self-harming thoughts
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Saxenda is Novo's older GLP-1 drug and has lower effectiveness than its newer obesity treatment Wegovy, which contains semaglutide. Novo told Reuters it had received a request on Monday from the MHRA about the agency's review of potential suicidal and self-harming thoughts related to GLP-1 drugs. The MHRA said AstraZeneca's GLP-1 drug for type 2 diabetes, called exenatide and marketed as Bydureon, was also included in the review. The MHRA said that two other GLP-1 drugs, Sanofi's (SASY.PA) lixisenatide and Eli Lilly's (LLY.N) dulaglutide, were also included. It is also investigating GLP-1 drugs for possible risk of thyroid cancer.

Persons: Novo, AstraZeneca's GLP, lixisenatide, Eli Lilly's, Sanofi, Eli Lilly, liraglutide, Alison Cave, Novo's, MHRA, Ozempic, GLP, Maggie Fick, Josephine Mason, Mark Potter, Jane Merriman Organizations: Novo Nordisk, European Union, The Medicines, Healthcare, Agency, Reuters, AstraZeneca, European Medicines Agency, Thomson Locations: Britain, Europe, United States

GSK reckons the spin-off has allowed the company to sharpen its focus on vaccines and infectious diseases and with $7 billion generated by the Haleon spin-off, it can fund deals to bolster a lacklustre drug pipeline. The company also reported an adjusted profit of 38.8 pence per share for the quarter, on sales of about 7.18 billion pounds ($9.26 billion). Analysts were expecting a profit of 34.7 pence per share on sales of about 6.77 billion pounds, according to company-compiled consensus estimates. Sales of Shingrix, the company's top-selling drug, generated 880 million pounds, beating analyst estimates of 872 million pounds. Sales of HIV treatments generated 1.58 billion in the quarter, ahead of the company-compiled consensus of about 1.5 billion pounds in the quarter.

Persons: Zantac, Emma Walmsley, Walmsley, Markus Manns, Dani Saurymper, Maggie Fick, Radhika Anilkumar, Janane Venkatraman, Savio D'Souza, Josephine Mason Organizations: GSK, British, Analysts, U.S, Union Investment, Pacific Asset Management, Thomson Locations: London, Bengaluru

Interviews with seven doctors and two other potential users of Wegovy from Germany, where Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) weight-loss drug will become available at the end of July, show the office administrator isn't alone. Allianz (ALVG.DE) says it will pay if a physician diagnoses a medical need while Debeka said its plans exclude weight-loss treatments. In Germany, Wegovy will be administered with the same injection pen used in Norway and Denmark, not the one used in the United States to avoid hitting supplies there. "Patients are so desperate in Germany that they will pay out of their pocket for the medication." "My experience is that people will be able to pay for it out of (their own) pocket," said Horbach.

Persons: Doctor Thomas Horbach, Wegovy, Novo, Jessica Lenth, isn't, I've, Lenth, Debeka, Robert Koch, Danish drugmaker, Sylvia Weiner, Karl Rheinwalt, Thomas Horbach, Weiner, Rheinwalt, Juergen Ordemann, Michael Wirtz, Wirtz, Irina Ernstberger, Ernstberger, Ludwig Burger, Maggie Fick, Patricia Weiss, Josephine Mason, Catherine Evans Organizations: Novo Nordisk, FRANKFURT, Reuters, Allianz, European Union, Robert Koch Institute, Sana Klinikum, St, Hospital, Ozempic, Novo, Thomson Locations: Germany, Munich, LONDON, Hamburg, Wegovy, United States, Danish, Norway, Denmark, Sana, Frankfurt, St Franziskus, Hospital Cologne, Berlin's, Winsen, Lower Saxony, London

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