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☆ 30 dividend-paying stocks in solid sectors with upside outside the AI hype, according to a 30-year fund manager
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Similar companies within the healthcare sector in his portfolio include Abbott Laboratories (ABT), which pays out a 1.95% dividend yield. Additionally, it offers a 2.35% dividend yield. Within the defense sector, he also likes Lockheed Martin (LMT), which pays a dividend yield of 2.64%. It pays out a 2.19% dividend yield plus a profit and losses payout at the end of the year. It has a 2.85% dividend yield and has increased its payout by about 8 to 10% a year, he said.

Persons: Max Wasserman, He's, Wasserman, overvalued, That's, Johnson, There's, Lockheed Martin Organizations: Miramar Capital LLC, Nasdaq, Broadcom, Microsoft, Company, NAPA Auto, Parts, Abbott Laboratories, Merck & Co, Dynamics, Group, PepsiCo Locations: Northbrook , Illinois, NAPA

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 25 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca (AZN.L) said on Friday it has sued the U.S. government to block parts of a program that gives the Medicare health insurance plan the power to negotiate lower drug prices. The program faces at least seven other court challenges, including from leading industry group PhRMA and drugmakers Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N), Merck & Co (MRK.N), Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY.N) and privately-held Boehringer Ingelheim. The drug price negotiation program is part of President Joe Biden's signature Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). ‍AstraZeneca said the program would deter continued development of treatments such as its cancer drug Lynparza and rare blood disorder drug Soliris, which carry orphan drug status for multiple conditions. An HHS spokesperson said in a statement that the agency "will vigorously defend the President's drug price negotiation law, which is already helping to lower healthcare costs for seniors and people with disabilities."

Persons: Brendan McDermid, drugmakers Johnson, Johnson, Joe Biden's, AstraZeneca, Bhanvi, Dhanya Ann Thoppil, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: AstraZeneca, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, U.S, Merck & Co, Bristol Myers Squibb, U.S . Department of Health, Human Services, Thomson Locations: British, Delaware, United States, U.S, Bengaluru

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., August 15, 2023. Traders in the U.S. equity options market are bracing for a larger-than-usual swing in Nvidia shares following the chipmaker's earnings, which are due after markets close on Wednesday. ET, Dow e-minis were up 34 points, or 0.1%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 4.25 points, or 0.1%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 4.75 points, or 0.03%. Peloton Interactive (PTON.O) shares plunged 27% after the fitness equipment maker forecast first-quarter revenue below estimates. Reporting by Amruta Khandekar and Shristi Achar A; Editing by Shinjini GanguliOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Foot, Susannah Streeter, Hargreaves Lansdown, Jerome Powell, Roche, Armour, Amruta Khandekar, Shinjini Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Nvidia, Sports, Dow, Nasdaq, Wall, Hargreaves, Traders, Reuters, Federal Reserve, Treasury, Dow e, Biosciences, Merck & Co, Sport, Nike, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Swiss

BERLIN, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Roche (ROG.S) inadvertently published positive lung cancer drug trial data from an interim analysis, boosting the Swiss drug maker's shares even though more data will be needed to confirm the treatment's efficacy. Roche said on Wednesday that market participants had made it aware of the inadvertent disclosure of an interim data analysis on new immunotherapy tiragolumab, part of an experimental class of drugs known as anti-TIGIT. The data lifted Roche shares by 5% and sent shares of other companies testing anti-TIGIT drugs higher. J.P. Morgan analysts said the interim data suggested a survival benefit was within reach in the final analysis, but the clinical relevance remained uncertain. The unintended disclosure regards the second interim analysis of a Phase III trial known as Skyscraper 1.

Persons: Roche, tiragolumab, Morgan, Roche's, TIGIT, Paul Arnold, Christy Santhosh, Jason Neely, Friederike Heine, Mark Potter Organizations: Merck & Co, Gilead Sciences, iTeos Therapeutics, Arcus Biosciences, Thomson Locations: U.S, Zurich, Bengaluru

☆ Why startups are investing millions to make drugs and semiconductors in space
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Magdalena Petrova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Now, several space startups see an opportunity to satisfy in-space manufacturing demand using compact space factories. One company is Varda Space Industries in Southern California. Varda Space Industries' first pharmaceutical manufacturing satellite and reentry vehicle attached to a Rocket Lab Photon bus. Years of research have shown that protein crystals grown in space are much higher quality than those grown on Earth. Across the Atlantic in Cardiff, Wales, Space Forge is working on designing its own in-space factory to manufacture next-generation semiconductors.

Persons: Ilan Rozenkopf, Joe Biden, Varda, Asparouhov, we've, Andrew Parlock Organizations: pharma, McKinsey . Space, NASA, ISS, Varda Space Industries, Pfizer, Space Locations: vacuumless, Southern California, U.S, Cardiff , Wales, Space Forge's

☆ Top 10 things to watch in the stock market Friday, including hotter PPI and mega-cap pressure
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Top 10 things to watch Friday, Aug. 11 Stocks are lower to end the week. Apple (AAPL) and Nvidia (NVDA), the Club's two "own it, don't trade it" stocks and big 2023 winners, are under pressure again early Friday. Target (TGT) price target lowered to $142 per share from $163 by Barclays; and $160 from $200 by Guggenheim ahead of earnings next Wednesday. Credit Suisse raises its earnings estimates and price target on Walmart (WMT) to $180 from $170 ahead of its report next week. Club name Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD) price target raised to $281 per share from $275 at Stifel.

Persons: Dow, Stanley Black, Decker, Stanley, Eli Lilly, Piper Sandler, Piper, Guggenheim, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim Organizations: Caterpillar, Apple, Nvidia, Wolf Research, Citi, Merck, Cisco Systems, Arista Networks, Juniper Networks, Palo Alto Networks, Barclays, Credit Suisse, Walmart, Natural Resources, Energy, Halliburton, HAL, JPMorgan, Netflix, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC Locations: Stifel

☆ These 10 medications are likely targets for Medicare price negotiations this fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Though it is still unclear which 10 drugs Medicare will select, several pharmaceutical companies have already revealed in court filings that they expect four of their blockbuster medications to be targeted. Bristol-Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson , in separate filings, said their blood thinners Eliquis and Xarelto will be subject to the negotiations this year. The list price of Januvia has surged 275% since 2006, according to the AARP. Johnson & Johnson reported $2.47 billion in revenue from Xarelto. "More and more people face cost-sharing that is directly affected by drug price increases," Leigh Purvis, who analyzes health-care costs for AARP, told reporters on a call Thursday.

Persons: Daniel Acker, Merck, Johnson, Abbvie, Imbruvica, Jardiance, Boehringer Ingelheim, Amgen Symbicort, Pfizer Xtandi, Breo, Biden, Januvia, Eliquis, Xarelto, Leigh Purvis Organizations: Merck, Co, Inc, Bloomberg, Getty, Medicare, Services, Myers Squibb, Johnson, Pharmacy, AstraZeneca Ibrance, Pfizer, Astellas Pharma, GSK, AARP, Bristol Myers Squibb, Jama Network, Industry Locations: Bristol, U.S, Januvia, Xarelto

☆ Obesity drugs take brakes off Big Pharma’s growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Robert Cyran | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

That’s what Eli Lilly (LLY.N) did in the second quarter, thanks to demand for its diabetes and weight loss drug Mounjaro. While doctors are currently free to prescribe Mounjaro for obesity, insurers and governments typically won’t pay for what some still insist is a vanity treatment. Even so a regulatory green light, and clear evidence that these drugs have tangible health benefits, will help loosen purse strings. The brakes are off these firms’ growth, and investors are counting on them remaining so. Mounjaro, the company’s diabetes drug, brought in revenue of $980 million, compared to $16 million a year ago.

Persons: Eli Lilly, LLY.N, Lilly, That’s, David Ricks, Mounjaro, Peter Thal Larsen, Sharon Lam Organizations: Reuters, Novo Nordisk, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Merck, Investors, Thomson Locations: Danish, U.S, Novo

☆ Gloomy data makes investors more cautious on world economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Lawrence Delevingne | Thomson Reuters | Delevingne Works Primarily On Enterprise Stories Related To Finance. He Joined Reuters In | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., July 26, 2023. European stocks (.STOXX) fell 0.9%, stepping back from a 2% increase in July, the index's second month of gains. UK stocks (.FTSE) also fell 0.4%, though HSBC (HSBA.L) climbed 1.3% after announcing a $2 billion share buyback and raising its key profitability target. U.S. Treasury yields rose on Tuesday with 30-year paper touching a new year-high as investors expected an increase in government debt issuance and anticipated more signs of economic resilience, despite data showing a slowdown in activity. China's stumbling post-pandemic recovery remained in focus, for instance, after a surprise contraction in manufacturing in a private-sector survey released Tuesday.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Michael Hewson, Ronald Temple, Brent, Lawrence Delevingne, Tom Wilson, Kevin Buckland, Angus MacSwan, Susan Fenton, Deepa Babington Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Treasury, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Merck & Co, Pfizer, Caterpillar Inc, HSBC, . Federal, CMC Markets, U.S, Lazard, Fed, Energy, BP, Bank of, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, China, Asia, Boston, London, Tokyo

Uber (UBER.N) shed 5.4% after the ride-hailing company missed second-quarter revenue expectations. Among pharmaceutical heavyweights, Pfizer (PFE.N) edged lower in choppy trading after the drugmaker fell short of Wall Street expectations for quarterly revenue, hit by declining sales of its COVID-19 products. Merck (MRK.N) eased 0.8% even as it raised its full-year profit forecast after posting a smaller-than-expected second-quarter loss. U.S. second-quarter earnings are now expected to fall 5.9% from a year earlier, as per Refinitiv data on Tuesday, compared with a 7.9% decline estimated a week earlier. Arista Networks (ANET.N) jumped 20.1% as the network gear maker forecast quarterly revenue above estimates after delivering better-than-expected results.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Mike Olsen, Johann M Cherian, Vinay Dwivedi Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Reuters, PMI, Dow, Nasdaq, Caterpillar, Pfizer, Merck, U.S, Arista Networks, Dow Jones, Cruise, JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, NYSE, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Bengaluru

The Merck logo is seen at a gate to the Merck & Co campus in Rahway, New Jersey, U.S., July 12, 2018. Merck said Keytruda sales for the quarter jumped 19% to $6.3 billion, surpassing analysts' average estimate of $5.9 billion. Sales of Gardasil, which prevents cancers caused by HPV, surged 47% to $2.5 billion, also well above Wall Street estimates of $2.1 billion. There is room for further Gardasil growth as its use expands into treating males and moves into smaller cities, he added. Despite those challenges, Merck raised its full-year sales forecast to $58.6 to $59.6 billion, from its prior view of $57.7 billion to $58.9 billion.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Merck, Rob Davis, Davis, Keytruda, Caroline Litchfield, Litchfield, Bill Smead, Prometheus, drugmaker, Michael Erman, Leroy Leo, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Merck, Co, REUTERS, Reuters Connect Companies Merck, Merck & Co, Keytruda, Prometheus Biosciences, Analysts, Prometheus, Smead Capital Management, drugmaker, Thomson Locations: Rahway , New Jersey, U.S, United States, China, Europe, Germany, New York, Bengaluru

☆ Merck beats quarterly sales estimate on top drugs' strength
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Michael Erman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Companies Merck & Co Inc FollowAug 1 (Reuters) - Merck & Co (MRK.N) posted better-than-expected second-quarter sales on Tuesday on strong demand for its two top-selling products, cancer immunotherapy Keytruda and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil. Shares of Merck rose about 2% at $108.45 in premarket trading after the company also raised its full-year revenue forecast. Merck said Keytruda sales for the quarter jumped 19% to $6.3 billion, surpassing analysts' average estimate of $5.9 billion. Sales of Gardasil, which prevents cancers caused by HPV, surged 47% to $2.5 billion, also well above Wall Street estimates of $2.1 billion. Merck said it now expects full-year sales of $58.6 to $59.6 billion, up from its prior view of $57.7 billion to $58.9 billion.

Persons: Merck, Rob Davis, Davis, Keytruda, Cantor Fitzgerald, Louise Chen, Prometheus, drugmaker, Michael Erman, Leroy Leo, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Merck, Co, Merck & Co, Merck's, Prometheus Biosciences, Analysts, Prometheus, Thomson Locations: United States, China, U.S, New York, Bengaluru

☆ Earnings playbook: How to trade some of the biggest reports this week, including Apple
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Fred Imbert | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

This quarter: Analysts polled by FactSet expect Merck to post a loss for the first quarter. Starbucks is set to report earnings after the bell, with management slated to hold a call at 5 p.m. This quarter: Analysts polled by FactSet expect double-digit earnings growth quarter over quarter. What history shows: Bespoke data shows Amazon earnings exceed earnings expectations 62% of the time. Apple is set to report earnings after the close, followed by a call at 5 p.m.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Annika Kim Constantino, Merck, Merck's, Joe Biden's, SBUX, Bank of America's Sara Senatore, Senatore, Albert Bourla, —, They're, AMZN, FactSet, Annie Palmer, Morgan Stanley, Erik Woodring, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Netflix, Merck, Apple, FactSet, CNBC, Prometheus Biosciences, Investment, Bank of America's, Pfizer, Management, Amazon Web Services, IDC Locations: China, 2Q23, New York, Carolina, Friday's

☆ On tap this week: Jobs report plus 10 key earnings. Here's what we want to see
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +18 min

All three major averages advanced for the week, powered by strong mega-cap earnings and favorable inflation data. Looking to next week, earnings season enters its second half with the last of our mega-caps — Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) — set to report on Thursday. We'll get a better read on the employment picture on Wednesday with the ADP report and then, more importantly, on Friday's nonfarm payrolls report for July. Thursday after the close brings us to the main events of the week: Earnings from Apple and Amazon. For those looking to review first quarter performance ahead of these releases, be sure to keep our first-quarter earnings report card handy.

Persons: We'll, that's, Stanley Black, Decker, Emerson, Bausch, Leggett, Platt, SIRI, Ares, COLM, PERI, Kraft Heinz, Phillips, Ferrari N.V, Johnson, Robinson, COOK, BUD, Kellogg, Papa, Pitney Bowes, Parker, Trimble, Ziff Davis, Nonfarm, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Apple Tim Cook, Kevin Dietsch Organizations: Nasdaq, Dow, Federal Reserve, Federal, ISM Manufacturing, Services PMI, Investors, Caterpillar, Devices, Starbucks, Natural Resources, AMD, Management, Emerson Electric and, Humana, Bausch Health, Apple, Microsoft, Resource Partners, AerCap Holdings, CNA Financial Corp, CNA, Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Bank, SJW, Hutchison China MediTech, Camtek Ltd, Silvercrest Asset Management, Loews Corp, Oxford Lane Capital Corp, Banco Santander, Silicom Ltd, SuperCom Ltd, Arista Networks, Avis Budget Group, Diamondback Energy, Lattice Semiconductor Corp, Republic Services, Yum China Holdings, Western Digital Corp, Power Systems, Tenet Healthcare Corp, Vornado Realty, BioMarin Pharmaceutical, PetMed, SBA Communications Corporation, Brixmor, Snack Foods Corp, Cushman & Wakefield, Sanmina Corporation, TFI, PMI, Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, Uber Technologies, Pfizer, Enterprise Products Partners, Merck, JetBlue Airways Corporation, Allegro MicroSystems, Altria, SunPower Corp, SiriusXM Holdings, Molson Coors Beverage, Marriott International, Toyota Motor Corp, BP, SYSCO Corp, Marathon Petroleum Corp, Ares Management, Equitrans Midstream Corporation, Game Technology, Illinois Tool, IDEXX Laboratories, Rockwell Automation, Packaging International Corp, Gartner, Zebra Technologies Corp, IQVIA Holdings, Oshkosh Corporation, Leidos Holdings, Eaton Corp, yte Corp, Lear Corp, Starbucks Corp, Devon Energy Corp, SolarEdge Technologies, Lumen Technologies, Virgin Galactic Holdings, Caesars Entertainment, VF Corp, Sciences Corp, Paycom, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Suncor Energy, Holdings, Chesapeake Energy Corp, Boston Properties, American International Group, AIG, Allstate Corp, Aspen Technology, Electronic Arts, EA, Flowserve Corporation, Denny's, Corp, Prudential Financial, Store, Ternium S.A, Vimeo, Emerson, Lomb, CVS Health, Generac Holdings, Cameco Corp, Perion Network Ltd, Builders, Carlyle Group, Scorpio, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd, Rithm Capital Corp, AeroSystems Holdings, Vertiv Holdings Co, Johnson Controls, CDW Corp, DuPont, Brands Holdings, Scotts Miracle, Gro, SMG, Brands, Allegheny Technologies, AmerisourceBergen Corporation, ABC, Real Estate Corporation, Adient plc, Editas, Garmin Ltd, WWE, Bunge Ltd, Criteo S.A, PayPal, QUALCOMM, Occidental Petroleum Corp, Apache Corp, Albemarle Corp, MGM Resorts International, MGM, Marathon Oil Corp, Joby Aviation, Industrial, CF Industries Holdings, Goodyear Tire &, Realty ome Corp, Metlife, Pacific Biosciences of, Rush Street Interactive, Zillow, JFrog Ltd, Herbalife Nutrition Ltd, Simon Property Group, McKesson Corp, Storage, Cerus Corporation, GXO Logistics, MAX Holdings, Health, Anheuser, Busch InBev, Warner Bros ., Cheniere Energy, ConocoPhillips, Hasbro, CIGNA Corp, Lantheus Holdings, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Fiverr International, Air Products & Chemicals, TopBuild Corp, EPAM Systems, Lightspeed Commerce, Aurinia Pharmaceuticals, Cummins, CMI, Slair Corporation, Starwood Property Trust, Vulcan, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, New Energy Corp, Cedar Fair Entertainment, Intellia Therapeutics, Lending, Privia Health, Dickinson, Chimera Investment, CIM, Hyatt Hotels Corp, Lion Electric, LEV, Deluxe Corp, Murphy Oil Corp, PBF Energy, Papa John's, Targa Resources Corp, Wix.com Ltd, Apollo Global Management, LLC, Butterfly, Sempra Energy, Aptiv PLC, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, Canada Goose Holdings, Hannifin Corporation, WESCO International, WCC, Arrow Electronics, Constellation Energy Group, Midstream Partners, Coinbase, Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras, Gilead Sciences, Opendoor Technologies, Booking Holdings, Atlassian Corporation, International, Redfin Corporation, Motorola Solutions, Monster Beverage Corporation, Consolidated Edison, Rocket Companies, Apple Hospitality, Cirrus, Resources, Universal Display Corporation, Chesapeake Utilities Corp, Social, Defense, Security Solutions, Post Holdings, Tandem Diabetes Care, Nikola Corporation, Magna International, Dominion Energy, ACM Research, Frontier Communications, Brookfield Renewable Partners, inTEST Corporation, American Pipeline, TELUS International, XPO Logistics, Fluor Corp, Gray Television, Cboe, LyondellBasell Industries, Twist Bioscience, Global, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, Allen & Company Sun Valley, Getty Locations: U.S, China, India, Oxford, Chile, Illinois, Columbia, Pacific, Pacific Biosciences of California, Southern, PBI, Gilead, Sun Valley , Idaho

☆ Merck's Keytruda meets main goal in late-stage breast cancer study
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 28 (Reuters) - Merck (MRK.N) said on Friday its blockbuster drug Keytruda, in combination with chemotherapy, met one of the main goals in a late-stage trial testing it in some breast cancer patients. The study showed that the therapy was able to help clear all signs of tumor in patients compared to neo-adjuvant placebo plus chemotherapy. Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in women. The therapy addresses the patients who are diagnosed with a sub-type of breast cancer, which has an increased risk of spread to lymph nodes and recurrence. Reporting by Khushi Mandowara in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi MajumdarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Khushi, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: Merck, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Focus: Drugmakers go under the skin, skirting early US Medicare price negotiations
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Michael Erman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Each year, Medicare will add more drugs to the list, the names of which have not yet been disclosed. Faspro, launched in 2020, already accounts for more than 80% of Darzalex revenue, which is due to rise to $9.5 billion this year. Merck previously told Reuters it expects this version of Keytruda could replace the more time consuming infusion for most patients. Keytruda revenue is expected to top $24 billion this year and could exceed $30 billion as soon as 2026, according to analyst estimates. The company has said its expects revenue from subcutaneous drugs containing hyaluronidase to drive its growth going forward.

Persons: Srdjan, Johnson, drugmakers, Bristol Myers, Roche, Biden’s, Michael DiFiore, DiFiore, Joseph Wolk, Faspro, Halozyme, Helen Torley, hyaluronidase, Michael Erman, Patrick Wingrove, Caroline Humer, Bill Berkrot Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Wall Street, Merck & Co, Halozyme Therapeutics, Reuters, Bristol, Bristol Myers Squibb, Medicare, U.S . Centers, Medicaid Services, J, Reuters Graphics Merck, Merck, Thomson Locations: Ljubljana, Darzalex, Diego

July 18 (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) sued the U.S. government on Tuesday, becoming the latest drugmaker seeking to block a program that gives the Medicare government health insurance plan the power to negotiate lower drug prices. The pharmaceutical industry says the drug price negotiation program under President Joe Biden's signature Inflation Reduction Act law will curtail profits and compel drugmakers to curb development of groundbreaking new treatments. The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in September is expected to select the first 10 drugs to target for negotiations with settled prices set to take effect in 2026. The law is on our side," a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement. It broadly follows the other related lawsuits, arguing that the program is unconstitutional and amounts to "confiscation of constitutionally protected property."

Persons: Johnson, Joe Biden's, drugmakers, Biden, Janssen, Bhanvi, Michael Erman, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Susan Heavey Organizations: Johnson, U.S, drugmakers Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck & Co, U.S . Chamber of Commerce, Pharmaceutical Research, Manufacturers of America, Commerce, U.S . Centers, Medicare, Medicaid Services, U.S . Department of Health, Human Services, District of, Thomson Locations: U.S, District of New Jersey, Bengaluru, New Jersey

July 18 (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) sued the U.S. government on Tuesday, becoming the latest drugmaker seeking to block enforcement of a program that gives Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices. The pharmaceutical industry says the drug price negotiation program that is part of President Joe Biden's signature Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will curtail profits and compel them to pull back on developing groundbreaking new treatments. U.S. drugmakers Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY.N), Merck & Co (MRK.N) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as well as industry lobbies Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America have also sued the government over the plan. The Biden administration hopes to save $25 billion annually by 2031 by having Medicare, the government health plan for people 65 and over, negotiate prices for some of its costliest medicines. Reporting by Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra EluriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Johnson, Joe Biden's, Biden, Bhanvi, Krishna Chandra Organizations: Johnson, U.S, drugmakers Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck & Co, U.S . Chamber of Commerce, Pharmaceutical Research, Manufacturers of America, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ UBS just updated its 'highest conviction' stock list with picks to beat the market
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Lucy Handley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In a list of "23 for '23" picks, UBS included Baidu , Grab , Merck , Salesforce , Li Ning and Siemens . It updated its stock selection, adding Yum Brands and MGM Resorts International to the list last month, and removing AbbVie and Corteva . Our 23 for '23 theme showcases our highest conviction stock ideas that aim to benefit from these inflections," stated the authors of the UBS report, led by Nadia Lovell. UBS added MGM Resorts International to its picks, with analysts "encouraged by the continued strength in Las Vegas and a healthy outlook for MGM." Manufacturing and technology company Siemens made the UBS list for being "at the forefront of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) transformation."

Persons: Li Ning, Nadia Lovell, Salesforce, Taco, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: UBS, Baidu, Merck, Salesforce, Siemens, Yum Brands, MGM Resorts International, MGM, Software, Manufacturing, Industrial, Taco Bell Locations: Swiss, Las Vegas

☆ Argenx drug boost is mixed blessing for suitors
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 17 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Argenx (ARGX.BR) has long been a presumed takeover target for drugmakers like Pfizer (PFE.N). Many of its remedies like Vyvgart, which delivered positive drug trial results on Monday, are likely to reach their peak just as the big drugmakers’ revenues come under patent pressure. Still, the more successful Argenx becomes the more expensive it will be for a potential bidder. Since then the company’s shares have nearly doubled, including a 26% bump on Monday thanks to the positive trial results. Argenx’s drug trial success may give bidders comfort they are not buying a dud, but that reassurance comes with a downside.

Persons: Argenx, Prometheus, Aimee Donnellan, George Hay, Pranav Kiran Organizations: Reuters, Pfizer, Big Pharma, Twitter, Cathay, Thomson Locations: Belgian

☆ Exclusive: MoonLake Immunotherapeutics explores sale-sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( David Carnevali | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 14 (Reuters) - MoonLake Immunotherapeutics (MLTX.O), a developer of an antibody-derived treatment for inflammatory skin conditions, is exploring a sale, according to people familiar with the matter. Immunology-focused companies have been coveted acquisition targets, as highlighted by recent deals such as Merck & Co's (MRK.N) $10.8 billion acquisition of Prometheus BioSciences Inc and Eli Lilly's (LLY.N) $2.4 billion purchase of Dice Therapeutics (DICE.O). MoonLake is testing Sonelokimab for the treatment of other inflammatory conditions, including psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis. If successful, MoonLake would encroach on a market dominated by bigger peers such as Novartis AG (NOVN.S) and AbbVie Inc (ABBV.N). In 2022, MoonLake went public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, which helped it raise more than $200 million in cash.

Persons: drugmakers, Eli Lilly's, MoonLake, hidradenitis suppurativa, hidradenitis, Merck KGaA, David Carnevali, Josie Kao Organizations: Nasdaq, Merck, Co's, Prometheus BioSciences, Dice Therapeutics, Novartis AG, AbbVie Inc, Citigroup, Thomson Locations: Zug, Switzerland, New York

BEIJING, July 5 (Reuters) - China's Commerce Minister told foreign pharmaceuticals firms they can expect "more development opportunities" during a roundtable on Wednesday, his ministry said, as drugmakers bemoan government procurement policies pricing them out of the market. Foreign pharmaceuticals firms have struggled to cement any inroads they have made into the world's second-largest economy, with the government maintaining a drug procurement programme that forces them to slash their prices and refusing to approve the use of any foreign COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic. But as China pursues home-grown modernisation it will also open up "more development opportunities for foreign-funded enterprises, including the pharmaceutical industry," Wang told the meeting. Wang told the meeting on Wednesday that his ministry will expand the channels of communication for responding to and solving concerns, with the meeting resulting in 25 specific suggestions to be taken forward. Reporting by Joe Cash; Additional reporting by Kevin Yao;Editing by Elaine HardcastleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Roche, Takeda, Wang Wentao, Wang, Li Qiang, Li, drugmakers, Joe Cash, Kevin Yao, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: China's Commerce, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Merck, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi, Moderna, Wednesday, Economic, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Tianjin

July 3 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca (AZN.L) said on Monday an experimental precision drug slowed progression of lung cancer in a late-stage trial, but the company's shares fell as much as 6% as analysts said the benefits may not be as pronounced as hoped. It declined to provide more trial details, saying they would be presented at an as yet undisclosed medical conference. At 0855 GMT, shares in AstraZeneca were down 5.8% at their lowest level in more than three months. Gilead (GILD.O) has pioneered the targeting of TROP2 with an ADC named Trodelvy, approved to treat certain types of breast and bladder cancer. AstraZeneca said that the datopotamab deruxtecan trial would continue as planned to assess the effect of the drug on overall survival of patients, another important efficacy criterion.

Persons: datopotamab, AstraZeneca, British drugmaker, Kelun, Maggie Fick, Ludwig Burger, Sinchita Mitra, Lucy Raitano, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Susan Fenton Organizations: AstraZeneca, Japan's, Merck & Co, Biotech of, Barclays, Thomson Locations: British, Biotech of China, London, Frankfurt, Bengaluru

June 30 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Friday revised its guidance for its Medicare drug price negotiation process, allowing drug companies to publicly discuss the talks, but did not make major changes likely to convince drugmakers to end their suits seeking to halt the program. In September, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will select 10 of the Medicare program's costliest prescription medicines and negotiate price cuts to go into effect for 2026. That guidance precluded drug makers from talking about the negotiations and required them to eventually destroy data received from CMS. Industry group the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) made an additional claim that the price negotiation program violates the U.S. Constitution's Eight Amendment, which protects against excessive fines. The Biden administration's drug pricing reform aims to save $25 billion annually by 2031 through price negotiations for the drugs most costly to Medicare.

Persons: drugmakers, Joe Biden, Chiquita Brooks, LaSure, Bristol Myers, Merck, PhRMA, Tahir Amin, Amin, Michael Erman, Mark Potter, Nick Zieminski Organizations: U.S, U.S . Centers, Medicare, Medicaid Services, Merck & Co, Bristol Myers Squibb, U.S . Chamber of Commerce, CMS, Merck, Bristol, Industry, Pharmaceutical Research, Manufacturers of America, Reuters, Initiative for Medicines, Biden, Thomson Locations: U.S

☆ Sanofi says it's back to the drawing board on mRNA flu vaccines
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Both A and B viruses are responsible for seasonal flu epidemics each year and currently available flu shots work against both strains. "To succeed in mRNA flu, you need the next generation of mRNA technology, which is exactly what we are working on," Thomas Triomphe, head of vaccines at Sanofi, told Reuters. Pfizer (PFE.N) last year started a large late-stage trial testing an mRNA-based flu vaccine candidate. Sanofi, which is among the top four global vaccines makers by sales, trailing GSK (GSK.L), Merck & Co (MRK.N) and Pfizer (PFE.N), has a broad vaccines offering, including flu, childhood shots and travel vaccines. The French company's vaccine sales accounted for 7.2 billion euros ($7.85 billion) of 43 billion euros in group sales last year.

Persons: Thomas Triomphe, BioNTech, Ludwig Burger, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: Sanofi, Reuters, Pfizer, COVID, GSK, Merck & Co, Thomson

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