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☆ FDA approves new drug that may help stop and even reverse a rare, fatal condition that doctors call a ‘ticking time bomb’
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

These proteins cause the walls of a person’s blood vessels to keep growing and thicken over time. As the blood vessels narrow, the heart is forced to work harder to pump blood to the lungs. Treatment with a combination of drugs that dilate, or relax, blood vessels can improve this outlook, but they are not a cure. Both groups were also taking the standard medications for the condition, which help relax blood vessels to improve blood flow. But Galiatsatos said that as promising as the drug looks, there are still many unknowns, including whether the drug will benefit all PAH patients equally.

Persons: Katrina Barry, Barry, “, ”, Winrevair, Merck Winrevair, Vallerie McLaughlin, Panagis, Galiatsatos, isn’t, ” Barry, I’m, fanny, She’s, sotatercept, PAH, Sotatercept, “ There’s, Kristin Highland, Highland, ” Merck, Merck, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Aaron Waxman, Barry’s, he’s, they’ve, Johnson –, Waxman, “ I’ve, “ It’s, who’ve Organizations: CNN, American Lung Association, US Food and Drug Administration, Merck, FDA, University of Michigan, PAH, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, New England, of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Institute, Clinical, CNN Health, Brigham, Women’s Hospital, Johnson Locations: PAH, American, Greece, Boston

☆ This sector offers defensive and growth properties – along with some portfolio income
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The health-care sector of the S & P 500 is up about 8% year to date, marking a sharp comeback from a largely flat 2023. Even as health care is making a comeback this year, investors shouldn't forget its defensive attributes. Back in 2022, when the S & P 500 fell 19.4%, the health-care sector slipped only 3.5% "When markets are challenged, health care can be a good place to be," Lyons added. Some of them speak to the growth aspects of health care and why you can play offense." Merger activity is another driver of growth in health care, as large pharmaceutical companies snap up nimble biotech firms that are at the forefront of developing treatments.

Persons: Dan Lyons, Janus Henderson, shouldn't, Lyons, ImmunoGen, Seamus Fernandez, Sotatercept, Cigna, Cantor Fitzgerald, Sarah James, Fred Imbert Organizations: Big Tech, . Healthcare, Janus, Janus Henderson Investors, U.S . Food, Drug Administration's Center, Drug, Research, FDA, Esai, Pharmaceuticals, CNBC Pro, Merck, Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie, CVS Health Locations: U.S

☆ UBS upgrades this biopharma giant with an underappreciated treatment pipeline
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Investors may not be fully pricing in Merck 's strong treatment pipeline, according to UBS. Analyst Trung Huynh expects that "underappreciated pipeline readouts" will be the primary contributor to multiple expansion for the company. Huynh also noted that investors continue to underestimate the value of two key Merck treatments: Keytruda — used in cancer immunotherapy — and Gardasil, a vaccine targeting HPV. The analyst added that these two treatments and other underappreciated catalysts have all contributed to Merck's above-peer growth profile. The upgrade comes after the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Keytruda for treatment with "platinum-containing chemotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment " on Monday.

Persons: Trung Huynh, Huynh, —, Michael Bloom Organizations: Merck, UBS, Food and Drug Administration Locations: China

Citi is bullish on Merck , saying that the company's drug pipeline is underappreciated by the market. The exclusive license and collaboration agreement for ADC development helps Merck in developing more cancer treatment drugs — and Citi thinks it could rival its competitors' offerings. Citi anticipates further upside for Merck shares from the Inflation Reduction Act. To be sure, Baum noted a key downside risk to his valuation is if the ADC pipeline disappoints. Further risks include lower-than-anticipated value share capture by the company's Melanoma treatment drug Keytruda, and a slowdown in its animal health business.

☆ Here are Thursday's biggest analyst calls: Tesla, Apple, Wynn, Costco, Netflix, First Solar & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Here are Thursday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Goldman Sachs reiterates Netflix as sell Goldman said it's standing by its sell rating heading into earnings next week. Deutsche Bank adds a catalyst call buy on Enphase Energy Deutsche said it's bullish on the solar company's opportunities in Europe. Citi upgrades Merck to buy from neutral Citi said in its upgrade of the pharmaceutical company that it has an underappreciated pipeline of products. Deutsche Bank names a catalyst buy on Sherwin-Williams Deutsche said the paint company's earnings scheduled for later this month should "alleviate" investor concerns. Citi upgrades Steven Madden to buy from neutral Citi said in its upgrade of the shoe company that it sees "better wholesale trends" for Steven Madden.

☆ Merck's drug boosts exercise capacity in pulmonary hypertension patients
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Khushi Mandowara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sotatercept, combined with a background therapy, helped patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension to walk about 40.8 meters more in six minutes. J.P. Morgan analyst Chris Schott said the data exceeded the brokerage's expectations and "should confirm the drug as go-to add-on therapy" for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Schott forecast peak sales of $3 billion to $4 billion for the drug. In October, Merck said sotatercept had met the main goal of a late-stage study, but did not release the full data. Reporting by Khushi Mandowara and Pratik Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur and Shinjini GanguliOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Merck's blood vessel disorder drug succeeds in late-stage study
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 10 (Reuters) - Merck & Co (MRK.N) said on Monday a therapy it gained through the drugmaker's $11.5 billion acquisition of Acceleron Pharma last year met the main goal of a late-stage study in patients with a progressive blood vessel disorder. Sotatercept, when compared to placebo, significantly extended how far patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) could walk in six minutes. The trial data validates the Acceleron acquisition, and also supports Merck's budding portfolio of cardiovascular drugs, Truist Securities analyst Robyn Karnauskas said in a note. Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a rare type of high blood pressure that affects an estimated 40,000 people in the United States, according to Merck. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Khushi Mandowara and Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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