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In 2022, drugmakers raised prices on more than 1,400 drugs according to data published by 46brooklyn, a drug pricing non-profit that is related to 3 Axis. The median drug price increase was 4.9% last year, while the average increase was 6.4%, according to 46brooklyn. Antonio Ciaccia, president of 3 Axis, said that drugmakers have focused on launching their drugs at higher prices because of the attention paid to annual price increases. More drug prices are likely to be announced over the course of January - historically the biggest month for drugmakers to raise prices. Sanofi plans to raise prices on 14 of its drugs or vaccines.

☆ Pfizer's hemophilia B gene therapy succeeds in late-stage study
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 29 (Reuters) - U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) said on Thursday its experimental gene therapy for the treatment of hemophilia B, a rare inherited blood disorder, met its main goal in a late-stage study. The drugmaker licensed its hemophilia B gene therapy from Roche's (ROG.S) Spark Therapeutics unit in 2014 for a $20-million upfront payment. Pfizer plans to discuss the late-stage data with regulatory authorities in Europe and the United States and share additional data for the experimental therapy at a scientific conference in early 2023. According to government data, the estimated prevalence of hemophilia in the United States is 12 cases per 100,000 males for hemophilia A and 3.7 cases per 100,000 males for hemophilia B. In November, the U.S. health regulator approved the first gene therapy, CSL Ltd and uniQure's Hemgenix, to treat hemophilia B.Pfizer is also testing other experimental gene therapies in late-stage trials as potential treatments for the bleeding disorder hemophilia A and muscular disorder Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

☆ Grade My Trade: CRM, PFE & ENPH
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailGrade My Trade: CRM, PFE & ENPHThe ‘Halftime Report’ investment committee, Kari Firestone, Rob Sechan, Joe Terranova and Jim Lebenthal, weigh in on the Salesforce, Pfizer and Enphase Energy.

☆ Mike Sievert of T-Mobile is the CNN Business CEO of the Year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Paul R. La Monica | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

T-Mobile’s solid performance on Wall Street was one big reason why CEO Mike Sievert is the CNN Business pick for CEO of the Year. CNN Business spoke to Sievert about how T-Mobile has continued to perform well in a super competitive business. T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert talks to employees at a 2022 company event. That has led to higher expenses, but Sievert said T-Mobile is less worried about inflation than other consumer firms. Prepared for more competitionSievert, who has been with T-Mobile since 2012, took over as CEO in 2020 from long-time CEO John Legere.

[1/2] People line up at a makeshift fever clinic set up inside a stadium, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Beijing, China December 19, 2022. "We stand ready to help any country in the world with vaccines, treatments, anything else that we can be helpful with," he said. "We want China to get COVID right," Blinken said earlier this month. “China faces a very challenging system in reopening,” Powell said, adding that its manufacturing, exporting and supply chain remain critical. Officials set up health centers and apps that told people with symptoms how to avoid infecting others, he said.

☆ Big Pharma will find right formula for M&A binge
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Aimee Donnellan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The year 2022 was relatively thin for pharma M&A, with deals worth nearly $66 billion being announced by early December – 60% below the 9-year average, according to Refinitiv data; 2023 will be better. It helps that drug companies are relatively healthy, with debt around just 1.6 times forecast EBITDA in 2023, according to Berenberg analysts. Seagen (SGEN.O), for example, worth $22 billion in early December, has fought off Merck & Co (MRK.N). That puts Big Pharma in an ideal negotiating position. CONTEXT NEWSGlobal pharmaceutical companies spent nearly $66 billion on takeovers in 2022, according to data from Refinitiv as of Dec. 7.

Companies Pfizer Inc FollowDec 16 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday tossed a lawsuit by a group of medical professionals alleging a fellowship program established by Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) to improve diversity within its higher ranks discriminates against white and Asian-American applicants. Do No Harm, a group opposed to what it calls "radical, divisive, and discriminatory ideologies" in healthcare, alleged the drugmaker's Breakthrough Fellowship Program was discriminatory because only Blacks, Latinos and Native Americans could apply. Pfizer in a statement welcomed the ruling, saying it was "proud of its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion." Pfizer launched the fellowship in 2021. Fellows receive two years of full-time jobs, fully funded master's degrees, and employment at New York-based Pfizer after completing the program.

☆ U.S. FDA advisers to weigh on updating initial COVID vaccine doses
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Friday it planned to hold a meeting of outside experts next month to discuss whether initial doses of COVID-19 vaccines need to be updated to combat circulating variants. While updated booster doses from Pfizer (PFE.N) and Moderna (MRNA.O) are already approved for adults as well as children as young as five years, the FDA said it was important to weigh in on the composition of both initial and booster doses as new variants spread. The independent advisers, who are scheduled to meet on Jan. 26, are also expected to weigh in on whether the timing or composition of booster doses need to be adjusted. In June, advisers to the FDA had recommended a change in the composition of COVID-19 booster shots before fall to combat more recently circulating variants of the coronavirus. Reporting by Bhanvi Satija and Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Sherry Jacob-PhillipsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Earlier, much smaller U.S. studies conducted in the mid-1980's had suggested roughly 60,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease each year. The estimated economic cost is $52 billion annually in the United States alone, according to a report of the study published in npj Parkinson's Disease. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research obtain increased funding for research and access to care. A separate study by Beck's team recently put the number of U.S. patients living with Parkinson's disease at nearly 1 million, whereas earlier estimates had been closer to 650,000, he said. "Because the U.S. population is aging, a lot of people are going to be entering the health system with Parkinson's disease," Beck said, "and there are only about 700 neurologists in the country who specialize in movement disorders."

[1/2] People line up next to a medical worker in a protective suit, at a fever clinic of a hospital amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Beijing, China December 15, 2022. The pivot away from President Xi Jinping's signature "zero-COVID" policy followed unprecedented widespread protests against it. But, WHO emergencies director Mike Ryan said COVID-19 infections were exploding in China well before the government's decision to phase out its stringent regime. There are increasing signs of chaos during China's exit from the zero-COVID policy - with long queues outside fever clinics, runs on medicines, and panic buying across the country. China Meheco Group Co Ltd (600056.SS) said on Wednesday it signed a deal to import the U.S. drugmaker's treatment.

☆ China Meheco Group shares jump after agreement to import Pfizer's COVID treatment paxlovid
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SHANGHAI, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Shares of China Meheco Group (600056.SS) surged after the Chinese drug seller signed an agreement with Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) to import and distribute the U.S. drugmaker's oral COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid in mainland China. Meheco shares opened up 10% in Shanghai. Reporting by Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Jacqueline WongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China Meheco to distribute Pfizer's COVID treatment in China
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Alessandro DiviggianoHONG KONG, Dec 14 (Reuters) - China Meheco Group Co Ltd (600056.SS) said on Wednesday it signed an agreement with Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) to import and distribute the U.S. drugmaker's oral COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid in mainland China, as the country braces for a surge in COVID patients after scaling back its "zero COVID" policy. The agreement is valid between Dec. 14 and Nov. 30, 2023, China Meheco said in a filing to the Shanghai stock exchange. Pfizer last year said it could produce up to 120 million courses of Paxlovid this year. As of Nov. 30, Pfizer had shipped almost 37 million courses of Paxlovid to 52 countries around the world, it said in a statement. The U.S. government announced a deal on Tuesday to buy an additional 3.7 million Paxlovid courses for nearly $2 billion, supplementing the 20 million courses already purchased by the United States.

☆ U.S. ready to help China on COVID-19 surge if Beijing asks - White House
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - The United States is prepared to help China deal with a surge of COVID-19 infections if Beijing requests assistance, the White House said on Wednesday. John Kirby, the White House national security spokesperson, told reporters that China has not requested help at this stage. "We have made that point that we are prepared to help in any way they might find acceptable. China began shifting away from the "zero COVID" policy just this month, after protests against the economically-damaging curbs that had been championed by President Xi Jinping. The change has spurred concerns about a surge in COVID cases.

☆ China's COVID spike not due to lifting of restrictions, WHO director says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Emma Farge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The comments by the WHO's emergencies director Mike Ryan came as he warned of the need to ramp up vaccinations in the world's No. Speaking at a briefing with media, he said the virus was spreading "intensively" in the nation long before the lifting of restrictions. "There's a narrative at the moment that China lifted the restrictions and all of a sudden the disease is out of control," he said. "The disease was spreading intensively because I believe the control measures in themselves were not stopping the disease. Beijing started pivoting away from its signature "zero-COVID" policy this month after protests against the economically damaging curbs championed by President Xi Jinping.

☆ Goldman Sachs upgrades Pfizer, says pharma giant can outperform even as Covid demand diminishes
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Pfizer 's work on new products will help the company maintain its Covid momentum even as vaccine becomes a smaller business element, Goldman Sachs said Tuesday. Analyst Chris Shibutani upgraded the stock to buy from neutral with a price target of $60, which reflects a 15% upside over Monday's close. His previous price target of $47 indicated the stock would fall from Monday's close. But he said the diversity within Pfizer's pipeline bolsters optimism that the company can perform even if it has a Covid trough. Outside its the company's Covid offerings, Shibutani sees potential in its late-stage growth offerings including the RSV vaccine, Nurtec for migraines and Oxbryta within the sickle cell space.

☆ S&P 500, Nasdaq snap losing streaks after jobless claims rise
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( David French | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Wall Street's main indexes had come under pressure in recent days, with the S&P 500 shedding 3.6% since the beginning of December on expectations of a longer rate-hike cycle and downbeat economic views from some top company executives. Such thinking had also weighed on the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC), which had posted four straight losing sessions prior to Thursday's advance on the tech-heavy index. Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., December 7, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidNine of the 11 major S&P 500 sectors rose, led by a 1.6% gain in technology stocks (.SPLRCT). The S&P 500 posted 15 new 52-week highs and three new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 82 new highs and 232 new lows.

☆ U.S. FDA authorizes bivalent COVID shots for kids as young as 6 months old
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The amended authorization on Thursday from the Food and Drug Administration allows use of Moderna's bivalent shot as a booster in children 6 months through 5 years of age, two months after their initial vaccination. Children who have completed their initial three-dose vaccination with Pfizer's original shot are not yet eligible to receive the bivalent booster, the agency said. The regulator added that data supporting use of Pfizer/BioNTech's bivalent shot as a booster in this age group is expected in January. Moderna's vaccine for children under 6 is a two-dose, 25 microgram vaccine, with the shots given about four weeks apart. Overall, 39.7 million people in United States have received a bivalent booster as of Nov. 30, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed.

☆ U.S. FDA grants priority review to Pfizer's RSV vaccine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 7 (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) said on Wednesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will review its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine candidate on priority. It could become the first approved RSV vaccine in the U.S. for older adults who are at risk of the lung disease. Pfizer's application to the FDA is supported by data from a late-stage study in which the vaccine was found safe and effective. There are no U.S. approved vaccines for RSV, a common virus that typically causes mild cold-like symptoms but can be fatal for young kids and older adults. RSV is estimated to cause about 14,000 annual deaths among older adults in the United States.

Dec 6 (Reuters) - Drugmakers GSK Plc (GSK.L), Pfizer Inc (PFE.N), Sanofi SA (SASY.PA) and Boehringer Ingelheim on Tuesday were spared thousands of U.S. lawsuits claiming that the heartburn drug Zantac caused cancer, as a judge found the claims were not backed by sound science. A spokesperson for GSK said the company welcomed the decision and Pfizer said it was pleased by the outcome. Originally marketed by a forerunner of GSK, it was later sold successively to Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim and finally Sanofi. Lawsuits began piling up soon after the recalls began from people who said they developed cancer after taking Zantac. State court judges will also have to rule on whether to allow plaintiffs' experts on Zantac's alleged cancer risks before state cases can go to trial.

Dec 6 (Reuters) - Drugmakers GSK Plc (GSK.L), Pfizer Inc (PFE.N), Sanofi SA (SASY.PA) and Boehringer Ingelheim on Tuesday defeated thousands of lawsuits in U.S. federal court claiming that the heartburn drug Zantac caused cancer, as a judge found the claims were not backed by sound science. Zantac, first approved in 1983, became the world's best selling medicine in 1988 and one of the first-ever drugs to top $1 billion in annual sales. Originally marketed by a forerunner of GSK, it was later sold successively to Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim and finally Sanofi. Numerous generic drugmakers also launched versions of the medicine, but are not part of the federal mass tort litigation. Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] Test tubes are seen in front of displayed Pfizer and Biontech logos in this illustration taken, May 21, 2021. Moderna first sued Pfizer in August, accusing the company of violating its rights in three patents related to innovations that Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Moderna said it pioneered before the COVID-19 pandemic. Moderna has also filed a related lawsuit against Pfizer and BioNTech in Germany. In its lawsuit, Moderna asked for an undisclosed amount of money damages from Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines sold since March. Pfizer and BioNTech said in their Monday filing that they developed their vaccine independently, calling Moderna's lawsuit "revisionist history" and arguing its patents "far exceed its actual contributions to the field."

☆ Britain's health regulator backs COVID vaccine for infants from six months
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/File PhotoLONDON, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Britain's health regulator on Tuesday authorised a COVID-19 vaccine for infants as young as six months, opening the door for vaccinating the country's youngest children once the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) agrees. Whether the vaccine is eventually deployed in this age group depends on a recommendation from the JCVI, which advises UK health departments on which shots should be used as part of the national vaccination programme. The vaccine is tailored for use in this age group - it is a lower dose version than the one used in children aged five to 11 years. U.S. officials rolled out this version of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot for the same age group earlier this year. Months ago, EU regulators also endorsed the use of COVID vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna (MRNA.O) for under-fives.

State media is blaming overzealous municipal officials for excessive lockdowns; they in turn have abruptly eased movement curbs. Stocks popped in mid-November when the government signaled it would relax draconian measures under President Xi Jinping’s “dynamic zero-Covid” policy. Officials will do well to avoid imitating Hong Kong, where Covid deaths per-capita set world records after Omicron hit. Singapore telegraphed its plan to lift quarantine and social distancing measures in stages after over 80% of its population was fully vaccinated. Instead of obsessing over infections, it referred to the number of patients in intensive care units to control the pace.

☆ Pfizer to invest more than $2.5 bln to expand European manufacturing
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Michael Erman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Puurs site has played a key role in the production of COVID-19 vaccine shots Pfizer developed with its German partner BioNTech (22UAy.DE) using the messenger RNA (mRNA) technology. Output started there in late 2020 when Europe and the United States began rolling out shots to tackle the pandemic. "It is all aligned with the growth of our pipeline," Pfizer Chief Global Supply Officer Mike McDermott told Reuters. Pfizer has also been spending significantly to expand its manufacturing capacity in the United States. The New York-based drugmaker has announced plans to expand its Kalamazoo, Michigan, Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and McPherson, Kansas plants.

Dec 1 (Reuters) - Biotech firm Roivant Sciences (ROIV.O) on Thursday launched a company with Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) focused on an experimental bowel disease treatment, as the drugmakers seek to tap into a multibillion dollar market. The drug, RVT-3101, was originally developed by Pfizer, which will hold a 25% stake in the new business, with Roivant holding the majority interest. SVB Securities analyst David Risinger says the deal shows how Pfizer is prioritizing research spending for its oral ulcerative colitis drug, etrasimod, which holds a near-term blockbuster opportunity. RVT-3101 could represent a nearly $15 billion commercial opportunity in the United States for Roivant as a treatment for both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, said Risinger. Pfizer has also licensed its inflammatory autoimmune disease drug brepocitinib to Roivant in exchange for a 25% stake in another jointly held company called Priovant.

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