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☆ Here's why Covid vaccines will still be free for uninsured Americans as public health emergency ends
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Vanessa Leroy | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesBut the vast majority of Americans will not have to pay out of pocket for Covid vaccines even after the federal government's stockpile runs out. Insured Americans will be able to access Covid shots as part of their coverage, without having to pay out of pocket. Under the arrangement, the CDC will continue to purchase Covid vaccines at a discount and distribute them through 64 state and local health departments. That HHS effort will leverage the "public commitments" by drug manufacturers to provide free Covid vaccines and treatments to uninsured people. Pfizer and Moderna have not said whether they would supply free shots to pharmacies.

☆ After weight loss, Alzheimer's may be next frontier for drugs like Ozempic
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Natalie Grover | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

LONDON, May 8 (Reuters) - Diabetes drugs that also promote weight loss such as Novo Nordisk’s (NOVOb.CO) Ozempic, becoming a darling of celebrities and investors, are being studied to tackle some of the most difficult-to-treat brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. Those successes followed decades of futility that had left many questioning the validity of the amyloid theory behind most experimental Alzheimer's drugs. She said she has since been approached by pharmaceutical companies at an increasing pace, and is currently running an Alzheimer’s trial evaluating intranasal insulin in combination with another diabetes drug. Four companies with GLP-1 drugs, including two larger drugmakers, say they are watching for results of trials testing Novo's drug in Alzheimer's. Dementia affects more than 55 million people globally and the market for Alzheimer’s drugs is expected to grow to $9.4 billion by 2028 and for Parkinson’s to $6.6 billion, according to pharmaceutical data provider Citeline.

☆ Pfizer earnings and revenue top expectations despite Covid vaccine sales decline
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Pfizer on Tuesday reported first-quarter revenue and adjusted earnings that topped Wall Street's expectations, despite a decline in sales driven by the lower demand for the company's Covid vaccine. Sales of the company's Covid vaccine declined $10 billion, or 75% compared with the same quarter last year. Pfizer also reiterated its full-year adjusted earnings outlook of $3.25 to $3.45 per share. The company reaffirmed its forecast of $13.5 billion in Covid vaccine sales in 2023 and $8 billion in revenue for Paxlovid. Excluding Covid products, Pfizer said it expects 7% to 9% revenue growth this year.

☆ Goldman says dividend growth stocks will outperform under current conditions. 10 names it recommends
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Goldman Sachs says one income-focused strategy is off to a strong start this year, and will continue to outperform – dividend growth stocks. Going forward, dividend growth stocks will continue to beat buyback stocks, according to Goldman's chief U.S. equity strategist David Kostin. Fastenal shares are up 12% this year, and the industrial supplies company has a 2.6% dividend yield, FactSet data showed. Home Depot shares are down this year, but was a new addition to Goldman Sachs' dividend growth list. Lowe's is another dividend growth stock, with a 2.1% dividend yield, and Goldman seeing 30% annual compound dividend growth over 2022-2024.

☆ Blocking FDA approval of abortion pill could stifle innovation in the biopharma industry, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

A messy legal fight over the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone poses risks to the biopharma industry that go beyond the single drug. If a subsequent decision tosses out the pill's approval, it could potentially stifle innovation in the sector and deter investments in the development of life-changing drugs, biopharma companies and experts in law and economics say. More than 200 biopharma companies made a similar claim Monday in an open letter calling for the reversal of Kacsmaryk's decision. But Hastings said biopharma companies still respect the FDA when the agency turns down their drugs. Suliman offered a more hopeful take on how the legal fight could affect biopharma innovation.

☆ Pfizer RSV vaccine for older adults should be monitored for nervous system condition Guillain-Barre, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A health worker prepares a flu vaccine shot before administering it to a local resident in Los Angeles, the United States, on Dec. 17, 2022. People who receive Pfizer 's RSV vaccine for older adults should be monitored for Guillain-Barre syndrome, after two people developed the nervous system disorder after they received the shot, scientists said in clinical trial results published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The scientists concluded the vaccine was effective in preventing lower respiratory tract illness in adults ages 60 and older without any evident safety concerns. But they flagged the Guillain-Barre cases as a potential cause for concern moving forward. Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare disorder in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the nerves.

☆ RSV cases in US show signs of return to pre-pandemic seasonality - CDC
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 6 (Reuters) - Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) circulation is showing signs of return to pre-pandemic seasonality in the U.S. after two years of irregular onsets and peaks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Thursday. Typically, cases of RSV virus that can cause severe illness or death in the very young and old rose in October before waning in April. The varying timing could be challenging for drugmakers racing to get their RSV vaccines to the market. In both pre-pandemic and pandemic periods, RSV cases began to surge earlier in Florida and the Southeast and later in regions further north and west, the researchers said. "Policy makers should consider RSV seasonality when making recommendations about the timing of studies and administration of new immunization and other RSV prevention products," the report said.

☆ Bernie Sanders Holds a Moderna Show Trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

No good treatment goes unpunished for pharmaceutical companies these days, and Bernie Sanders will offer another example on Wednesday when he holds a political show trial of Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel . His offense? Cooperating with the government to produce life-saving Covid vaccines. The subject of the Vermont Senator’s hearing is Moderna’s plan to quadruple the price of its Covid vaccine to $110 to $130 per dose when U.S. government purchases stop. Pfizer has said it will charge a similar price after vaccines move to the commercial market, which is expected later this year.

☆ FDA advisors recommend full approval of Pfizer Covid treatment Paxlovid for adults 50 and over and other high-risk people
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Food and Drug Administration's independent panel of advisors recommended full approval of Pfizer's Covid-19 antiviral pill Paxlovid for high-risk adults 16-1 on Thursday, but flagged potentially harmful drug interactions. The FDA first made Paxlovid available in December 2021 for emergency use in high-risk individuals ages 12 and up. More than half of Paxlovid-eligible Medicare and Veterans Affairs patients are on medications that have drug interactions with Paxlovid, according to an FDA review of safety surveillance data. Roughly 74% of Paxlovid prescriptions were from adult primary care practitioners who may not be experienced with managing the possible adverse drug interactions, the FDA review added. To complete a full course of the drug, patients must take three Paxlovid pills twice a day for five days.

☆ Pfizer will have to pay rebates to Medicare for five drugs under Biden plan to lower Rx costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

President Joe Biden delivers remarks about the Build Back Better legislation's new rules around prescription drug prices in the East Room of the White House on December 06, 2021 in Washington, DC. Five of Pfizer's drugs will cost less for Medicare recipients starting next month as part of President Joe Biden's plan to lower prescription drug costs, the Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday. Pfizer's drugs are among the first set of 27 Part B prescription drugs that will be subject to Medicare inflation rebates starting April 1, according to the department. That requires Pfizer and other prescription drug companies to refund Medicare through rebates because the prices for those drugs rose faster than the rate of inflation. Later this year, Medicare will start negotiating lower prescription drug prices for its beneficiaries.

☆ FDA staff report says data shows Pfizer's Covid treatment Paxlovid is effective in high-risk adults
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

More than 12 million courses of Paxlovid have been delivered to pharmacies across the U.S., according to federal data. The FDA staff reviewed Pfizer's mid-to-late stage clinical trials of Paxlovid. In one trial called EPIC-HR, Paxlovid showed an 86% reduction in the risk of hospitalization or death in high-risk adults who hadn't received a Covid vaccine. Paxlovid has been plagued by reports of "rebound" Covid infections, where patients see their Covid symptoms or a positive test return after finishing a five-day course of the oral drug. That was also regardless of patients' risk of severe disease, or whether Covid's omicron variant or an earlier strain was dominant, according to the staff.

☆ How buzzy weight-loss drugs like Ozempic became the next craze in the hottest part of healthcare
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Healthcare companies are launching programs left and right to prescribe trendy weight-loss drugs. And Ro, a startup that prescribes and sells products like Viagra and hair-loss pills to consumers, is going all in with a program it launched in January to prescribe the weight-loss drugs to patients online. CalibrateFirst developed to manage type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 medications regulate blood-sugar levels, which can help people curb cravings and feel fuller after eating. The weight-loss market for GLP-1 drugs is relatively new, and not everyone is on board. But for some companies, stepping into prescribing these new weight-loss medications seems to simply be the natural next step for growth.

Washington-based Seagen is a pioneer of antibody-drug conjugates, which work like "guided missiles" designed for a targeted destructive effect and spare healthy cells. The Pfizer logo is pictured on their headquarters building in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., November 9, 2020. The drugmaker expects more than $10 billion in sales from Seagen products in 2030, and another $15 billion from its other recent acquisitions. Pfizer said antitrust regulators could closely review the deal due to its size but eventually approve it. Pfizer rival Merck & Co Inc (MRK.N) and Seagen were in advanced deal talks last year but those reportedly collapsed over antitrust concerns.

[1/3] A pharmacist holds a bottle of the drug Eliquis, made by Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer, at a pharmacy in Provo, Utah, U.S. January 9, 2020. The government will launch the negotiation process in September by naming the first drugs it plans to target. "We couldn't have the other parts of the IRA without this Medicare negotiation," said Sean Dickson, director of the West Health Policy Center, a non-partisan healthcare think tank. Eliquis, which Bristol Myers (BMY.N) shares with Pfizer (PFE.N), Ibrance, and Imbruvica, sold by AbbVie and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N), appear on every list. Pfizer, Novo Nordisk and J&J declined to comment on the likelihood their drugs would be included in the first round of negotiations.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Illumina, First Republic, Seagen and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

First Republic — Shares of First Republic cratered more than 64% before the bell, building on last week's losses. Shares led a decline in bank stocks despite plans from the government to backstop depositors of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. PNC — Shares lost nearly 5.2% early Monday morning after the bank decided against bidding on Silicon Valley Bank as regulators struggle to find buyers for the failed bank. The streaming and media company said in a Friday SEC filing that around $487 million, or 26%, of its cash reserves are stuck at Silicon Valley Bank. Petco Health and Wellness — Shares slipped less than 1% after the company was downgraded by Citi to neutral from buy.

☆ The Pfizer-Seagen deal has a hidden $1 billion warning for workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Yeji Jesse Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

While the deal bolsters Pfizer's cancer portfolio, it also mean cuts focused on "eliminating duplication"Pfizer said it is aiming for $1 billion in "cost efficiencies" within 3 years of the deal. Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer said on Monday that it would acquire drug developer Seagen in a massive $43 billion deal that would bolster its oncology portfolio. The acquisition is the largest biopharma deal since 2019 when AbbVie acquired Allergan for $63 billion, according to Stat News. Namely, Pfizer is aiming for $1 billion in "cost efficiencies" within three years of the deal closing, which could mean job cuts. Pfizer's deal for Seagen is expected to close in late 2023 or early 2024.

☆ Pfizer CEO says it will be able to deliver Seagen's cancer therapy at a scale not seen before with $43 billion deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla on Monday said the pharmaceutical giant will be able to deliver Seagen's cancer therapy to the world "at a scale that has not been seen before" with its $43 billion acquisition. Seagen will bulk up Pfizer's cancer treatment portfolio, bringing four approved cancer therapies with combined sales of nearly $2 billion in 2022. "These medicines are on a strong growth trajectory, with significant lifecycle programs anticipated to drive continued impact uptake and growth," Bourla said on a conference call earlier Monday morning. Seagen expects to generate about $2.2 billion in revenue this year, representing 12% year-over-year growth, according to a Pfizer press release. Pfizer added that Seagen could contribute more than $10 billion in risk-adjusted sales by 2030, "with potential for significant growth" beyond that year.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: First Republic Bank, Moderna, Newmont, Illumina and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Mike SegarCheck out the companies making the biggest moves midday:Regional banks —Shares of regional banks plummeted following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. Citi , Bank of America , Goldman Sachs — Shares of major banks also saw losses after the closure of the Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. Moderna — The biotechnology company's shares gained nearly 6% after TD Cowen upgraded the stock to outperform from market perform. Spot gold passed the key level of $1,900 as investors bet the Federal Reserve may tone down rate hikes on the heels of Silicon Valley Bank's collapse. Over the weekend, NBC News reported that the e-commerce company warned sellers that the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank is causing delays in processing payments.

☆ Why buzzy weight-loss drugs are the next craze for healthcare startups
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Healthcare companies are launching programs left and right to prescribe trendy weight-loss drugs. And Ro, a startup that prescribes and sells products like Viagra and hair-loss pills to consumers, is going all in with a program it launched in January to prescribe the weight-loss drugs to patients online. Even startups like Noom, which quietly started a program prescribing GLP-1 medications, could stand to benefit from the drugs' popularity after a tumultuous year for the startup. The weight-loss market for GLP-1 drugs is relatively new, and not everyone is on board. But for some companies, stepping into prescribing these new weight-loss medications seems to simply be the natural next step for growth.

☆ Top 10 things the Club is watching in the stock market Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Morgan Stanley's Adam Jonas raises his price target on Ferrari (RACE) to $310 per share from $280. Pfizer (PFE) started with a neutral (hold) rating. Jefferies downgrades RH (RH), formerly known as Restoration Hardware, to hold, price target to $298 per share on concerns the luxury market is struggling to stabilize. Calls the chipmaker top cloud pick with a $275-per-share price target, ahead of multiple catalysts. General Electric (GE) coverage transferred at JPMorgan, which maintains neutral (hold) rating but increases price target to $88 per share.

Such efforts to attract foreign investment come as the pandemic and geopolitical tensions push companies to diversify their supply chains away from China. The Commerce Ministry said Thursday that for the first time, it would launch events for an "Invest in China Year." Apple later said the Zhengzhou factory disruptions would delay deliveries of some iPhone 14 models. He also noted "serious challenges" to attracting foreign investment. Those include unfair competition with local players in China due to industrial policies, lack of legal protection for foreign business in China and geopolitical risks, Wang said.

☆ FDA advisors recommend Pfizer RSV vaccine for older adults, despite possible Guillain-Barre risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The vote followed concerns at the FDA and among advisory committee members about two cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome among about 20,000 vaccine recipients. The FDA has asked Pfizer to conduct a safety study on Guillain-Barre syndrome, which the company has agreed to do. There currently is no approved RSV vaccine for the elderly. Pfizer's vaccine contains both strains of RSV, which circulate at the same time during fall and winter. Dr. David Kaslow, a senior official in the FDA's vaccine division, said safety monitoring will be "critically important" if Pfizer's RSV vaccine is approved.

☆ Stocks close slightly up after prior week's selloff
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Chuck Mikolajczak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

All three main stock indexes climbed more than 1% shortly after the opening bell, in part due to an easing in Treasury yields, and all three closed well off their session highs. Stocks steadily gave up gains throughout the session as U.S. Treasury yields moved off the day's lows. Traders work on the trading floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., January 27, 2023. Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by a 1.69-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.41-to-1 ratio favored advancers. The S&P 500 posted 4 new 52-week highs and 8 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 71 new highs and 102 new lows.

☆ Wall Street bounces modestly after prior week's selloff
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Chuck Mikolajczak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Each of the three main indexes climbed more than 1% shortly after the opening bell, in part due to an easing in Treasury yields. The yield on two-year Treasury notes , which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations, slipped after touching a near four-month high. Seagen Inc (SGEN.O) surged 9.73% after the Wall Street Journal reported that Pfizer (PFE.N) was in early talks to acquire the biotech firm. Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by a 2.30-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.66-to-1 ratio favored advancers. The S&P 500 posted four new 52-week highs and five new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 58 new highs and 82 new lows.

☆ Wall Street edges higher after last week's rout
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Sruthi Shankar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Some relatively significant losses last week is the starting point," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B Riley Wealth. "Also, when you look at the drivers last week, better-than-expected economic data pushed yields higher. The yield on two-year Treasury notes , the most sensitive to short-term rate expectations, slipped after touching a near four-month high earlier. Seagen Inc (SGEN.O) surged 10.5% after the Wall Street Journal reported that Pfizer (PFE.N) was in early talks to acquire the biotech firm. The S&P index recorded three new 52-week highs and three new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 51 new highs and 64 new lows.

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