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27200.0 | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC | Gilead Falls on AbbVie and Express Scripts Deal: 3 Biotech ETFs to Watch - ETF News And Commentary | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/gilead-falls-on-abbvie-and-express-scripts-deal%3A-3-biotech-etfs-to-watch-etf-news-and | nan | nan | While the U.S. markets rose to fresh highs in Monday's trading session, Gilead Sciences Inc. ( GILD ) - one of the foremost U.S. biotech companies - recorded its largest single-day fall since its January 1992 initial public offering after the country's biggest manager of pharmacy benefits entered into an exclusive agreement with a rival drug maker.
Express Scripts ( ESRX ), the largest prescription-management company in the U.S., said that it has secured a lower price for a newly approved hepatitis C drug produced by AbbVie Inc.( ABBV ) and that it will no longer cover Gilead's drug.
In exchange for securing the drug at a lower price, Express Scripts has struck a deal with AbbVie to provide its drug as the sole option for treating hepatitis C.
AbbVie's Viekira Pak drug indicated to treat hepatitis C costs $83,319 for a typical 12-week plan, lower than the $84,000 for a 12-week course charged by Gilead's blockbuster treatment Sovaldi. Sovaldi's high price in the U.S. has already drawn a lot of criticism from U.S. health insurers, politicians and pharmacy benefit managers (read: Biotech ETFs Slip on Gilead Weakness; Buying Opportunity Now? ).
In fact, AbbVie's newly approved drug is also cheaper than Gilead's newest one-pill regimen that combines Sovaldi with another drug and costs $94,500 for 12 weeks.
Market Reaction
This exclusive deal between AbbVie Inc. and Express Scripts has dragged Gilead shares down into the red, as GILD plunged 14.34% at elevated volumes of 72.5 million shares - more than four times the average daily volume - to close at $92.90 on Monday's trading.
The move has reignited concerns among investors who now fear that pharmaceutical companies will have to give in to pricing pressure from U.S. insurers and lawmakers over specific medications. This will likely hit the bottom line of these companies.
Weakness in Gilead dragged down other biotech companies as well. While Amgen (AMGN) lost 3.3%, Celgene ( CELG ) and Biogen Idec ( BIIB ) were down 3.1% and 2.3%, respectively.
The weakness within the overall biotech space also dragged biotech ETFs lower. Below, we have highlighted three biotech ETFs, which plunged the most in Monday's trading session as a result of these new developments (read: Buy These Top Ranked ETFs on Solid Biotech Stock Earnings ).
Market Vectors Biotech ETF ( BBH)
This fund tracks the Market Vectors U.S. Listed Biotech 25 Index, holding 27 securities in the basket with a tilt toward large cap and growth stocks. The product has so far amassed $679.8 million in its asset base and sees moderate trading volumes of roughly 110,000 shares a day.
Gilead, Amgen and Celgene occupy the top three spots in the fund with a combined exposure of 35%.
The fund lost 3.7% on Monday's trading session but has returned a handsome 38% this year. The fund currently has a Zacks ETF Rank #1 or Strong Buy rating.
iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF ( IBB )
This fund provides exposure to 155 firms by tracking the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index. IBB is one of the most popular funds in the biotech space with an AUM of $6.8 billion and an average trading volume of 1.5 million shares (see: all the Healthcare ETFs here ).
Biogen, Gilead and Celgene are the top three holdings with 8.9%, 8.2% and 7.9% allocations, respectively. The ETF has lost 2.6% on Monday but is up 40% this year. IBB currently has a Zacks ETF Rank #2 or Buy rating.
Dynamic Biotech & Genome (PBE)
This fund provides exposure to 30 firms by tracking the Dynamic Biotech & Genome Intellidex Index. Biogen, Gilead and BioMarin Pharmaceuticals occupy the top three spots with a combined exposure of 16%.
The product has amassed $467.2 million in its asset base while it trades in lower volumes of 55,000 shares per day. The expense ratio comes in at 0.63% and the fund has returned 42% this year. PBE currently has a Zacks ETF Rank #2 or Buy Rating (read: The Complete Guide to Biotech ETFs ).
Bottom Line
Despite the recent weakness in the above ETFs, investors can continue to stay invested. This is especially true as solid corporate earnings results, strong fundamentals within this corner, increasing merger and acquisition activities and expansion into emerging markets will continue to fuel growth in Biotech stocks and the related ETFs.
Moreover, all the above ETFs have a solid Zacks ETF Rank and are thus likely to continue with their winning streak once the current turbulence ends.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Express Scripts ( ESRX ), the largest prescription-management company in the U.S., said that it has secured a lower price for a newly approved hepatitis C drug produced by AbbVie Inc.( ABBV ) and that it will no longer cover Gilead's drug. In exchange for securing the drug at a lower price, Express Scripts has struck a deal with AbbVie to provide its drug as the sole option for treating hepatitis C. AbbVie's Viekira Pak drug indicated to treat hepatitis C costs $83,319 for a typical 12-week plan, lower than the $84,000 for a 12-week course charged by Gilead's blockbuster treatment Sovaldi. In fact, AbbVie's newly approved drug is also cheaper than Gilead's newest one-pill regimen that combines Sovaldi with another drug and costs $94,500 for 12 weeks. | Click to get this free report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report EXPRESS SCRIPTS (ESRX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report MKT VEC-BIOTECH (BBH): ETF Research Reports ISHARES NDQ BIO (IBB): ETF Research Reports PWRSH-DYN BIO (PBE): ETF Research Reports To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Express Scripts ( ESRX ), the largest prescription-management company in the U.S., said that it has secured a lower price for a newly approved hepatitis C drug produced by AbbVie Inc.( ABBV ) and that it will no longer cover Gilead's drug. In exchange for securing the drug at a lower price, Express Scripts has struck a deal with AbbVie to provide its drug as the sole option for treating hepatitis C. AbbVie's Viekira Pak drug indicated to treat hepatitis C costs $83,319 for a typical 12-week plan, lower than the $84,000 for a 12-week course charged by Gilead's blockbuster treatment Sovaldi. | Click to get this free report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report EXPRESS SCRIPTS (ESRX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report MKT VEC-BIOTECH (BBH): ETF Research Reports ISHARES NDQ BIO (IBB): ETF Research Reports PWRSH-DYN BIO (PBE): ETF Research Reports To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Express Scripts ( ESRX ), the largest prescription-management company in the U.S., said that it has secured a lower price for a newly approved hepatitis C drug produced by AbbVie Inc.( ABBV ) and that it will no longer cover Gilead's drug. In exchange for securing the drug at a lower price, Express Scripts has struck a deal with AbbVie to provide its drug as the sole option for treating hepatitis C. AbbVie's Viekira Pak drug indicated to treat hepatitis C costs $83,319 for a typical 12-week plan, lower than the $84,000 for a 12-week course charged by Gilead's blockbuster treatment Sovaldi. | Express Scripts ( ESRX ), the largest prescription-management company in the U.S., said that it has secured a lower price for a newly approved hepatitis C drug produced by AbbVie Inc.( ABBV ) and that it will no longer cover Gilead's drug. In exchange for securing the drug at a lower price, Express Scripts has struck a deal with AbbVie to provide its drug as the sole option for treating hepatitis C. AbbVie's Viekira Pak drug indicated to treat hepatitis C costs $83,319 for a typical 12-week plan, lower than the $84,000 for a 12-week course charged by Gilead's blockbuster treatment Sovaldi. In fact, AbbVie's newly approved drug is also cheaper than Gilead's newest one-pill regimen that combines Sovaldi with another drug and costs $94,500 for 12 weeks. | e99daae2-1110-4fe6-83ff-534902f3fe72 |
27201.0 | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC | Express Scripts (ESRX) Picks AbbVie's Hepatitis C Drug - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/express-scripts-esrx-picks-abbvies-hepatitis-c-drug-analyst-blog-2014-12-23 | nan | nan | Pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts ( ESRX ) announced an update to its National Preferred Formulary, which will now include AbbVie's ( ABBV ) recently approved all-oral, interferon-free medication for hepatitis C, Viekira Pak.
We note that Viekira Pak was approved by the FDA on Dec 19 for the treatment of patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, including those with cirrhosis, a type of advanced liver disease.
Thereafter, Express Scripts' independent Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee determined Viekira Pak to be at least clinically equivalent to lead player Gilead Sciences' ( GILD ) expensive HCV treatments, Sovaldi and Harvoni.
Consequently, Express Scripts will exclude Sovaldi, Harvoni and Johnson & Johnson's ( JNJ ) HCV drug Olysio from its National Preferred Formulary beginning Jan 1, 2015. However, Sovaldi, Harvoni and Olysio will continue to be available for patients who have already begun treatment regimens.
As per estimates, approximately 75% of the approximately 3 million people in the U.S. with hepatitis C have a form of the virus known as genotype 1. Most of these patients now are covered by the Express Scripts National Preferred Formulary and will enjoy access to Viekira Pak.
Shares of Gilead Sciences suffered a significant blow on the news and plunged 14%. Sovaldi is off to a strong start recording sales of approximately $5.8 billion in the first six months of 2014. On the other hand, the news will be a significant boost for AbbVie's new treatment Viekira Pak in the HCV market, which was previously dominated by Gilead Sciences.
Express Scripts currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Both Gilead Sciences and AbbVie also carry a Zacks Rank #3. Right now, Charles River( CRL ) looks attractive with a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts ( ESRX ) announced an update to its National Preferred Formulary, which will now include AbbVie's ( ABBV ) recently approved all-oral, interferon-free medication for hepatitis C, Viekira Pak. On the other hand, the news will be a significant boost for AbbVie's new treatment Viekira Pak in the HCV market, which was previously dominated by Gilead Sciences. Both Gilead Sciences and AbbVie also carry a Zacks Rank #3. | Click to get this free report EXPRESS SCRIPTS (ESRX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report CHARLES RVR LAB (CRL): Free Stock Analysis Report JOHNSON & JOHNS (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts ( ESRX ) announced an update to its National Preferred Formulary, which will now include AbbVie's ( ABBV ) recently approved all-oral, interferon-free medication for hepatitis C, Viekira Pak. On the other hand, the news will be a significant boost for AbbVie's new treatment Viekira Pak in the HCV market, which was previously dominated by Gilead Sciences. | Pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts ( ESRX ) announced an update to its National Preferred Formulary, which will now include AbbVie's ( ABBV ) recently approved all-oral, interferon-free medication for hepatitis C, Viekira Pak. Click to get this free report EXPRESS SCRIPTS (ESRX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report CHARLES RVR LAB (CRL): Free Stock Analysis Report JOHNSON & JOHNS (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. On the other hand, the news will be a significant boost for AbbVie's new treatment Viekira Pak in the HCV market, which was previously dominated by Gilead Sciences. | Both Gilead Sciences and AbbVie also carry a Zacks Rank #3. Pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts ( ESRX ) announced an update to its National Preferred Formulary, which will now include AbbVie's ( ABBV ) recently approved all-oral, interferon-free medication for hepatitis C, Viekira Pak. On the other hand, the news will be a significant boost for AbbVie's new treatment Viekira Pak in the HCV market, which was previously dominated by Gilead Sciences. | 5e44e54e-fdd7-4a92-b7eb-00e889037ea4 |
27202.0 | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC | AbbVie Inc. Throws First Punch in Hep C Price War With Gilead Sciences, Inc. | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/abbvie-inc-throws-first-punch-hep-c-price-war-gilead-sciences-inc-2014-12-23 | nan | nan | What a difference a weekend makes.
On Friday, when the Food and Drug Administration approved AbbVie 's Viekira Pak, it looked as if AbbVie had done Gilead Sciences a huge favor pricing its new hepatitis C drug on par with Gilead's Harvoni.
"So much for the potential price war in the hepatitis C market. For now, at least," I wrote.
Turns out AbbVie already had plans to launch an offensive attack. "For now" lasted only a couple of days.
As mentioned in the article, insurers often negotiate discounts off the list price for drugs, so AbbVie still had the opportunity to take some market share from Gilead even if the list prices were comparable.
Source: AbbVie.
On Monday, the company announced a deal with Express Scripts making Viekira Pak the exclusive hepatitis C drug covered by the pharmacy benefits manager for patients infected with the genotype 1 virus, the most common type in the United States. Gilead's Sovaldi will still be available for other genotypes since Viekira Pak isn't approved to treat patients infected with those viruses.
Unfortunately for investors, there's no transparency here. Neither Express Scripts nor AbbVie is disclosing how much of a discount AbbVie had to give to get the exclusivity. You can't blame them; it's not to either company's advantage to disclose the discount, tipping off their respective competitors, but it will make life a little harder on investors trying to figure out how beneficial the deal is for AbbVie.
This is a multi-year deal -- again, no disclosure on the number of years -- so Gilead could be locked out of Express Scripts' customers for quite a while.
Good move?
Obviously it depends on the discount and how much market share AbbVie could have gotten if it had priced on par with Gilead, but it looks like a good move to me.
Enanta Pharmaceuticals ' shareholders seem to agree. The biotech, which gets a royalty on sales of Viekira Pak since it helped develop one of the drugs in the cocktail, rose 10% on Monday. Interestingly, AbbVie was flat on the day, but the hepatitis C drug isn't as important to the larger drugmaker.
Without a price war, it looked like Gilead had the upper hand. Harvoni and Viekira Pak have comparable efficacy and both drugs are fairly safe, although many patients that take Viekira Pak also have to take a generic drug called ribavirin, which adds additional safety issues. Harvoni's advantage comes down to convenience, since Harvoni is one pill a day, compared with four to six pills for Viekira Pak split into two different times of the day.
If you assume AbbVie was only going to be able to get 10%-20% of Express Scripts patients with on-par pricing, AbbVie can come out ahead getting 100% of Express Scripts patients even with a 40% discount.
More to come?
Gilead was down 14% on Monday, but I don't think all of that was because of the loss of Express Scripts' patients.
More likely, investors are worried about the potential for Gilead to be knocked out of other markets or have to give steep discounts to stay in them. The discount problem is compounded because the price that government programs -- Medicare and Medicaid -- pay for drugs are set based on the price drugmakers give to private insurers.
Give it a few more days, and we could be in a full-blown price war.
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The article AbbVie Inc. Throws First Punch in Hep C Price War With Gilead Sciences, Inc. originally appeared on Fool.com.
Brian Orelli has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Express Scripts and Gilead Sciences and owns shares of both companies. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | You can't blame them; it's not to either company's advantage to disclose the discount, tipping off their respective competitors, but it will make life a little harder on investors trying to figure out how beneficial the deal is for AbbVie. On Friday, when the Food and Drug Administration approved AbbVie 's Viekira Pak, it looked as if AbbVie had done Gilead Sciences a huge favor pricing its new hepatitis C drug on par with Gilead's Harvoni. Turns out AbbVie already had plans to launch an offensive attack. | On Friday, when the Food and Drug Administration approved AbbVie 's Viekira Pak, it looked as if AbbVie had done Gilead Sciences a huge favor pricing its new hepatitis C drug on par with Gilead's Harvoni. Turns out AbbVie already had plans to launch an offensive attack. As mentioned in the article, insurers often negotiate discounts off the list price for drugs, so AbbVie still had the opportunity to take some market share from Gilead even if the list prices were comparable. | On Friday, when the Food and Drug Administration approved AbbVie 's Viekira Pak, it looked as if AbbVie had done Gilead Sciences a huge favor pricing its new hepatitis C drug on par with Gilead's Harvoni. As mentioned in the article, insurers often negotiate discounts off the list price for drugs, so AbbVie still had the opportunity to take some market share from Gilead even if the list prices were comparable. If you assume AbbVie was only going to be able to get 10%-20% of Express Scripts patients with on-par pricing, AbbVie can come out ahead getting 100% of Express Scripts patients even with a 40% discount. | On Friday, when the Food and Drug Administration approved AbbVie 's Viekira Pak, it looked as if AbbVie had done Gilead Sciences a huge favor pricing its new hepatitis C drug on par with Gilead's Harvoni. Neither Express Scripts nor AbbVie is disclosing how much of a discount AbbVie had to give to get the exclusivity. Turns out AbbVie already had plans to launch an offensive attack. | be88c572-3435-4216-b3e0-cd90cb6b9b1e |
27203.0 | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC | Health Care Sector Update for 12/23/2014: ACHN, MEIP, ABBV | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/health-care-sector-update-12232014-achn-meip-abbv-2014-12-23 | nan | nan | Top health-care stocks:
JNJ: -0.2%
PFE: +0.03%
ABT: flat
MRK: +0.4%
AMGN: +0.3%
Health-care shares were generally higher in pre-market trading Tuesday.
Achillion Pharmaceuticals ( ACHN ) is lower after Baird downgraded the shares to neutral from outperform, with a $16 price target. The downgrade comes a day after ACHN reached a seven-year high after the company disclosed that interim results from two studies supported its hepatitis C treatment. Shares were trading 2.8% lower at $15.05 during Tuesday's pre-market trading session. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has traded between $2.45 and $16.87.
MEI Pharma ( MEIP ) shares climbed in Tuesday's pre-market session, putting the stock on track for a second day of gains after the oncology company said Monday that it had reached the clinical-response milestone in its Phase II study of its drug candidate Pracinostat to treat patients with myelodysplastic syndrome. Shareswere trading 6.9% higher at $4.50 during Tuesday's pre-market trading session. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has traded between $3.57 and $13.98.
AbbVie ( ABBV ) was marginally higher in recent pre-market trading on Tuesday on the back of an approval from Health Canada for its HOLKIRA PAK tablets for the treatment of hepatitis C. Shares were trading 0.5% higher at $67.28 during Tuesday's re-market trading session. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has traded between $45.50 and $70.76.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Copyright (C) 2016 MTNewswires.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | AbbVie ( ABBV ) was marginally higher in recent pre-market trading on Tuesday on the back of an approval from Health Canada for its HOLKIRA PAK tablets for the treatment of hepatitis C. Shares were trading 0.5% higher at $67.28 during Tuesday's re-market trading session. Achillion Pharmaceuticals ( ACHN ) is lower after Baird downgraded the shares to neutral from outperform, with a $16 price target. The downgrade comes a day after ACHN reached a seven-year high after the company disclosed that interim results from two studies supported its hepatitis C treatment. | AbbVie ( ABBV ) was marginally higher in recent pre-market trading on Tuesday on the back of an approval from Health Canada for its HOLKIRA PAK tablets for the treatment of hepatitis C. Shares were trading 0.5% higher at $67.28 during Tuesday's re-market trading session. Shares were trading 2.8% lower at $15.05 during Tuesday's pre-market trading session. Shareswere trading 6.9% higher at $4.50 during Tuesday's pre-market trading session. | AbbVie ( ABBV ) was marginally higher in recent pre-market trading on Tuesday on the back of an approval from Health Canada for its HOLKIRA PAK tablets for the treatment of hepatitis C. Shares were trading 0.5% higher at $67.28 during Tuesday's re-market trading session. Shares were trading 2.8% lower at $15.05 during Tuesday's pre-market trading session. Shareswere trading 6.9% higher at $4.50 during Tuesday's pre-market trading session. | AbbVie ( ABBV ) was marginally higher in recent pre-market trading on Tuesday on the back of an approval from Health Canada for its HOLKIRA PAK tablets for the treatment of hepatitis C. Shares were trading 0.5% higher at $67.28 during Tuesday's re-market trading session. ABT: flat Shares were trading 2.8% lower at $15.05 during Tuesday's pre-market trading session. | e6b4869b-091a-4fd4-b69a-dcd793dcf7f8 |
27204.0 | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC | Why Achillion Pharmaceuticals Shares Collapsed by 25% Today | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/why-achillion-pharmaceuticals-shares-collapsed-25-today-2014-12-23 | nan | nan | What's happening?
Shares of Achillion Pharmaceuticals are crashing 25% today after the company reported mixed early stage drug trial results yesterday and following Express Scripts ' decision to removeGilead Sciences ' Harvoni from its preferred drug formulary, a decision that may suggest future a future price war among hepatitis C drug developers.
Why it's happening
Achillion reported that its promising hepatitis C drug, ACH-3102, cured 100% of patients when dosed alongside Sovaldi for six weeks in a phase 2 trial, but that its Sovaldi alternative, ACH-3422, posted a lower log reduction in viral clearance during phase 1 studies than some had hoped.
The company is developing ACH-3102 as an alternative to Gilead Sciences' ledipasvir, which is paired up with Sovaldi in Gilead Sciences latest generation hepatitis C drug, Harvoni. In November, Achillion reported that 100% of patients taking ACH-3102 with Sovaldi for eight weeks were free of the virus 12 weeks later, which is known as a functional cure. The recent release demonstrating similar cure rates four weeks after receiving the two drugs over a six week period may suggest that ACH-3102 plus Sovaldi works as well as Harvoni with the advantage of fewer weeks of treatment.
That seemingly good news, however, was offset by investor worries over ACH-3422, a drug that Achillion is developing to replace Sovaldi in its trials. In phase 1, ACH-3422 posted a 4.8 log reduction in viral load over 14 days, which was lower than some investors had hoped and may mean that ACH-3422 may not match Sovaldi's efficacy. If so, those results could diminish the likelihood of Achillion having an in-house combination of ACH-3102 and ACH-3422 that can put up similar results to ACH-3102 plus Sovaldi.
Additionally, investors are also likely spooked by pricing uncertainty following Express Scripts' decision to ink a deal with AbbVie to make AbbVie's Viekira Pak, the company's newly approved hepatitis C drug, its exclusive hepatitis C treatment for genotype 1 patients, which account for roughly 70% of hepatitis C patients in the United States. In order to get that exclusivity deal, AbbVie reportedly offered Express Scripts a steep price cut that came in far south of Harvoni's $94,500 list price.
What may happen next
A 25% haircut can't be ignored and it serves as an important reminder to investors of the risks associated with clinical stage companies like Achillion. The results from the ACH-3102 study remain impressive, and while ACH-3422 may have been disappointing, it's far from a failure. As a result, Achillion is likely to continue pursuing an ACH-3102 combination with ACH-3422, which, if successful, could pose a longer term threat to both Gilead Sciences and AbbVie. Regardless, Achillion remains an emerging biotech without any approved products, which means that most investors are best served watching and waiting on this one.
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The article Why Achillion Pharmaceuticals Shares Collapsed by 25% Today originally appeared on Fool.com.
Todd Campbell owns shares of Gilead Sciences and Achillion. Todd owns E.B. Capital Markets, LLC. E.B. Capital's clients may or may not have positions in the companies mentioned. Todd owns Gundalow Advisors, LLC. Gundalow's clients do not have positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Additionally, investors are also likely spooked by pricing uncertainty following Express Scripts' decision to ink a deal with AbbVie to make AbbVie's Viekira Pak, the company's newly approved hepatitis C drug, its exclusive hepatitis C treatment for genotype 1 patients, which account for roughly 70% of hepatitis C patients in the United States. In order to get that exclusivity deal, AbbVie reportedly offered Express Scripts a steep price cut that came in far south of Harvoni's $94,500 list price. As a result, Achillion is likely to continue pursuing an ACH-3102 combination with ACH-3422, which, if successful, could pose a longer term threat to both Gilead Sciences and AbbVie. | Additionally, investors are also likely spooked by pricing uncertainty following Express Scripts' decision to ink a deal with AbbVie to make AbbVie's Viekira Pak, the company's newly approved hepatitis C drug, its exclusive hepatitis C treatment for genotype 1 patients, which account for roughly 70% of hepatitis C patients in the United States. In order to get that exclusivity deal, AbbVie reportedly offered Express Scripts a steep price cut that came in far south of Harvoni's $94,500 list price. As a result, Achillion is likely to continue pursuing an ACH-3102 combination with ACH-3422, which, if successful, could pose a longer term threat to both Gilead Sciences and AbbVie. | Additionally, investors are also likely spooked by pricing uncertainty following Express Scripts' decision to ink a deal with AbbVie to make AbbVie's Viekira Pak, the company's newly approved hepatitis C drug, its exclusive hepatitis C treatment for genotype 1 patients, which account for roughly 70% of hepatitis C patients in the United States. In order to get that exclusivity deal, AbbVie reportedly offered Express Scripts a steep price cut that came in far south of Harvoni's $94,500 list price. As a result, Achillion is likely to continue pursuing an ACH-3102 combination with ACH-3422, which, if successful, could pose a longer term threat to both Gilead Sciences and AbbVie. | Additionally, investors are also likely spooked by pricing uncertainty following Express Scripts' decision to ink a deal with AbbVie to make AbbVie's Viekira Pak, the company's newly approved hepatitis C drug, its exclusive hepatitis C treatment for genotype 1 patients, which account for roughly 70% of hepatitis C patients in the United States. In order to get that exclusivity deal, AbbVie reportedly offered Express Scripts a steep price cut that came in far south of Harvoni's $94,500 list price. As a result, Achillion is likely to continue pursuing an ACH-3102 combination with ACH-3422, which, if successful, could pose a longer term threat to both Gilead Sciences and AbbVie. | f26f6761-7adb-4516-a8b9-d6fe2142a76f |
27205.0 | 2014-12-22 00:00:00 UTC | Midday Update: Energy Sector Losses Have S&P 500 Little Change But Dow Extending Rally to Fourth Day | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/midday-update-energy-sector-losses-have-sp-500-little-change-dow-extending-rally-fourth | nan | nan | The Dow Jones Industrial Average was extending its winning streak to a fourth consecutive day thanks to strength among industrial and technology stocks. Stocks were consolidating just shy of key levels - including 18,000 for the Dow and a record high of 2,079 for the S&P 500 - following last week's dramatic rally. Traders largely shrugged off weak housing data today although profit-taking within the energy sector was leaving the S&P 500 little changed in midday trade.
Monday's economic data had little sway with equities, despite a huge gain in the Chicago Fed national activity index. The index measuring overall economic activity surged to 0.73 last month, well above estimates looking for an increase to 0.23 and also topping an upwardly revised October 0.31 reading (initially reported as 0.14).
The National Association of Realtors also said existing home sales across the country fell fell to a six-month low during November to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 4.93 million, representing a 6.1% decline compared with October levels and trailing Wall Street expectations looking for a 1.1% decline.
European markets firmed at the close, led higher by a rebound in oil prices and easing worries the Russian economy will sink Europe's fragile recovery. Euro-zone stocks were also bolstered by an improvement in EU consumer confidence, as well as pressure on European bonds that continues to lure investors to equities.
Crude oil was down $1.80 to $55.290020per barrel. Natural gas was down $0.23 to $3.23 per 1 million BTU. Gold was down $13.60 to $1,182.30 an ounce, while silver was down $0.42 to $15.61 an ounce. Copper was down $0.01 to $2.87 per pound.
Among energy ETFs, the United States Oil Fund was down 4.55% to $20.94 with the United States Natural Gas Fund was down 6.84% to $16.48. Amongst precious-metal funds, the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF was down 2.95% to 18.05 while SPDR Gold Shares were down 1.04% to $113.59. The iShares Silver Trust was down 2.92% to $14.95.
Here's where U.S. stocks stand at mid-day:
NYSE Composite Index down 2.21 (-0.02%) to 10,888.03
Dow Jones Industrial Average up 87.37 (+0.49%) to 17,892.17
S&P 500 up 0.88 (+0.04%) to 2,071.53
Nasdaq Composite Index up 5.87 (+0.12%) to 4,771.25
GLOBAL SENTIMENT
Nikkei 225 Index up 0.08%
Hang Seng Index up 1.26%
Shanghai China Composite Index up 0.61%
FTSE 100 Index up 0.48%
CAC 40 up 0.30%
DAX up 0.81%
NYSE SECTOR INDICES
NYSE Energy Sector Index down 1.61%
NYSE Financial Sector Index up 0.14%
NYSE Healthcare Sector Index down 0.08%
UPSIDE MOVERS
(+) SANW (+10.53%) Bought DuPont Pioneer's alfalfa research facility and assets
(+) CANF (+9.09%) Doses first patient in first patient in liver cancer drug study
(+) CZR (+15.64%) Buys Caesars Acquisition Co ( CACQ ) in all-stocks deal to restructure
DOWNSIDE MOVERS
(-) OCN (-26.76%) Chairman to resign, will pay $150 mln settlement
(-) GILD (-13.94%) Express Scripts ( ESRX ) chose AbbeVie ( ABBV ) for exclusive Hepatitis C treatment
(-) VOC (-16.33%) Expects substantially lower distributions amid higher expenses, fall in oil
(-) SGOC (-48.20%) Swing to a loss as sales plunge 70%, company to consider restructuring
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Copyright (C) 2016 MTNewswires.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | (-) OCN (-26.76%) Chairman to resign, will pay $150 mln settlement (-) GILD (-13.94%) Express Scripts ( ESRX ) chose AbbeVie ( ABBV ) for exclusive Hepatitis C treatment (-) VOC (-16.33%) Expects substantially lower distributions amid higher expenses, fall in oil (-) SGOC (-48.20%) Swing to a loss as sales plunge 70%, company to consider restructuring The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. The index measuring overall economic activity surged to 0.73 last month, well above estimates looking for an increase to 0.23 and also topping an upwardly revised October 0.31 reading (initially reported as 0.14). European markets firmed at the close, led higher by a rebound in oil prices and easing worries the Russian economy will sink Europe's fragile recovery. | (-) OCN (-26.76%) Chairman to resign, will pay $150 mln settlement (-) GILD (-13.94%) Express Scripts ( ESRX ) chose AbbeVie ( ABBV ) for exclusive Hepatitis C treatment (-) VOC (-16.33%) Expects substantially lower distributions amid higher expenses, fall in oil (-) SGOC (-48.20%) Swing to a loss as sales plunge 70%, company to consider restructuring The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. Among energy ETFs, the United States Oil Fund was down 4.55% to $20.94 with the United States Natural Gas Fund was down 6.84% to $16.48. Here's where U.S. stocks stand at mid-day: NYSE Composite Index down 2.21 (-0.02%) to 10,888.03 Dow Jones Industrial Average up 87.37 (+0.49%) to 17,892.17 S&P 500 up 0.88 (+0.04%) to 2,071.53 Nasdaq Composite Index up 5.87 (+0.12%) to 4,771.25 | (-) OCN (-26.76%) Chairman to resign, will pay $150 mln settlement (-) GILD (-13.94%) Express Scripts ( ESRX ) chose AbbeVie ( ABBV ) for exclusive Hepatitis C treatment (-) VOC (-16.33%) Expects substantially lower distributions amid higher expenses, fall in oil (-) SGOC (-48.20%) Swing to a loss as sales plunge 70%, company to consider restructuring The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. Here's where U.S. stocks stand at mid-day: NYSE Composite Index down 2.21 (-0.02%) to 10,888.03 Dow Jones Industrial Average up 87.37 (+0.49%) to 17,892.17 S&P 500 up 0.88 (+0.04%) to 2,071.53 Nasdaq Composite Index up 5.87 (+0.12%) to 4,771.25 NYSE Energy Sector Index down 1.61% NYSE Financial Sector Index up 0.14% NYSE Healthcare Sector Index down 0.08% | (-) OCN (-26.76%) Chairman to resign, will pay $150 mln settlement (-) GILD (-13.94%) Express Scripts ( ESRX ) chose AbbeVie ( ABBV ) for exclusive Hepatitis C treatment (-) VOC (-16.33%) Expects substantially lower distributions amid higher expenses, fall in oil (-) SGOC (-48.20%) Swing to a loss as sales plunge 70%, company to consider restructuring The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. Gold was down $13.60 to $1,182.30 an ounce, while silver was down $0.42 to $15.61 an ounce. Here's where U.S. stocks stand at mid-day: NYSE Composite Index down 2.21 (-0.02%) to 10,888.03 Dow Jones Industrial Average up 87.37 (+0.49%) to 17,892.17 S&P 500 up 0.88 (+0.04%) to 2,071.53 Nasdaq Composite Index up 5.87 (+0.12%) to 4,771.25 | 0f962555-aa3f-4d6b-9451-ecde5acfcd07 |
27206.0 | 2014-12-22 00:00:00 UTC | Could Gilead Sciences, Inc. Be a Top Stock in 2015? | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/could-gilead-sciences-inc-be-top-stock-2015-2014-12-22 | nan | nan | GILD data by YCharts
Despite last weeks' oil-induced swoon, the S&P 500 is still up by 8% for the year. But don't bother bragging about this to Gilead Sciences shareholders -- through the weekend, Gilead shares had nearly quintupled the broader market's return this year, with gains of 39%.
How Gilead dazzled Wall Street
How did Gilead become a top stock in 2014? Simple: good old-fashioned organic growth. Of course, organic growth can mean something wholly different for biopharmaceutical companies like Gilead Sciences. Its secret ingredient was FDA approval of two oral hepatitis C drugs, Sovaldi and Harvoni.
Sovaldi came to market first, and is an oral pill designed to eliminate the need for interferon in genotype 2 & 3 HCV patients. Interferon can cause flu-like symptoms throughout the duration of treatment, so this is a big step forward in improving patient quality of care. Yet Sovaldi is so much more. Sovaldi's cure rate, which is commonly referred to as its "sustained virologic response," is often 90% or higher, and represents a marked improvement from the prior standard of care.
Consider for a moment that through the first nine months of 2014 Gilead was only able to treat 117,000 patients with Sovaldi, yet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates they are 3.2 million HCV patients in the United States. Furthermore, the World Health Organization estimates there are 180 million people with HCV worldwide. In sum, there's more than enough room for three or four companies to establish themselves in the HCV space, especially if their curative rates are mostly 90% or higher. To me it signals that even if AbbVie's and Merck's combos make it to market, Gilead's sales will be just fine.
Also, don't forget about Stribild . Most investors are focused on the incredible potential of Harvoni and Sovaldi in HCV -- and with good reason -- but Stribild, Gilead's next-generation four-in-one HIV-1 drug, is on pace to cross $1.1 billion in sales in 2014, and may surpass $2 billion in 2015 if its momentum keeps up. The previous standard of care for HIV-1 patients had been Atripla, a three-in-one compound that was comprised of one compound from Gilead and two other companies, meaning Gilead had to split its sales and profits three ways. With Stribild all four compounds are in-house, meaning Gilead keeps every dime. It's a quick way for Gilead to boost its margins and profitability.
Gilead's performance has been phenomenal, but another top stock in 2015 may run circles around it!
Healthcare stocks soared in 2014, and 2015 is shaping up to be another great year for stocks. But if you want to make sure you're buying one of the best healthcare stocks, you need to know where to start. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. To get the full story on this year's stock -- completely free -- simply click here .
The article Could Gilead Sciences, Inc. Be a Top Stock in 2015? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Sean Williams has no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen nameTMFUltraLong, track every pick he makes under the screen nameTrackUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle@TMFUltraLong.The Motley Fool owns shares of, and recommends Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | To me it signals that even if AbbVie's and Merck's combos make it to market, Gilead's sales will be just fine. Interferon can cause flu-like symptoms throughout the duration of treatment, so this is a big step forward in improving patient quality of care. Sovaldi's cure rate, which is commonly referred to as its "sustained virologic response," is often 90% or higher, and represents a marked improvement from the prior standard of care. | The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. To me it signals that even if AbbVie's and Merck's combos make it to market, Gilead's sales will be just fine. Most investors are focused on the incredible potential of Harvoni and Sovaldi in HCV -- and with good reason -- but Stribild, Gilead's next-generation four-in-one HIV-1 drug, is on pace to cross $1.1 billion in sales in 2014, and may surpass $2 billion in 2015 if its momentum keeps up. | To me it signals that even if AbbVie's and Merck's combos make it to market, Gilead's sales will be just fine. But don't bother bragging about this to Gilead Sciences shareholders -- through the weekend, Gilead shares had nearly quintupled the broader market's return this year, with gains of 39%. How Gilead dazzled Wall Street How did Gilead become a top stock in 2014? | To me it signals that even if AbbVie's and Merck's combos make it to market, Gilead's sales will be just fine. Yet Sovaldi is so much more. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. | cfca5740-6c0b-448f-a3c6-a3e621857160 |
27207.0 | 2014-12-22 00:00:00 UTC | iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF Experiences Big Inflow | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/ishares-russell-1000-growth-etf-experiences-big-inflow-2014-12-22 | nan | nan | Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel , one standout is the iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (Symbol: IWF) where we have detected an approximate $304.0 million dollar inflow -- that's a 1.1% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 283,100,000 to 286,250,000). Among the largest underlying components of IWF, in trading today Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is down about 2.6%, AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is off about 1%, and Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) is higher by about 1.4%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the IWF Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWF, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, IWF's low point in its 52 week range is $81.15 per share, with $97.30 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $96.73. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average » .
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Click here to find out which 9 other ETFs had notable inflows »
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Among the largest underlying components of IWF, in trading today Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is down about 2.6%, AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is off about 1%, and Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) is higher by about 1.4%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the IWF Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWF, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IWF's low point in its 52 week range is $81.15 per share, with $97.30 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $96.73. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. | Among the largest underlying components of IWF, in trading today Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is down about 2.6%, AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is off about 1%, and Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) is higher by about 1.4%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the IWF Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWF, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IWF's low point in its 52 week range is $81.15 per share, with $97.30 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $96.73. Click here to find out which 9 other ETFs had notable inflows » The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Among the largest underlying components of IWF, in trading today Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is down about 2.6%, AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is off about 1%, and Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) is higher by about 1.4%. Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel , one standout is the iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (Symbol: IWF) where we have detected an approximate $304.0 million dollar inflow -- that's a 1.1% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 283,100,000 to 286,250,000). For a complete list of holdings, visit the IWF Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWF, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IWF's low point in its 52 week range is $81.15 per share, with $97.30 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $96.73. | Among the largest underlying components of IWF, in trading today Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is down about 2.6%, AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is off about 1%, and Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) is higher by about 1.4%. Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel , one standout is the iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (Symbol: IWF) where we have detected an approximate $304.0 million dollar inflow -- that's a 1.1% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 283,100,000 to 286,250,000). For a complete list of holdings, visit the IWF Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWF, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IWF's low point in its 52 week range is $81.15 per share, with $97.30 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $96.73. | 882f034d-ea54-4f19-aa26-90434a0331af |
27208.0 | 2014-12-22 00:00:00 UTC | U.S. Stocks Set to Mostly Continue Post-Fed Rally in Light Holiday Trading; Chicago Fed Activity Index Surges | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/us-stocks-set-mostly-continue-post-fed-rally-light-holiday-trading-chicago-fed-activity | nan | nan | U.S. stocks looked set Monday morning to trade mostly higher on optimism for continued support of the U.S. economy from the Federal Reserve amid light pre-Christmas trading, although Nasdaq 100 futures were flat to lower.
The Chicago Fed National Activity Index surged in November to 0.73, handily topping the 0.23 estimate. For October it was revised upward to 0.31 from 0.14.
At 10 a.m., November existing-home sales data are expected to show a slight drop to 5.2 million in November from 5.26 million in October, within the consensus range from 4.97 million to 5.35 million.
Achillon Pharmaceutical ( ACHN ) shares jumped 12% in recent pre-market trade after saying interim results from two studies supported its hepatitis C treatment. At the other end of the spectrum, Gilead ( GILD ) shares fell 11% pre-market after Express Scripts ( ESRX ), up 0.6%, said it will cover AbbVie's ( ABBV ) newly approved C hepatitis treatment after lining up a cheaper price from them, and will, in most cases, no longer cover Gilead Sciences. ABBV was up 0.4%.
U.S. PRE-MARKET INDICATORS
-Dow Jones Industrial up 0.3%
-S&P 500 futures up 0.2%
-Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.02%
-Nasdaq-100 Pre-Market Indicator down 0.4%
GLOBAL SENTIMENT
Nikkei up 0.08%
Hang Seng up 1.26%
Shanghai Composite up 0.33%
FTSE-100 up 0.93%
DAX-30 up 1.07%
PRE-MARKET SECTOR WATCH
(+) Large cap tech: higher
(+) Chip stocks: unchanged to higher
(+/-) Software stocks: mixed
(+) Hardware stocks: unchanged to higher
(+) Internet stocks: higher
(+) Drug stocks: mixed
(+) Financial stocks: mixed
(+) Retail stocks: unchanged to higher
(+) Industrial stocks: unchanged to higher
(+) Airlines: unchanged to higher
(+/-) Autos: mixed
UPSIDE MOVERS
(+) CBST (+2.3%) Gets FDA OK for urinary tract infections treatment
(+) SYN (+8.6%) Reports encouraging safety results in C. difficile drug study
(+) CANF (+10.3%) Doses first patient in liver cancer drug study
(+) TASR (+3.8%) Wins multiple new orders
(+) PSTI (+3.6%) Says placenta-based cell-therapy products may treat nerve damage
(+) BCRX (+3.7%) Wins FDA OK for acute uncomplicated influenza treatment
(+) CZR (+23.8%) Buys CACQ in all-stocks deal to restructure
(+) APP (+7.5%) Confirms buyout offer at $1.30 to $1.40 per share
(+) NXTM (+2.2%) Gets FDA OK for overnight hemodialysis treatment
(+) VSCI (+1.0%) Merges with UPI
(+) KTOS (+2.0%) Wins $72.3 million order for drones
(+) EXAS (+7.4%) Clarifies Cologuard reimbursement
DOWNSIDE MOVERS
(-) OCN (-9.6%) Chairman resigns as part of settlement with New York financial regulator; to pay $150 million
(-) SGOC (-%) Reports adverse impacts on interim 2014 results
(-) FINL (-1.3%) Janney downgrades to neutral vs buy
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Copyright (C) 2016 MTNewswires.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | At the other end of the spectrum, Gilead ( GILD ) shares fell 11% pre-market after Express Scripts ( ESRX ), up 0.6%, said it will cover AbbVie's ( ABBV ) newly approved C hepatitis treatment after lining up a cheaper price from them, and will, in most cases, no longer cover Gilead Sciences. ABBV was up 0.4%. Achillon Pharmaceutical ( ACHN ) shares jumped 12% in recent pre-market trade after saying interim results from two studies supported its hepatitis C treatment. | At the other end of the spectrum, Gilead ( GILD ) shares fell 11% pre-market after Express Scripts ( ESRX ), up 0.6%, said it will cover AbbVie's ( ABBV ) newly approved C hepatitis treatment after lining up a cheaper price from them, and will, in most cases, no longer cover Gilead Sciences. ABBV was up 0.4%. Achillon Pharmaceutical ( ACHN ) shares jumped 12% in recent pre-market trade after saying interim results from two studies supported its hepatitis C treatment. | At the other end of the spectrum, Gilead ( GILD ) shares fell 11% pre-market after Express Scripts ( ESRX ), up 0.6%, said it will cover AbbVie's ( ABBV ) newly approved C hepatitis treatment after lining up a cheaper price from them, and will, in most cases, no longer cover Gilead Sciences. ABBV was up 0.4%. At 10 a.m., November existing-home sales data are expected to show a slight drop to 5.2 million in November from 5.26 million in October, within the consensus range from 4.97 million to 5.35 million. | At the other end of the spectrum, Gilead ( GILD ) shares fell 11% pre-market after Express Scripts ( ESRX ), up 0.6%, said it will cover AbbVie's ( ABBV ) newly approved C hepatitis treatment after lining up a cheaper price from them, and will, in most cases, no longer cover Gilead Sciences. ABBV was up 0.4%. U.S. stocks looked set Monday morning to trade mostly higher on optimism for continued support of the U.S. economy from the Federal Reserve amid light pre-Christmas trading, although Nasdaq 100 futures were flat to lower. | 8ab11bc9-fa7a-49c5-a786-fe25fb9d8ad8 |
27209.0 | 2014-12-22 00:00:00 UTC | U.S. Stock Futures Gain In Pre-Christmas Rally | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/us-stock-futures-gain-pre-christmas-rally-2014-12-22 | nan | nan | U.S. stocks were poised to open higher again Monday for a fourth-consecutive session amid light pre-Christmas trading and as both oil futures and the Russian Ruble regained some ground.
In economic data due Monday, the Chicago Fed National Activity Index set for 8:30 a.m. ET is expected to have gained to 0.23 in November from 0.14 in October. At 10 a.m., November existing-home sales data are expected to show a slight drop to 5.2 million in November from 5.26 million in October, within the consensus range from 4.97 million to 5.35 million.
Achillon Pharmaceutical ( ACHN ) shares jumped 12% in recent pre-market trade after saying interim results from two studies supported its hepatitis C treatment. At the other end of the spectrum, Gilead ( GILD ) shares fell 13% pre-market after Express Scripts ( ESRX ) said it will cover AbbVie's ( ABBV ) newly approved C hepatitis treatment after lining up a cheaper price from them, and will, in most cases, no longer cover Gilead Sciences. ABBV was up 6%.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Copyright (C) 2016 MTNewswires.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | At the other end of the spectrum, Gilead ( GILD ) shares fell 13% pre-market after Express Scripts ( ESRX ) said it will cover AbbVie's ( ABBV ) newly approved C hepatitis treatment after lining up a cheaper price from them, and will, in most cases, no longer cover Gilead Sciences. ABBV was up 6%. U.S. stocks were poised to open higher again Monday for a fourth-consecutive session amid light pre-Christmas trading and as both oil futures and the Russian Ruble regained some ground. | The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. At the other end of the spectrum, Gilead ( GILD ) shares fell 13% pre-market after Express Scripts ( ESRX ) said it will cover AbbVie's ( ABBV ) newly approved C hepatitis treatment after lining up a cheaper price from them, and will, in most cases, no longer cover Gilead Sciences. ABBV was up 6%. | At the other end of the spectrum, Gilead ( GILD ) shares fell 13% pre-market after Express Scripts ( ESRX ) said it will cover AbbVie's ( ABBV ) newly approved C hepatitis treatment after lining up a cheaper price from them, and will, in most cases, no longer cover Gilead Sciences. ABBV was up 6%. At 10 a.m., November existing-home sales data are expected to show a slight drop to 5.2 million in November from 5.26 million in October, within the consensus range from 4.97 million to 5.35 million. | At the other end of the spectrum, Gilead ( GILD ) shares fell 13% pre-market after Express Scripts ( ESRX ) said it will cover AbbVie's ( ABBV ) newly approved C hepatitis treatment after lining up a cheaper price from them, and will, in most cases, no longer cover Gilead Sciences. ABBV was up 6%. U.S. stocks were poised to open higher again Monday for a fourth-consecutive session amid light pre-Christmas trading and as both oil futures and the Russian Ruble regained some ground. | 2e75bb66-d2fb-49fd-a985-398ec299b11c |
27210.0 | 2014-12-22 00:00:00 UTC | Is the Price Still Right for Gilead Sciences? | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/price-still-right-gilead-sciences-2014-12-22 | nan | nan | Source: Gilead Sciences.
A recently filed lawsuit raises a big question for Gilead Sciences : Is the pricing for hepatitis C drugs Sovaldi and Harvoni set too high?
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA, filed a lawsuit on Dec. 9 alleging that Gilead greatly overcharges for Sovaldi. This lawsuit questions the biotech's pricing of Sovaldi at $84,000 per standard 12-week treatment when the company charges much less for the drug to patients in other countries.
SEPTA's litigation did not specifically challenge Harvoni's pricing. However, the organization's filing referenced the even higher cost of the one-pill-per-day treatment from Gilead, which sells for $94,500 for a 12-week regimen.
An ounce of cure...
Gilead's position on Sovaldi pricing has basically given a new twist to an old saying. Instead of "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," the biotech thinks an ounce of cure is worth a pound of ongoing treatment. Gilead maintains that a cure for hepatitis C justifies the high price tag because of the overall savings that will ultimately be obtained.
In April, Gilead's president and COO, John Milligan, stated that "the value of a cure, I tend to think, is underestimated in terms of the overall advantage that the health care system receives from it." This view appears to be supported to some degree.
Hepatitis C affects around 3.2 million Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Hepatitis C is the leading cause for the more than 6,000 liver transplants done annually in the U.S. at a cost of over $280,000 each. Direct medical costs for the disease exceed $750 million each year, with indirect costs estimated between $4 billion and $5 billion.
If you used a rough total cost of $5 billion per year, hepatitis C could cost the U.S. $50 billion over the next decade. Sovaldi and Harvoni, though, demonstrated cure rates topping 90%. With the potential for many hep-C patients to be cured, the high price tags for these drugs could ultimately prove to yield significant savings over the long run.
Market rules
Gilead also has the principles of economics on its side. The market rules of supply and demand still work in establishing the prices of products. Despite plenty of complaints, there hasn't been a shortage of willing buyers of Sovaldi and Harvoni at current pricing levels.
Last week brought a confirmation of sorts to Gilead's pricing strategy. AbbVie gained FDA approval for its hep-C drug, Viekira Pak. Payers hoping that AbbVie would price its drug significantly lower than Sovaldi were disappointed. Viekira Pak will sell for $83,319 for a standard 12-week treatment -- only nominally below Sovaldi's cost, and around 12% below Harvoni's price.
In explaining the pricing for its new drug, AbbVie spokesman Morry Smulevitz stated that the price "reflects the value we believe Viekira Pak brings to hepatitis C patients and the health-care system." That sounds similar to what Gilead has been saying for months now.
The price is right
While payers could play Gilead and AbbVie against each other to win price concessions, both companies should still be able to command premium pricing for their hep-C drugs. Like it or not, for now, the price is right for Sovaldi and Harvoni -- and Viekira Pak.
The price is also right for Gilead, in my view. Strong growth prospects combined with a relatively low valuation make this stock attractive. AbbVie, for that matter, also looks like a good pick. However, Gilead's trailing-12-month earnings multiple and forward earnings multiple are both around 50% lower than those of AbbVie. As their hep-C franchises gain steam in 2015, both of these stocks should perform well.
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The article Is the Price Still Right for Gilead Sciences? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Keith Speights owns shares of Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool recommends Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | AbbVie gained FDA approval for its hep-C drug, Viekira Pak. Payers hoping that AbbVie would price its drug significantly lower than Sovaldi were disappointed. In explaining the pricing for its new drug, AbbVie spokesman Morry Smulevitz stated that the price "reflects the value we believe Viekira Pak brings to hepatitis C patients and the health-care system." | AbbVie gained FDA approval for its hep-C drug, Viekira Pak. Payers hoping that AbbVie would price its drug significantly lower than Sovaldi were disappointed. In explaining the pricing for its new drug, AbbVie spokesman Morry Smulevitz stated that the price "reflects the value we believe Viekira Pak brings to hepatitis C patients and the health-care system." | In explaining the pricing for its new drug, AbbVie spokesman Morry Smulevitz stated that the price "reflects the value we believe Viekira Pak brings to hepatitis C patients and the health-care system." The price is right While payers could play Gilead and AbbVie against each other to win price concessions, both companies should still be able to command premium pricing for their hep-C drugs. AbbVie gained FDA approval for its hep-C drug, Viekira Pak. | AbbVie gained FDA approval for its hep-C drug, Viekira Pak. Payers hoping that AbbVie would price its drug significantly lower than Sovaldi were disappointed. In explaining the pricing for its new drug, AbbVie spokesman Morry Smulevitz stated that the price "reflects the value we believe Viekira Pak brings to hepatitis C patients and the health-care system." | 68940a27-b812-443f-b8da-ccd07846cd83 |
27211.0 | 2014-12-22 00:00:00 UTC | Roche to Acquire Austrian Biotechnology Company Dutalys - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/roche-to-acquire-austrian-biotechnology-company-dutalys-analyst-blog-2014-12-22 | nan | nan | Most pharma companies focus on acquiring companies with promising pipeline candidates/technologies in their kitty, instead of developing a product from scratch, which involves a lot of funds and time.
Roche ( RHHBY ) recently announced it has agreed to acquire a privately-held Austrian biotechnology company named Dutalys GmbH.
As per the agreement, Roche will make an upfront cash payment of $133.7 million to its shareholders and make additional contingent milestone payments of up to $355 million based on the achievement of certain predetermined goals.
We note that Dutalys specializes in the discovery and development of fully human, bi-specific antibodies. The discovery and development is primarily based on their proprietary DutaMab technology.
The deal will further augment Roche's efforts to develop bi-specific antibodies designed to provide novel, best-in-class molecules for several therapeutic areas.
Roche specializes in drugs for oncology, immunology and infectious diseases. Apart from providing therapeutic products and services for diverse medical needs, the company focuses on innovative diagnostic solutions for early detection and treatment of diseases.
We are encouraged by Roche's performance in 2014. Its oncology portfolio looks solid as ever and we expect further traction. We are also impressed by the company's efforts to grow beyond oncology to immunology and ophthalmology. However, generic competition for Xeloda and Pegasys will negatively impact sales, going forward.
Roche currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Biogen Idec Inc. ( BIIB ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Biogen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Allergan and AbbVie hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Biogen Idec Inc. ( BIIB ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Biogen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Allergan and AbbVie hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Biogen Idec Inc. ( BIIB ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Biogen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Allergan and AbbVie hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Biogen Idec Inc. ( BIIB ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Biogen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Allergan and AbbVie hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Biogen Idec Inc. ( BIIB ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Biogen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Allergan and AbbVie hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | 4a0e67c9-b346-40bc-9c73-ca35f95058cd |
27212.0 | 2014-12-22 00:00:00 UTC | AbbVie's All-Oral, Interferon-Free HCV Treatment Approved - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/abbvies-all-oral-interferon-free-hcv-treatment-approved-analyst-blog-2014-12-22 | nan | nan | AbbVie's ( ABBV ) hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, Viekira Pak, gained FDA approval for the treatment of patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, including those with cirrhosis, a type of advanced liver disease. The treatment can be used with or without ribavirin but is not recommended for use in patients whose liver is unable to function properly (decompensated cirrhosis).
The all-oral, interferon-free treatment comprises three new drugs (ombitasvir, paritaprevir and dasabuvir) representing three distinct mechanisms of action (NS5A inhibitor, NS3/4A protease inhibitor and a non-nucleoside NS5B polymerase inhibitor) that work together to inhibit the growth of HCV. Ritonavir, a previously approved drug (trade name: Norvir), is used to increase blood levels of paritaprevir.
Viekira Pak's approval is a major positive for AbbVie. AbbVie had said on its third quarter call that it expects to launch the product by year end and has the appropriate infrastructure in place to support the launch. Meanwhile, EU approval could come in the first quarter of 2015 - the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had issued a positive opinion last month.
We expect investor focus to remain on AbbVie's launch of Viekira Pak and its sales ramp up in the HCV market. The big question is whether Viekira Pak will be able to gain share in a market primarily dominated by Gilead ( GILD ), which has two HCV treatments - Sovaldi and Harvoni. Another player in the HCV market is Johnson & Johnson's ( JNJ ) Olysio. While high rates of response and tolerability coupled with low discontinuation rates should help Viekira Pak gain share, pricing will play an equally important role considering the concerns regarding Gilead's pricing of its HCV treatment.
AbbVie is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock. A better-ranked stock in the biotech sector is Amgen ( AMGN ), a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | We expect investor focus to remain on AbbVie's launch of Viekira Pak and its sales ramp up in the HCV market. AbbVie's ( ABBV ) hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, Viekira Pak, gained FDA approval for the treatment of patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, including those with cirrhosis, a type of advanced liver disease. Viekira Pak's approval is a major positive for AbbVie. | AbbVie's ( ABBV ) hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, Viekira Pak, gained FDA approval for the treatment of patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, including those with cirrhosis, a type of advanced liver disease. Click to get this free report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report JOHNSON & JOHNS (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Viekira Pak's approval is a major positive for AbbVie. | AbbVie's ( ABBV ) hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, Viekira Pak, gained FDA approval for the treatment of patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, including those with cirrhosis, a type of advanced liver disease. Click to get this free report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report JOHNSON & JOHNS (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Viekira Pak's approval is a major positive for AbbVie. | AbbVie is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock. AbbVie's ( ABBV ) hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, Viekira Pak, gained FDA approval for the treatment of patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, including those with cirrhosis, a type of advanced liver disease. Viekira Pak's approval is a major positive for AbbVie. | a71a73d5-2676-4f21-a452-3e0d48875d05 |
27213.0 | 2014-12-22 00:00:00 UTC | Why Gilead Sciences Shares Tumbled Today | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/why-gilead-sciences-shares-tumbled-today-2014-12-22 | nan | nan | Source: Gilead Sciences via Google Maps
This article originally appeared as part of ongoing coverage in our premium Motley Fool Stock Advisor service... we hope you enjoy this complimentary peek!
What's happening?
Shares of Gilead Sciences fell by more than 14% today on word that competitor AbbVie notched FDA approval of a competing hepatitis C treatment Friday and that drug middleman Express Scripts inked a deal with AbbVie that puts AbbVie's therapy in its preferred formulary.
Why it's happening
Gilead Sciences has notched more than $8.5 billion in sales from its hepatitis C drugs through the first nine months of 2014. Following the October launch of Harvoni, the company's next generation hepatitis C drug, analysts have broadly expected that Gilead Sciences' sales next year would head north of that figure. News that AbbVie's multidrug cocktail, which will be sold under the name Viekira Pak, won approval isn't a surprise, but AbbVie's deal with Express Scripts caught investors off guard.
Express Scripts' formulary is relied on by plans covering 25 million people, and the inclusion of Viekira Pak and the corresponding exclusion of Harvoni (and in some cases Sovaldi) suggests that AbbVie may dent Gilead Sciences sales more than previously expected. An even bigger threat is other health care payers potentially following Express Scripts' lead. However, that remains to be seen, given that Express Scripts plans represent just a portion of the roughly 3 million people diagnosed with hepatitis C nationally.
What may happen next
More than 150 million people are infected with hepatitis C globally. The size of the global patient pool means that there's a tremendous opportunity for these companies to generate revenue; the question, however, is how much revenue. If payer pushback forces additional concessions, it could weigh on Gilead Sciences' sales, but it's unlikely to derail the company. Treating hepatitis C is likely to remain a multibillion dollar market, and beyond that, Gilead Sciences has a slate of other top selling medications, including HIV therapies that produce $10 billion in annual sales. All things considered, investors may want to maintain their long-term focus.
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The article Why Gilead Sciences Shares Tumbled Today originally appeared on Fool.com.
Todd Campbell owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Todd owns E.B. Capital Markets, LLC. E.B. Capital's clients may or may not have positions in the companies mentioned. Todd owns Gundalow Advisors, LLC. Gundalow's clients do not have positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Express Scripts and Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool owns shares of Express Scripts and Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Express Scripts' formulary is relied on by plans covering 25 million people, and the inclusion of Viekira Pak and the corresponding exclusion of Harvoni (and in some cases Sovaldi) suggests that AbbVie may dent Gilead Sciences sales more than previously expected. Shares of Gilead Sciences fell by more than 14% today on word that competitor AbbVie notched FDA approval of a competing hepatitis C treatment Friday and that drug middleman Express Scripts inked a deal with AbbVie that puts AbbVie's therapy in its preferred formulary. News that AbbVie's multidrug cocktail, which will be sold under the name Viekira Pak, won approval isn't a surprise, but AbbVie's deal with Express Scripts caught investors off guard. | Shares of Gilead Sciences fell by more than 14% today on word that competitor AbbVie notched FDA approval of a competing hepatitis C treatment Friday and that drug middleman Express Scripts inked a deal with AbbVie that puts AbbVie's therapy in its preferred formulary. News that AbbVie's multidrug cocktail, which will be sold under the name Viekira Pak, won approval isn't a surprise, but AbbVie's deal with Express Scripts caught investors off guard. Express Scripts' formulary is relied on by plans covering 25 million people, and the inclusion of Viekira Pak and the corresponding exclusion of Harvoni (and in some cases Sovaldi) suggests that AbbVie may dent Gilead Sciences sales more than previously expected. | Shares of Gilead Sciences fell by more than 14% today on word that competitor AbbVie notched FDA approval of a competing hepatitis C treatment Friday and that drug middleman Express Scripts inked a deal with AbbVie that puts AbbVie's therapy in its preferred formulary. Express Scripts' formulary is relied on by plans covering 25 million people, and the inclusion of Viekira Pak and the corresponding exclusion of Harvoni (and in some cases Sovaldi) suggests that AbbVie may dent Gilead Sciences sales more than previously expected. News that AbbVie's multidrug cocktail, which will be sold under the name Viekira Pak, won approval isn't a surprise, but AbbVie's deal with Express Scripts caught investors off guard. | Shares of Gilead Sciences fell by more than 14% today on word that competitor AbbVie notched FDA approval of a competing hepatitis C treatment Friday and that drug middleman Express Scripts inked a deal with AbbVie that puts AbbVie's therapy in its preferred formulary. News that AbbVie's multidrug cocktail, which will be sold under the name Viekira Pak, won approval isn't a surprise, but AbbVie's deal with Express Scripts caught investors off guard. Express Scripts' formulary is relied on by plans covering 25 million people, and the inclusion of Viekira Pak and the corresponding exclusion of Harvoni (and in some cases Sovaldi) suggests that AbbVie may dent Gilead Sciences sales more than previously expected. | 37cd778c-9531-4506-821f-d6cb2864c755 |
27214.0 | 2014-12-22 00:00:00 UTC | Health Care Sector Update for 12/22/2014: CFRX,NVLX,GILD,ESRX,ABBV | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/health-care-sector-update-12222014-cfrxnvlxgildesrxabbv-2014-12-22 | nan | nan | Top Health Care Stocks
JNJ +1.10%
PZE +0.38%
MRK +0.63%
ABT -1.37%
AMGN -3.46%
Health care stocks were ending mixed this afternoon with the NYSE Health Care Sector Index rising 0.1% and shares of health care companies in the S&P 500 dropping 1.1% as a group.
In company news, ContraFect Corp ( CFRX ) was sharply higher in late Monday trading after the FDA removed a full clinical hold on the company's CF-301 drug candidate, allowing Phase I testing of the bacteriophage lysin in patients with drug-resistant infections to begin in early 2015.
The company resubmitted data to the agency earlier this month. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration initially suspended the trial saying pre-clinical studies submitted by CFRX did not provide enough information to assess possible risks such as serious hypersensitivity reactions by test participants.
CFRX shares were ahead almost than 36% at $3.80 apiece, earlier rising to a session high of $4.44 a share. The stock has traded within a range of $2.50 to $5.50 a share since its Sept. 12 initial public offering, sliding 53.3% over that span through Friday's close.
In other sector news,
(+) NVLX, FDA grants orphan drug designation for the company's pancreatic cancer treatment combining prodrug ifosfamide and Cell-in-a-box encapsulation technology for live cells that convert the prodrug into its cancer-killing form.
(-) GILD, Express Scripts Holding Co. ( ESRX ) negotiates deal to exclusively use AbbVie ( ABBV ) hepatitis C drug at significant discount to $83,319 wholesale price, rejecting Gilead's Sovaldi offering and its $84,000 price tag.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Copyright (C) 2016 MTNewswires.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | (-) GILD, Express Scripts Holding Co. ( ESRX ) negotiates deal to exclusively use AbbVie ( ABBV ) hepatitis C drug at significant discount to $83,319 wholesale price, rejecting Gilead's Sovaldi offering and its $84,000 price tag. In company news, ContraFect Corp ( CFRX ) was sharply higher in late Monday trading after the FDA removed a full clinical hold on the company's CF-301 drug candidate, allowing Phase I testing of the bacteriophage lysin in patients with drug-resistant infections to begin in early 2015. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration initially suspended the trial saying pre-clinical studies submitted by CFRX did not provide enough information to assess possible risks such as serious hypersensitivity reactions by test participants. | The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. (-) GILD, Express Scripts Holding Co. ( ESRX ) negotiates deal to exclusively use AbbVie ( ABBV ) hepatitis C drug at significant discount to $83,319 wholesale price, rejecting Gilead's Sovaldi offering and its $84,000 price tag. Health care stocks were ending mixed this afternoon with the NYSE Health Care Sector Index rising 0.1% and shares of health care companies in the S&P 500 dropping 1.1% as a group. | (-) GILD, Express Scripts Holding Co. ( ESRX ) negotiates deal to exclusively use AbbVie ( ABBV ) hepatitis C drug at significant discount to $83,319 wholesale price, rejecting Gilead's Sovaldi offering and its $84,000 price tag. Health care stocks were ending mixed this afternoon with the NYSE Health Care Sector Index rising 0.1% and shares of health care companies in the S&P 500 dropping 1.1% as a group. In company news, ContraFect Corp ( CFRX ) was sharply higher in late Monday trading after the FDA removed a full clinical hold on the company's CF-301 drug candidate, allowing Phase I testing of the bacteriophage lysin in patients with drug-resistant infections to begin in early 2015. | (-) GILD, Express Scripts Holding Co. ( ESRX ) negotiates deal to exclusively use AbbVie ( ABBV ) hepatitis C drug at significant discount to $83,319 wholesale price, rejecting Gilead's Sovaldi offering and its $84,000 price tag. Health care stocks were ending mixed this afternoon with the NYSE Health Care Sector Index rising 0.1% and shares of health care companies in the S&P 500 dropping 1.1% as a group. In company news, ContraFect Corp ( CFRX ) was sharply higher in late Monday trading after the FDA removed a full clinical hold on the company's CF-301 drug candidate, allowing Phase I testing of the bacteriophage lysin in patients with drug-resistant infections to begin in early 2015. | 48ccc6f6-af77-4598-a222-02a3b042fe0e |
27215.0 | 2014-12-22 00:00:00 UTC | AstraZeneca's Lynparza Cleared in U.S. for Ovarian Cancer - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/astrazenecas-lynparza-cleared-in-u.s.-for-ovarian-cancer-analyst-blog-2014-12-22 | nan | nan | The FDA has cleared AstraZeneca 's ( AZN ) Lynparza as a monotherapy for the maintenance treatment of adults suffering from deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutated advanced ovarian cancer who have been previously treated with three or more prior lines of chemotherapy. The drug was approved under the FDA's accelerated approval program.
The path to approval was, however, not easy. In Jun 2014, the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted against the approval of this drug. The company was looking to get Lynparza approved as a maintenance treatment for patients suffering from platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer with the germline BRCA mutation. These patients were in complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy.
In Jul 2014, AstraZeneca submitted a major amendment to the New Drug Application of Lynparza. The approval of the drug has been based on efficacy data from a single-arm, open-label phase II study in patients suffering from deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutated advanced cancer. Other Lynparza study data has also been taken into consideration.
AstraZeneca however mentioned in its press release that full review of data from either of two ongoing phase III studies (SOLO2 and SOLO3) is required to convert the current BRCA-mutated advanced ovarian cancer indication to a full approval. While results from the SOLO2 study are expected in 2015, results from SOLO3 are expected in 2019.
The U.S. approval of Lynparza comes close on the heels of the drug gaining EU approval. The drug was approved in the EU as a monotherapy for the maintenance treatment of adults suffering from platinum sensitive relapsed BRCA-mutated high grade serous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer, who are in complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy. Lynparza is a poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor.
Our Take
AstraZeneca has received several regulatory approvals over the last few months including Duaklir Genuair (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and Moventig (opioid-induced constipation). We note that AstraZeneca is under severe pressure from generic competition in key franchises.
A key product, Nexium, which generated more than 15% of AstraZeneca's total revenues last year, is also expected to go generic soon. The company's pipeline needs to deliver significantly to offset these losses.
AstraZeneca carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the healthcare sector include Amgen Inc. ( AMGN ), Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Amgen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Allergan and AbbVie hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the healthcare sector include Amgen Inc. ( AMGN ), Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Amgen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Allergan and AbbVie hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report ASTRAZENECA PLC (AZN): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Click to get this free report ASTRAZENECA PLC (AZN): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the healthcare sector include Amgen Inc. ( AMGN ), Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Amgen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Allergan and AbbVie hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). | Click to get this free report ASTRAZENECA PLC (AZN): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the healthcare sector include Amgen Inc. ( AMGN ), Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Amgen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Allergan and AbbVie hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). | Some better-ranked stocks in the healthcare sector include Amgen Inc. ( AMGN ), Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Amgen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Allergan and AbbVie hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report ASTRAZENECA PLC (AZN): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | b014a044-8f9d-47fb-bb37-ed84a03bf0fb |
27216.0 | 2014-12-21 00:00:00 UTC | Gilead Sciences, Inc. Gets Some Competition (but Not Really) | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/gilead-sciences-inc-gets-some-competition-not-really-2014-12-21 | nan | nan | So much for the potential price war in the hepatitis C market. For now, at least.
AbbVie gained Food and Drug Administration approval for its new hepatitis C cocktail, dubbed Viekira Pak, on Friday, and priced the regimen at $83,319 for the 12-week regimen. You'll recall that Gilead Sciences ' Harvoni is priced at $94,500 for a 12-week regimen.
But you said there wasn't a pricing war? $94,500 is quite a bit more than $83,319.
Some patients only have to take Harvoni for eight weeks. Since the drug is priced per pill, the cost to treat those patients is only $63,000, substantially less than Viekira Pak. If you take Gilead's estimation that about 45% of patients are eligible for the eight-week course, the average price for insurers is around $80,000, about the same cost as Viekira Pak.
Coincidence? I doubt it. AbbVie has always maintained that it didn't plan to compete on price.
Insurers could require patients eligible for eight-week Harvoni treatments to take Harvoni, and those who would take 12-week Harvoni to take Viekira Pak. If they did that, however, Gilead would just jack up the price of Harvoni so the eight-week treatment was around $80,000.
Can AbbVie win this game?
With cure rates in the mid-90% range for both regimens, it's hard to see doctors choosing Viekira Pak, which requires up to four pills in the morning and two in the evening, over Harvoni, which only requires one pill a day.
Drug compliance is a big issue, and it's certainly easier to take one pill than six. In fact, insurers might be willing to pay extra for Harvoni if they're convinced that the real-world cure rate is higher than Viekira Pak, reducing the number of patients requiring retreatment. We'll have to wait a little while for real-world efficacy, which tends to be lower than the efficacy seen in clinical-trials because clinical trials enroll patients who are more motivated to cure their disease.
The one place where AbbVie might be able to make inroads is in patients with cirrhosis of the liver who have failed previous treatment. Harvoni's label recommends that those patients receive 24 weeks of treatment, while Viekira Pak's label says that all treatment-experienced patients infected with genotype 1b virus, and some treatment-experienced patients infected with genotype 1a virus only, have to take Viekira Pak for 12 weeks.
Gilead is likely offering discounts to insurers for patients who have to take Harvoni for 24 weeks, so there may not be much of a financial benefit for insurers if they require Viekira Pak over Harvoni for patients with cirrhosis of the liver who have failed previous treatment. But from a compliance perspective, doctors may feel the trade-off of six versus one pill justifies not having to remember to take your pills for an additional three months. And patients may see a financial benefit from fewer copays.
Sticker price
Like the sticker price on a car, the list price for drugs is just a starting point for negotiations with insurers. IMS Health estimates that global sales grew by $194 billion from 2009-2013, but off-invoice rebates and discounts increased by $63 billion, tampering net growth by 32%.
AbbVie might have the advantage here since it has a larger arsenal of drugs to offer discounts on than Gilead does. We could see -- or not see, because discounts aren't really transparent to investors -- AbbVie bundling pricing of its megablockbuster Humira with Viekira Pak to get favorable insurance coverage.
Keep in mind that all of this is fluid. While AbbVie isn't willing to compete on price right now, if it has trouble gaining market share, the company can always discount Viekira Pak down the road.
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The article Gilead Sciences, Inc. Gets Some Competition (but Not Really) originally appeared on Fool.com.
Brian Orelli has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Gilead Sciences and owns shares of the company. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | While AbbVie isn't willing to compete on price right now, if it has trouble gaining market share, the company can always discount Viekira Pak down the road. AbbVie gained Food and Drug Administration approval for its new hepatitis C cocktail, dubbed Viekira Pak, on Friday, and priced the regimen at $83,319 for the 12-week regimen. AbbVie has always maintained that it didn't plan to compete on price. | AbbVie gained Food and Drug Administration approval for its new hepatitis C cocktail, dubbed Viekira Pak, on Friday, and priced the regimen at $83,319 for the 12-week regimen. AbbVie has always maintained that it didn't plan to compete on price. Can AbbVie win this game? | AbbVie gained Food and Drug Administration approval for its new hepatitis C cocktail, dubbed Viekira Pak, on Friday, and priced the regimen at $83,319 for the 12-week regimen. AbbVie has always maintained that it didn't plan to compete on price. Can AbbVie win this game? | AbbVie gained Food and Drug Administration approval for its new hepatitis C cocktail, dubbed Viekira Pak, on Friday, and priced the regimen at $83,319 for the 12-week regimen. AbbVie has always maintained that it didn't plan to compete on price. Can AbbVie win this game? | 7a25a531-bb04-4ea2-aade-4919e830826c |
27217.0 | 2014-12-19 00:00:00 UTC | Merck Up on OncoEthix Acquisition Deal, Oncology in Focus - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/merck-up-on-oncoethix-acquisition-deal-oncology-in-focus-analyst-blog-2014-12-19 | nan | nan | Merck & Co. Inc. ( MRK ) announced that it has acquired through a subsidiary, a privately held Swiss biotech company, OncoEthix, for up to $375 million. Merck's shares were up 2.3% following the announcement.
Under the terms of the deal, OncoEthix will be eligible to receive an upfront payment of $110 million. OncoEthix could further receive additional milestone payments of up to $265 million depending on the achievement of certain clinical and regulatory milestones.
How Will Merck Benefit?
The OncoEthix acquisition has added oncology candidate, OTX015, to Merck's pipeline. OTX015, a novel oral BET (bromodomain) inhibitor, is currently being evaluated in phase Ib studies for the treatment of hematological malignancies and advanced solid tumors.
Interim data from ongoing phase I studies on OTX015 have showed clinical activity in patients suffering from hematological malignancies.
Our Take
We believe that the OncoEthix acquisition is in line with Merck's strategy of strengthening its oncology portfolio. Merck's oncology pipeline currently includes Keytruda, which is being evaluated for different cancer types including bladder, colorectal and gastric among others.
Merck has for some time been looking to expand its long-term portfolio through acquisitions without losing its focus on the core areas of expertise. In August this year, Merck acquired HCV focused company Idenix Pharmaceuticals. Earlier this month, Merck announced its intention to acquire the antibiotic drug maker, Cubist Pharmaceuticals ( CBST ), and strengthen its hospital acute care portfolio.
Merck currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Cubist Pharmaceuticals. All three carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Cubist Pharmaceuticals. Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report CUBIST PHARM (CBST): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Merck & Co. Inc. ( MRK ) announced that it has acquired through a subsidiary, a privately held Swiss biotech company, OncoEthix, for up to $375 million. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Cubist Pharmaceuticals. Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report CUBIST PHARM (CBST): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report CUBIST PHARM (CBST): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Cubist Pharmaceuticals. Merck & Co. Inc. ( MRK ) announced that it has acquired through a subsidiary, a privately held Swiss biotech company, OncoEthix, for up to $375 million. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Cubist Pharmaceuticals. Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report CUBIST PHARM (CBST): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Merck & Co. Inc. ( MRK ) announced that it has acquired through a subsidiary, a privately held Swiss biotech company, OncoEthix, for up to $375 million. | 37de3db9-dd49-4c4c-998b-f021a14230c4 |
27218.0 | 2014-12-19 00:00:00 UTC | AstraZeneca's Lynparza Approved in EU for Ovarian Cancer - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/astrazenecas-lynparza-approved-in-eu-for-ovarian-cancer-analyst-blog-2014-12-19 | nan | nan | The European Commission (EC) approved AstraZeneca 's ( AZN ) Lynparza as a monotherapy for the maintenance treatment of adults suffering from platinum sensitive relapsed BRCA-mutated high grade serous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer, who are in complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy.
The approval of Lynparza in the EU does not come as a surprise as the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use gave a positive opinion on the approval of the drug in Oct 2014. Lynparza is the first PARP inhibitor to be approved in the European market for the treatment of platinum sensitive relapsed BRCA-mutated high grade serous ovarian cancer.
Our Take
We are encouraged by the approval of Lynparza. The product's fate was however not that good in the U.S. In Jun 2014, AstraZeneca announced that the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted against the approval of this oncology candidate (read more: AstraZeneca's Olaparib Fails to Impress FDA Panel).
We note that Clovis Oncology's ( CLVS ) rucaparib is another PARP inhibitor being developed for the treatment of platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer patients.
AstraZeneca received several regulatory approvals like Duaklir Genuair (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and Moventig (opioid-induced constipation), over the last few months. We note that AstraZeneca is under severe pressure as it is facing generic competition in several key franchises.
Moreover, another key product, Nexium, which generated more than 15% of AstraZeneca's total revenues last year, is expected to go generic soon. The company's pipeline needs to deliver significantly to offset these losses.
AstraZeneca carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). Both stocks hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report ASTRAZENECA PLC (AZN): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report CLOVIS ONCOLOGY (CLVS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. The European Commission (EC) approved AstraZeneca 's ( AZN ) Lynparza as a monotherapy for the maintenance treatment of adults suffering from platinum sensitive relapsed BRCA-mutated high grade serous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer, who are in complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy. | Click to get this free report ASTRAZENECA PLC (AZN): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report CLOVIS ONCOLOGY (CLVS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). The European Commission (EC) approved AstraZeneca 's ( AZN ) Lynparza as a monotherapy for the maintenance treatment of adults suffering from platinum sensitive relapsed BRCA-mutated high grade serous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer, who are in complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy. | Click to get this free report ASTRAZENECA PLC (AZN): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report CLOVIS ONCOLOGY (CLVS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). The European Commission (EC) approved AstraZeneca 's ( AZN ) Lynparza as a monotherapy for the maintenance treatment of adults suffering from platinum sensitive relapsed BRCA-mutated high grade serous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer, who are in complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report ASTRAZENECA PLC (AZN): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report CLOVIS ONCOLOGY (CLVS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. The approval of Lynparza in the EU does not come as a surprise as the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use gave a positive opinion on the approval of the drug in Oct 2014. | a34ab693-69a2-4aad-90e1-8b3f178a0bb7 |
27219.0 | 2014-12-18 00:00:00 UTC | NPS Pharmaceuticals and Shire Up on Takeover Rumors - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/nps-pharmaceuticals-and-shire-up-on-takeover-rumors-analyst-blog-2014-12-18 | nan | nan | NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( NPSP ) and Shire ( SHPG ) were up 18.5% and 3.1%, respectively, after a report from Bloomberg indicated that the latter is considering a potential acquisition of the former.
As per the Bloomberg report, the timing of a potential offer could depend on the FDA's decision on NPS Pharma's Natpara for hypoparathyroidism. The FDA's response is expected by Jan 24, 2015.
What's in it for Shire?
With the NPS Pharma acquisition, Shire can add Gattex/Revestive to its portfolio. The drug is indicated for treating adults with short bowel syndrome dependent on parenteral support. The product generated revenues of $28 million in the third quarter of 2014, representing a sequential increase of 28%. NPS Pharma expects 2014 Gattex/Revestive net sales to be on the lower end of its $100 million to $110 million guidance range.
Apart from Gattex/Revestive, Shire will also gain rights to Natpara. NPS Pharma is currently working on Natpara's label and Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy. Subject to approval, NPS Pharma intends to launch the drug in the U.S. in the second quarter of 2015.
We remind investors that AbbVie ( ABBV ) had agreed to acquire Shire for approximately £53.19 per Shire share (£24.44 in cash and 0.8960 ordinary shares of the merged company for each Shire share) in July this year. The deal was valued at approximately £32 billion. However, AbbVie subsequently terminated the planned acquisition of Shire in October on changes in tax rules (read more: AbbVie Drops Shire Deal, Announces Buyback, Ups Dividend ).
Our Take
We believe that the NPS Pharma acquisition will boost Shire's revenues and complement the company's gastrointestinal diseases portfolio.
The rumors about the potential acquisition of NPS Pharma by Shire have surfaced closely on the heels of the announcement of Merck & Co. Inc.'s ( MRK ) buyout offer of Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc. ( CBST ) earlier this month. The companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which the former will acquire the latter in a cash transaction valued at about $9.5 billion or $102 per share (read more: Cubist Shoots Up on $9.5 Billion Buyout Offer from Merck ).
As per the Bloomberg report, Shire is considering several potential takeover candidates including Cubist. With mergers and acquisitions heating up in the health care industry we expect to see a formal announcement from Shire in the near term.
NPS Pharma currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include Shire, AbbVie and Cubist. All hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | We remind investors that AbbVie ( ABBV ) had agreed to acquire Shire for approximately £53.19 per Shire share (£24.44 in cash and 0.8960 ordinary shares of the merged company for each Shire share) in July this year. However, AbbVie subsequently terminated the planned acquisition of Shire in October on changes in tax rules (read more: AbbVie Drops Shire Deal, Announces Buyback, Ups Dividend ). Better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include Shire, AbbVie and Cubist. | We remind investors that AbbVie ( ABBV ) had agreed to acquire Shire for approximately £53.19 per Shire share (£24.44 in cash and 0.8960 ordinary shares of the merged company for each Shire share) in July this year. Click to get this free report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report NPS PHARMA INC (NPSP): Free Stock Analysis Report CUBIST PHARM (CBST): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. However, AbbVie subsequently terminated the planned acquisition of Shire in October on changes in tax rules (read more: AbbVie Drops Shire Deal, Announces Buyback, Ups Dividend ). | We remind investors that AbbVie ( ABBV ) had agreed to acquire Shire for approximately £53.19 per Shire share (£24.44 in cash and 0.8960 ordinary shares of the merged company for each Shire share) in July this year. Click to get this free report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report NPS PHARMA INC (NPSP): Free Stock Analysis Report CUBIST PHARM (CBST): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. However, AbbVie subsequently terminated the planned acquisition of Shire in October on changes in tax rules (read more: AbbVie Drops Shire Deal, Announces Buyback, Ups Dividend ). | Better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include Shire, AbbVie and Cubist. We remind investors that AbbVie ( ABBV ) had agreed to acquire Shire for approximately £53.19 per Shire share (£24.44 in cash and 0.8960 ordinary shares of the merged company for each Shire share) in July this year. However, AbbVie subsequently terminated the planned acquisition of Shire in October on changes in tax rules (read more: AbbVie Drops Shire Deal, Announces Buyback, Ups Dividend ). | 2a309d57-0cdc-4d74-912c-8c8dd2a910e0 |
27220.0 | 2014-12-17 00:00:00 UTC | Better Big Pharma Spinoff: Zoetis Inc. or AbbVie Inc.? | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/better-big-pharma-spinoff-zoetis-inc-or-abbvie-inc-2014-12-17 | nan | nan | We're approaching two years after Abbott Labs spun off its pharmaceutical division AbbVie and a little less since Zoetis , Pfizer 's animal health division, separated from its patent company.
Seems like a good time to see which spinoff has performed better. Let's take a look at a couple of metrics.
Returns Winner: AbbVie
Measuring by stock price. AbbVie clearly wins. The following chart begins when Zoetis went public. AbbVie is up 98% since inception, more than double the 41% increase that the S&P 500 managed.
ABBV data by YCharts
Dividend Winner: AbbVie
AbbVie's dividend yield is 3%, substantially better than Zoetis' token 0.7% dividend. For now, AbbVie looks like the clear winner, but both companies have raised their dividend since going public, and Zoetis increased its dividend by 11%, compared with just a 5% increase for AbbVie.
The sustainability of the dividend is just as important as its current level. For that category AbbVie is leading, using 54% of its free cash flow through the first nine months of 2014 toward its dividend. Over the same time period, Zoetis used almost all of its free cash flow to pay its dividend, although that's partially because of large payments associated with the separation form Pfizer, which should go away.
Takeout Potential Winner: Zoetis
AbbVie is more likely to be a buyer than to be bought. In fact, it was planning on buying Shire until the U.S. took away the benefit of a tax inversion.
Zoetis, on the other hand, has been the rumor of a takeout by Bayer AG . There are definite advantages to being large in the animal health business, and being the largest company currently means any conglomerate that buys Zoetis will automatically be the largest animal health company, eliminating the top competition and distancing themselves from the rest of the pack.
While a buyout potential is never the best investment thesis because it's impossible to know if it'll come to fruition, the potential of a buyout shouldn't be dismissed either, because the possibility of a buyout will help support the share price.
Stability Winner: Zoetis
It's hard to get too excited about the growth potential of the animal health business compared to the potential for billion-dollar blockbuster prescription drugs. But with blockbuster growth comes blockbuster declines as drugs lose their exclusivity.
AbbVie is particularly at risk because its anti-inflammatory drug, Humira, made up 63% of net sales through the first nine months of the year. Biosimilar copycats are coming, and while they won't completely ravage sales like generic drugs typically do to small-molecule branded drugs, the competition will knock down sales.
Zoetis sells more than 300 different products, limiting the liability from competition that a single product might have. It's dominant position as the market leader also helps fend off competition.
Best bet?
While both companies are spinoffs from large pharmaceutical companies, their characteristics are quite different. If you'd like a company with the potential to produce substantial gains with a considerable amount of risk, then AbbVie is the way to go. Want boring but steady growth? Then Zoetis is a better bet.
Or maybe just buy both.
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The article Better Big Pharma Spinoff: Zoetis Inc. or AbbVie Inc.? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Brian Orelli and The Motley Fool have no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | We're approaching two years after Abbott Labs spun off its pharmaceutical division AbbVie and a little less since Zoetis , Pfizer 's animal health division, separated from its patent company. Returns Winner: AbbVie Measuring by stock price. AbbVie clearly wins. | ABBV data by YCharts Dividend Winner: AbbVie AbbVie's dividend yield is 3%, substantially better than Zoetis' token 0.7% dividend. Takeout Potential Winner: Zoetis AbbVie is more likely to be a buyer than to be bought. We're approaching two years after Abbott Labs spun off its pharmaceutical division AbbVie and a little less since Zoetis , Pfizer 's animal health division, separated from its patent company. | ABBV data by YCharts Dividend Winner: AbbVie AbbVie's dividend yield is 3%, substantially better than Zoetis' token 0.7% dividend. For now, AbbVie looks like the clear winner, but both companies have raised their dividend since going public, and Zoetis increased its dividend by 11%, compared with just a 5% increase for AbbVie. We're approaching two years after Abbott Labs spun off its pharmaceutical division AbbVie and a little less since Zoetis , Pfizer 's animal health division, separated from its patent company. | For now, AbbVie looks like the clear winner, but both companies have raised their dividend since going public, and Zoetis increased its dividend by 11%, compared with just a 5% increase for AbbVie. Takeout Potential Winner: Zoetis AbbVie is more likely to be a buyer than to be bought. We're approaching two years after Abbott Labs spun off its pharmaceutical division AbbVie and a little less since Zoetis , Pfizer 's animal health division, separated from its patent company. | ddd0fb05-cf07-4bfe-b249-d7e98764794f |
27221.0 | 2014-12-17 00:00:00 UTC | Novartis Successfully Expands Signifor Label in the U.S. - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/novartis-successfully-expands-signifor-label-in-the-u.s.-analyst-blog-2014-12-17 | nan | nan | Novartis 's ( NVS ) Signifor long-acting release (LAR) was approved in the U.S. for the treatment of patients suffering from acromegaly who have responded inadequately to surgery and/or for whom surgery is not an option. Signifor LAR is a next-generation somatostatin analog (SSA).
Signifor LAR enjoys orphan drug designation in the U.S. for the acromegaly indication. Last month, the drug was approved in the EU for the treatment of adults suffering from acromegaly for whom surgery is not an option or has not been curative. These patients were inadequately controlled on treatment with a first-generation SSA. Novartis is also seeking approval of Signifor LAR in the acromegaly indication in other countries.
As per the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases there are around 60 people out of a million suffering from acromegaly.
Signifor is already approved for the treatment of adults with Cushing's disease.
Our Take
We are encouraged by the label expansion of Signifor. Novartis also has Sandostatin in its portfolio approved for treating acromegaly.
Novartis has also progressed well with its pipeline over the last few quarters. The successful development and commercialization of the pipeline is important for Novartis as it faces generic competition for several key drugs such as Gleevec, Zometa and Diovan.
Novartis currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include Amgen Inc. ( AMGN ), AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Allergan Inc. ( AGN ). While Amgen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie and Allergan carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include Amgen Inc. ( AMGN ), AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Allergan Inc. ( AGN ). While Amgen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie and Allergan carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | While Amgen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie and Allergan carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include Amgen Inc. ( AMGN ), AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Allergan Inc. ( AGN ). | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include Amgen Inc. ( AMGN ), AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Allergan Inc. ( AGN ). While Amgen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie and Allergan carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). | While Amgen carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie and Allergan carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include Amgen Inc. ( AMGN ), AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Allergan Inc. ( AGN ). Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | 499c187b-efef-4000-b26f-9f59bb05a6ff |
27222.0 | 2014-12-17 00:00:00 UTC | Why NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Stock Lifted Off in Midday Trading | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/why-nps-pharmaceuticals-inc-stock-lifted-midday-trading-2014-12-17 | nan | nan | Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
What: Shares of NPS Pharmaceuticals , a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies to treat orphan diseases, rocketed higher by as much as 23% after once again becoming the talk of takeover rumors.
So what: According to a Bloomberg report released during the trading session, Ireland-based Shire is considering an offer for NPS Pharmaceuticals. Whether or not a bid would actually come to fruition will depend on whether or not Natpara, a hormone replacement therapy designed to treat hypoparathyroidism, is approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA is expected to make it decision on or before Jan. 24, 2015. If the drug is approved it'd launch in the second quarter and join Gattex (known as Revestive abroad), a small bowel syndrome therapy, as NPS' only approved drugs.
Now what: Keep in mind here that when AbbVie walked away from purchasing Shire in October for $55 billion due to a Congressional rule change in how tax inversions would be treated, it was required to pay a $1.6 billion deal breakup fee to Shire. Essentially, this $1.6 billion is free money for Shire, and its management team noted that it was looking forward to deploying this cash with the expressed intent of driving future growth. If Shire were able to pick up a company like NPS in the $4 billion range, the breakup fee, after taxes, would likely pick up around a third of the tab -- making the deal very affordable to Shire.
Furthermore, NPS' focus on orphan disease drugs means its portfolio is well-protected from generic competitors, and the price point for its therapies is relatively high. With few to no alternatives for a number of rare diseases, NPS' pricing power is expected to remain strong for the foreseeable future.
Of course, everything will depend on Natpara next month. But this is clearly a possible deal in the making that investors should monitor closely.
1 great healthcare stock to buy for 2015 and beyond
Healthcare stocks soared in 2014, and 2015 is shaping up to be another great year for stocks. But if you want to make sure you're buying one of the best healthcare stocks, you need to know where to start. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. To get the full story on this year's stock -- completely free -- simply click here .
The article Why NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Stock Lifted Off in Midday Trading originally appeared on Fool.com.
Sean Williams has no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen nameTMFUltraLong, track every pick he makes under the screen nameTrackUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle@TMFUltraLong.The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Now what: Keep in mind here that when AbbVie walked away from purchasing Shire in October for $55 billion due to a Congressional rule change in how tax inversions would be treated, it was required to pay a $1.6 billion deal breakup fee to Shire. What: Shares of NPS Pharmaceuticals , a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies to treat orphan diseases, rocketed higher by as much as 23% after once again becoming the talk of takeover rumors. Essentially, this $1.6 billion is free money for Shire, and its management team noted that it was looking forward to deploying this cash with the expressed intent of driving future growth. | Now what: Keep in mind here that when AbbVie walked away from purchasing Shire in October for $55 billion due to a Congressional rule change in how tax inversions would be treated, it was required to pay a $1.6 billion deal breakup fee to Shire. What: Shares of NPS Pharmaceuticals , a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies to treat orphan diseases, rocketed higher by as much as 23% after once again becoming the talk of takeover rumors. If Shire were able to pick up a company like NPS in the $4 billion range, the breakup fee, after taxes, would likely pick up around a third of the tab -- making the deal very affordable to Shire. | Now what: Keep in mind here that when AbbVie walked away from purchasing Shire in October for $55 billion due to a Congressional rule change in how tax inversions would be treated, it was required to pay a $1.6 billion deal breakup fee to Shire. If Shire were able to pick up a company like NPS in the $4 billion range, the breakup fee, after taxes, would likely pick up around a third of the tab -- making the deal very affordable to Shire. 1 great healthcare stock to buy for 2015 and beyond Healthcare stocks soared in 2014, and 2015 is shaping up to be another great year for stocks. | Now what: Keep in mind here that when AbbVie walked away from purchasing Shire in October for $55 billion due to a Congressional rule change in how tax inversions would be treated, it was required to pay a $1.6 billion deal breakup fee to Shire. If Shire were able to pick up a company like NPS in the $4 billion range, the breakup fee, after taxes, would likely pick up around a third of the tab -- making the deal very affordable to Shire. Furthermore, NPS' focus on orphan disease drugs means its portfolio is well-protected from generic competitors, and the price point for its therapies is relatively high. | acfae282-81af-4fe1-b8d0-74effcb95320 |
27223.0 | 2014-12-15 00:00:00 UTC | Novartis AG and Amgen Inc. Take Aim at Johnson & Johnson | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/novartis-ag-and-amgen-inc-take-aim-johnson-johnson-2014-12-15 | nan | nan | Source: Novartis
Novartis AG and Amgen have both recently reported data from late stage drug trials showing that each of their promising psoriasis drugs bested Johnson & Johnson 's top-selling Stelara. The positive results set the stage for potential FDA approvals that could mean a battle over market share next year.
First out of the gate
Psoriasis is a big money indication affecting as many as 125 million people worldwide. In the U.S. alone, as many as 7.5 million people suffer from the condition. As a result, drugs like Stelara post sales of about $2 billion annually. Additionally, billions of dollars more are spent treating psoriasis with other autoimmune drugs every year, including the planet's top selling drug last year, AbbVie 's Humira.
Since the patient population and resulting revenue from the indication is so big, developing new therapies to treat psoriasis has been a major focus of drugmakers like Novartis.
Thanks to positive phase 3 trial results versus Amgen's Enbrel, a leading psoriasis treatment with $1 billion in quarterly sales, Novartis' Cosentyx has already been sent to the FDA for approval. Last month, the FDA's advisory committee gave Cosentyx a universal nod for approval, clearing the way for an FDA decision in January.
Since the FDA usually sides with the advisory committee recommendation, there's a good chance that Cosentyx will get the FDA's official go-ahead. If so, Novartis' recent report that Cosentyx achieved statistically better results than Stelara in clearing at least 90% of symptoms from psoriasis patients provides another powerful marketing message for Novartis' sales team to deliver to doctors.
Fast on its heels
Eager to shore up its Enbrel psoriasis market share, Amgen has teamed up with AstraZeneca on brodalumab. During phase 3 trials, brodalumab reduced symptoms by 75% in 85% of patients. Those results outperformed J&J's Stelara, which reduced symptoms by a similar amount in about 69% of patients.
Those results are solid, but more compelling may be the fact that brodalumab achieved total clearance of symptoms in 44.4% of patients taking a 210 mg dose, compared to 21.7% of patients achieving total clearance while taking Stelara.
Now that Amgen has all the data on hand from its brodalumab late stage trials, Amgen will begin discussions with regulators over filing the drug for approval. If those discussions go well, then Amgen could submit the drug to the FDA next year, clearing the way for an FDA decision late next year or early in 2016.
Major shake up
Celgene won approval of its autoimmune drug for use in psoriasis patients in September, so existing therapies like J&J's Stelara are already facing competitive threats. However, those threats will increase if the FDA approves Novartis' Cosentyx in January. If regulators eventually approve brodalumab, then there's likely to be significant market share shifts among all the various psoriasis treatments by the end of 2016. Regardless, since Novartis' drug could hit the market in the first quarter, investors that would like exposure to autoimmune drugs may want to focus their attention on its shares, rather than Amgen's.
1 great health care stock to buy for 2015 and beyond
Healthcare stocks soared in 2014, and 2015 is shaping up to be another great year for stocks. But if you want to make sure you're buying one of the best health care stocks, you need to know where to start. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. To get the full story on this year's stock -- completely free -- simply click here .
The article Novartis AG and Amgen Inc. Take Aim at Johnson & Johnson originally appeared on Fool.com.
Todd Campbell is long Celgene.Todd owns E.B. Capital Markets, LLC. E.B. Capital's clients may or may not have positions in the companies mentioned. Todd owns Gundalow Advisors, LLC. Gundalow's clients do not have positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Celgene and Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool owns shares of Johnson & Johnson. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Additionally, billions of dollars more are spent treating psoriasis with other autoimmune drugs every year, including the planet's top selling drug last year, AbbVie 's Humira. Since the patient population and resulting revenue from the indication is so big, developing new therapies to treat psoriasis has been a major focus of drugmakers like Novartis. Thanks to positive phase 3 trial results versus Amgen's Enbrel, a leading psoriasis treatment with $1 billion in quarterly sales, Novartis' Cosentyx has already been sent to the FDA for approval. | Additionally, billions of dollars more are spent treating psoriasis with other autoimmune drugs every year, including the planet's top selling drug last year, AbbVie 's Humira. Source: Novartis Novartis AG and Amgen have both recently reported data from late stage drug trials showing that each of their promising psoriasis drugs bested Johnson & Johnson 's top-selling Stelara. Thanks to positive phase 3 trial results versus Amgen's Enbrel, a leading psoriasis treatment with $1 billion in quarterly sales, Novartis' Cosentyx has already been sent to the FDA for approval. | Additionally, billions of dollars more are spent treating psoriasis with other autoimmune drugs every year, including the planet's top selling drug last year, AbbVie 's Humira. Source: Novartis Novartis AG and Amgen have both recently reported data from late stage drug trials showing that each of their promising psoriasis drugs bested Johnson & Johnson 's top-selling Stelara. Thanks to positive phase 3 trial results versus Amgen's Enbrel, a leading psoriasis treatment with $1 billion in quarterly sales, Novartis' Cosentyx has already been sent to the FDA for approval. | Additionally, billions of dollars more are spent treating psoriasis with other autoimmune drugs every year, including the planet's top selling drug last year, AbbVie 's Humira. The positive results set the stage for potential FDA approvals that could mean a battle over market share next year. Thanks to positive phase 3 trial results versus Amgen's Enbrel, a leading psoriasis treatment with $1 billion in quarterly sales, Novartis' Cosentyx has already been sent to the FDA for approval. | aecc9b3d-46bc-4d29-866f-7811d6496c70 |
27224.0 | 2014-12-15 00:00:00 UTC | 3 Healthcare Stocks to Watch in 2015 | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/3-healthcare-stocks-watch-2015-2014-12-15 | nan | nan | The big question that'll be answered in 2015, assuming an FDA approval, is how AbbVie's direct-acting antiviral combo will compete against Gilead's drugs. The price for AbbVie's combo and the launch of the drug has Wall Street and investors intrigued. Gilead's Sovaldi and Harvoni come with price tags of $1,000 per pill and $1,125 per pill, respectively, causing the uninsured and most insurance companies to cringe in horror. If AbbVie's combo is markedly cheaper than Gilead's two HCV drugs, it's possible that AbbVie's launch could outpace even Sovaldi's.
Don't get me wrong, I believe there's plenty of room for Gilead, AbbVie, and even a handful of additional players to enter the HCV space and succeed . But, the wild card here is the pharmacy-benefits managers which ultimately have a say as to whether or not Gilead's HCV drugs remain on the preferred coverage list. You could certainly say Gilead and AbbVie are both healthcare stocks to watch in 2015, but my eyes are squarely on AbbVie, as it could be a stellar or thoroughly disappointing year.
1 great healthcare stock to buy for 2015 and beyond
Healthcare stocks soared in 2014, and 2015 is shaping up to be another great year for stocks. But if you want to make sure you're buying one of the best healthcare stocks, you need to know where to start. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. To get the full story on this year's stock -- completely free -- simply click here .
The article 3 Healthcare Stocks to Watch in 2015 originally appeared on Fool.com.
Sean Williams owns shares of Exelixis, but has no material interest in any other companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen nameTMFUltraLong, track every pick he makes under the screen nameTrackUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle@TMFUltraLong.The Motley Fool owns shares of, and recommends Gilead Sciences. It also recommends Exelixis. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | The big question that'll be answered in 2015, assuming an FDA approval, is how AbbVie's direct-acting antiviral combo will compete against Gilead's drugs. Don't get me wrong, I believe there's plenty of room for Gilead, AbbVie, and even a handful of additional players to enter the HCV space and succeed . The price for AbbVie's combo and the launch of the drug has Wall Street and investors intrigued. | The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. The big question that'll be answered in 2015, assuming an FDA approval, is how AbbVie's direct-acting antiviral combo will compete against Gilead's drugs. The price for AbbVie's combo and the launch of the drug has Wall Street and investors intrigued. | You could certainly say Gilead and AbbVie are both healthcare stocks to watch in 2015, but my eyes are squarely on AbbVie, as it could be a stellar or thoroughly disappointing year. The big question that'll be answered in 2015, assuming an FDA approval, is how AbbVie's direct-acting antiviral combo will compete against Gilead's drugs. The price for AbbVie's combo and the launch of the drug has Wall Street and investors intrigued. | If AbbVie's combo is markedly cheaper than Gilead's two HCV drugs, it's possible that AbbVie's launch could outpace even Sovaldi's. The big question that'll be answered in 2015, assuming an FDA approval, is how AbbVie's direct-acting antiviral combo will compete against Gilead's drugs. The price for AbbVie's combo and the launch of the drug has Wall Street and investors intrigued. | 7b2f22f6-f39a-49b2-abf0-1695248b5bfe |
27225.0 | 2014-12-15 00:00:00 UTC | Could the World's Top-Selling Drug Be Toppled? | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/could-worlds-top-selling-drug-be-toppled-2014-12-15 | nan | nan | You might not have heard it, but a warning shot was just fired over the bow of the world's biggest-selling drug.
AbbVie 's Humira generated sales of nearly $10.7 billion in 2013, securing it the No. 1 spot among all prescription drugs sold. However, last week brought news of the entrance of a new rival. Could Humira be in jeopardy of losing its place at the top?
Gilead Sciences appears to be on track to at least come close to toppling Humira with its hepatitis-C drug Sovaldi. During the first nine months of 2014, Sovaldi generated revenue of over $8.5 billion. Sales for Humira came in just shy of $9.2 million for the same period.
Sovaldi's successor, Harvoni, might have an even better shot at capturing the lead from Humira. Harvoni combines Sovaldi with another Gilead drug, ledipasvir, in a single-pill regimen that doesn't require the patient to also take interferon.
AbbVie expects its own hepatitis-C combo to receive FDA approval soon. If the company prices its product below the hefty $94,500 cost of a 12-week regimen for Harvoni, payers could give their own nods of approval to AbbVie. However, Harvoni presents a formidable opponent with its convenience and efficacy.
Warning signs?
Do potential threats to Humira's ranking lessen AbbVie's attractiveness as an investment option? For now, the answer is a resounding no.
Granted, the blockbuster drug accounts for nearly two-thirds of AbbVie's total sales. If Humira's sales dropped, AbbVie would feel the pain. But they're not declining. Instead, Humira's revenue increased almost 18% year over year last quarter. The launch of a biosimilar in India isn't going to make a dent in this momentum.
And even if Gilead continues its dominance with Sovaldi and Harvoni (which it probably will), AbbVie should experience a fair share of success in the hep-C market. There's room for multiple products to rake in big bucks.
Over a longer horizon, AbbVie's future is a bit murky. Eventual competition from biosimilar versions of Humira in the U.S. and Europe will take their toll on the company's stock. Warning shots over the bow don't do any actual damage, though. AbbVie should keep on sailing ahead for several years to come.
1 great healthcare stock to buy for 2015 and beyond
Healthcare stocks soared in 2014, and 2015 is shaping up to be another great year for stocks. But if you want to make sure you're buying one of the best healthcare stocks, you need to know where to start. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. To get the full story on this year's stock -- completely free -- simply click here .
The article Could the World's Top-Selling Drug Be Toppled? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Keith Speights owns shares of Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool recommends Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | If the company prices its product below the hefty $94,500 cost of a 12-week regimen for Harvoni, payers could give their own nods of approval to AbbVie. AbbVie 's Humira generated sales of nearly $10.7 billion in 2013, securing it the No. AbbVie expects its own hepatitis-C combo to receive FDA approval soon. | The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. AbbVie 's Humira generated sales of nearly $10.7 billion in 2013, securing it the No. AbbVie expects its own hepatitis-C combo to receive FDA approval soon. | AbbVie 's Humira generated sales of nearly $10.7 billion in 2013, securing it the No. AbbVie expects its own hepatitis-C combo to receive FDA approval soon. If the company prices its product below the hefty $94,500 cost of a 12-week regimen for Harvoni, payers could give their own nods of approval to AbbVie. | AbbVie 's Humira generated sales of nearly $10.7 billion in 2013, securing it the No. AbbVie expects its own hepatitis-C combo to receive FDA approval soon. If the company prices its product below the hefty $94,500 cost of a 12-week regimen for Harvoni, payers could give their own nods of approval to AbbVie. | 2533eee9-f53e-4b6e-a0c0-733f8e4261b0 |
27226.0 | 2014-12-13 00:00:00 UTC | Why I'm Not Short Gilead Sciences, Inc. | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/why-im-not-short-gilead-sciences-inc-2014-12-13 | nan | nan | Source: Gilead Sciences via Google Maps
Shares in Gilead Sciences have moved significantly higher in the past year as investor enthusiasm surrounding its next-generation hepatitis C drugs has swelled. That enthusiasm, however, may soon get dented by a competitive threat from AbbVie , the global drug powerhouse behind the top-selling autoimmune drug Humira. AbbVie's plans to roll out its own hepatitis C drug cocktail soon could mean that it will win away billions of dollars in market share from Gilead Sciences next year. While that could mean less revenue for Gilead Sciences, I'm not willing to bet against the company for these three reasons.
1. Envy-inspiring product lineup
Few drugmakers offer as robust a drug franchise as Gilead Sciences. The company is the market share leading maker of HIV therapies, and those therapies are on target to deliver more than $10 billion in sales this year. Gilead Sciences shored up its HIV franchise years ago by ushering along a slate of multi-drug combination therapies designed to reduce the pill burden on HIV patients, and none has been more successful than Atripla, which combines Gilead Sciences' Viread and Emtriva with Merck 's Sustiva and has generated $2.5 billion in sales through the first nine months of this year. In addition to Atripla, Gilead Sciences also markets the fast-growing combination therapies Complera and Stribild. Sales of Complera and Stribild are up 61% and 142% year over year through the first three quarters of this year, and both are on pace to eclipse $1 billion in sales this year.
Gilead Sciences' HIV products offer plenty of shareholder friendly cash flow, but it's the company's hepatitis C drugs, Sovaldi and Harvoni, that are getting most of the attention this year. Sovaldi has generated more than $8.5 billion in sales through September; the FDA's approval of Harvoni in October has many analysts estimating that it will post similar numbers next year.
Despite the potential competition from AbbVie, Harvoni is likely to remain the most widely prescribed medicine for hepatitis C. Harvoni eliminates the side-effect laden, prior-generation drugs peginterferon and ribavirin, while some of AbbVie's patients may still need to take ribavirin. Additionally, Harvoni offers an arguably better dosing schedule (one pill daily rather than three pills daily) and a shorter treatment period for some (as little as eight weeks versus 12 weeks for AbbVie's cocktail). As a result, many doctors may stick to prescribing Harvoni.
In addition to Gilead Sciences HIV and hepatitis C drugs, the company also markets two cardiovascular therapies. The first is Letairis, which is used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension and posted sales of $146 million last quarter; and the second is Ranexa, which is used to treat chronic chest pain and had sales of $132 million in the third quarter.
Source: Gilead Sciences
2. Plenty of pipeline promise
In addition to its compelling products, Gilead Sciences research and development department is working on a host of intriguing therapies that could support future revenue growth.
One of the company's recent successes is tenofovir alafenamide, or TAF, a new formulation of the company's top selling Viread that could reduce risks of kidney toxicity. TAF not only offers patients a better safety profile, but gives Gilead more patent protection because Viread was set to lose patent protection in 2018, but TAF has patent protection until at least 2022.
Gilead Sciences is also researching the next generation of hepatitis C drugs, including a combination of Sovaldi and GS-5816 that aims to offer high cure rates across even the toughest to cure hepatitis C genotypes. Additionally, Gilead Sciences is researching drugs that address cancer and cardiovascular disease.
3. Rock-solid financials
Thanks to strong sales of its HIV and hepatitis C drugs, Gilead Sciences is in a very strong financial position. The company's total current assets (cash and cash-like) total $12.5 billion in Q3, up from $7.27 billion last December. Since the company's short-term liabilities are smaller than its current assets, it has plenty of firepower to invest back into research or make acquisitions.
Gilead Sciences' balance sheet is likely to improve even more in 2015 as sales continue to fuel cash, but that's not the only reason to avoid shorting shares. The company is also arguably inexpensive. Analysts estimate that Gilead Sciences will earn $10.06 per share next year, up 27% from 2014, and that means the company's forward price to earnings ratio is just 10.5. Shares also appear attractive based on a PEG ratio, which takes into consideration price, earnings, and earnings growth, of just 0.53. Typically, ratios below one are considered to be attractive.
Taking the long view
Investors should be particularly cautious of shorting stocks simply because they are near new highs or because of perceived competitive risks. Even the best companies will face obstacles, and Gilead Sciences isn't an exception, but great companies often find ways to overcome those inevitable hurdles. Since Gilead Sciences doesn't rely solely on its hepatitis C drugs, where AbbVie will make its challenge, and the company boasts a solid pipeline, and is on solid financial footing, long-term investors may find that it makes sense to give the company the benefit of the doubt, rather than bet on it failing.
1 great healthcare stock to buy for 2015 and beyond
Healthcare stocks soared in 2014, and 2015 is shaping up to be another great year for stocks. But if you want to make sure you're buying one of the best healthcare stocks, you need to know where to start. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. To get the full story on this year's stock -- completely free -- simply click here .
The article Why I'm Not Short Gilead Sciences, Inc. originally appeared on Fool.com.
Todd Campbell owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Todd owns E.B. Capital Markets, LLC. E.B. Capital's clients may or may not have positions in the companies mentioned. Todd owns Gundalow Advisors, LLC. Gundalow's clients do not have positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | AbbVie's plans to roll out its own hepatitis C drug cocktail soon could mean that it will win away billions of dollars in market share from Gilead Sciences next year. That enthusiasm, however, may soon get dented by a competitive threat from AbbVie , the global drug powerhouse behind the top-selling autoimmune drug Humira. Despite the potential competition from AbbVie, Harvoni is likely to remain the most widely prescribed medicine for hepatitis C. Harvoni eliminates the side-effect laden, prior-generation drugs peginterferon and ribavirin, while some of AbbVie's patients may still need to take ribavirin. | That enthusiasm, however, may soon get dented by a competitive threat from AbbVie , the global drug powerhouse behind the top-selling autoimmune drug Humira. AbbVie's plans to roll out its own hepatitis C drug cocktail soon could mean that it will win away billions of dollars in market share from Gilead Sciences next year. Despite the potential competition from AbbVie, Harvoni is likely to remain the most widely prescribed medicine for hepatitis C. Harvoni eliminates the side-effect laden, prior-generation drugs peginterferon and ribavirin, while some of AbbVie's patients may still need to take ribavirin. | Since Gilead Sciences doesn't rely solely on its hepatitis C drugs, where AbbVie will make its challenge, and the company boasts a solid pipeline, and is on solid financial footing, long-term investors may find that it makes sense to give the company the benefit of the doubt, rather than bet on it failing. That enthusiasm, however, may soon get dented by a competitive threat from AbbVie , the global drug powerhouse behind the top-selling autoimmune drug Humira. AbbVie's plans to roll out its own hepatitis C drug cocktail soon could mean that it will win away billions of dollars in market share from Gilead Sciences next year. | AbbVie's plans to roll out its own hepatitis C drug cocktail soon could mean that it will win away billions of dollars in market share from Gilead Sciences next year. That enthusiasm, however, may soon get dented by a competitive threat from AbbVie , the global drug powerhouse behind the top-selling autoimmune drug Humira. Despite the potential competition from AbbVie, Harvoni is likely to remain the most widely prescribed medicine for hepatitis C. Harvoni eliminates the side-effect laden, prior-generation drugs peginterferon and ribavirin, while some of AbbVie's patients may still need to take ribavirin. | ccf7938d-ff78-4763-ad26-406d36ce3ace |
27227.0 | 2014-12-13 00:00:00 UTC | Can These Top Dividend-Paying Stocks Soar in 2015? | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/can-these-top-dividend-paying-stocks-soar-2015-2014-12-13 | nan | nan | Searching for the top dividend paying stocks is easy. Use any screening tool -- The Motley Fool has one here -- and search for dividend yields above a certain threshold.
But any experienced investor knows there's more to a dividend-paying stock than its yield. Dividend yields are often high because the share price has sunk because investors aren't confident the payout can be sustained.
Rather than characterizing the top dividend-paying stocks as those with the highest yield, let's define them as stocks that can provide the best return -- dividend yield plus growth in share price -- to give us healthy companies with strong cash flow that can help raise the dividend in the future.
Here are three healthcare stocks I believe fit the bill and should do well in 2015 and beyond.
Top dividend-paying stock: Johnson & Johnson
You really can't go wrong with this Dividend Aristocrat, which has raised its dividend annually for the last 52 years.
Admittedly, the dividend yield has been higher than the 2.6% it currently sports -- and those were often good times to buy.
JNJ data by YCharts .
But Johnson & Johnson's prospects still look healthy even with the company's stocktrading near its all-time high. There are certain advantages of scale that come with being a large company. For example, it's easier to expand margins when costs are dispersed across a larger revenue stream.
Of course, conglomerates can also develop wasteful spending that is hard to root out due to the layers of bureaucracy. Johnson & Johnson has done a pretty good job of avoiding that problem by giving its business units a bit of autonomy, including separate names. The company's drug unit, for example, goes by the name Jansen. The separation also allows the units to be evaluated independently, and Johnson & Johnson is known for selling units that aren't performing well.
Top dividend-paying stock: Abbott Labs
Both Abbott and its pharma spin-off, AbbVie , offer a dividend, but I believe Abbott is the betterdividend stock, despite AbbVie having the larger yield.
The spin-off relies heavily on one product, anti-inflammatory drug Humira, which provided 62% of AbbVie's sales in the third quarter. There's potential for diversification into hepatitis C, but AbbVie would face stiff competition from Gilead Sciences .
Abbott, on the other hand, is more diversified. What's left after the spin-off is a nutrition business -- baby formula, sports bars, and the like -- diagnostics, medical devices, and branded generic drugs that Abbott sells internationally.
Nutrition, which is Abbott's largest division, grew 9.3% year over year in the third quarter thanks to strong international sales. Branded generics, the smallest of the divisions, grew 11.5% year over year. Overall sales were up 5.8%, which is nothing to get too excited about, but it's solid growth that can provide a nice increasing dividend for years to come.
Top dividend-paying stock: Amgen
Amgen is the only big biotech to offer a dividend. It's a sure sign the company's growth has slowed, but at least it isn't hoarding cash.
There's talk of the company splitting into two, spinning off its research and development-intensive growth products. That could be a good value-creating opportunity. When two parts of a company are growing at different rates, the faster-growing one tends to get a lower valuation than it would on its own.
Obviously, the dividend would stay with the more established businesses, but dividend investors could just sell the spin-off if they weren't interested in owning that portion.
If the company stays as one -- and management has said that is its preference -- the quick value creation won't happen, but investors looking at Amgen specifically for its dividend might be better off, as the new drugs can help fund the dividend.
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Brian Orelli has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Gilead Sciences and Johnson & Johnson and owns shares of both companies. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | The spin-off relies heavily on one product, anti-inflammatory drug Humira, which provided 62% of AbbVie's sales in the third quarter. Top dividend-paying stock: Abbott Labs Both Abbott and its pharma spin-off, AbbVie , offer a dividend, but I believe Abbott is the betterdividend stock, despite AbbVie having the larger yield. There's potential for diversification into hepatitis C, but AbbVie would face stiff competition from Gilead Sciences . | Top dividend-paying stock: Abbott Labs Both Abbott and its pharma spin-off, AbbVie , offer a dividend, but I believe Abbott is the betterdividend stock, despite AbbVie having the larger yield. The spin-off relies heavily on one product, anti-inflammatory drug Humira, which provided 62% of AbbVie's sales in the third quarter. There's potential for diversification into hepatitis C, but AbbVie would face stiff competition from Gilead Sciences . | Top dividend-paying stock: Abbott Labs Both Abbott and its pharma spin-off, AbbVie , offer a dividend, but I believe Abbott is the betterdividend stock, despite AbbVie having the larger yield. The spin-off relies heavily on one product, anti-inflammatory drug Humira, which provided 62% of AbbVie's sales in the third quarter. There's potential for diversification into hepatitis C, but AbbVie would face stiff competition from Gilead Sciences . | Top dividend-paying stock: Abbott Labs Both Abbott and its pharma spin-off, AbbVie , offer a dividend, but I believe Abbott is the betterdividend stock, despite AbbVie having the larger yield. The spin-off relies heavily on one product, anti-inflammatory drug Humira, which provided 62% of AbbVie's sales in the third quarter. There's potential for diversification into hepatitis C, but AbbVie would face stiff competition from Gilead Sciences . | 6316d684-1b44-47f0-b9bc-a29374337cf7 |
27228.0 | 2014-12-11 00:00:00 UTC | Shire Updates on Pipeline at Research & Development Day - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/shire-updates-on-pipeline-at-research-development-day-analyst-blog-2014-12-11 | nan | nan | Shire plc ( SHPG ) hosted its research and development (R&D) Day and provided key updates on its pipeline.
The company announced that it has collaborated with the non-profit drug discovery and development affiliate of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Inc., to support its messenger RNA Technology platform for cystic fibrosis.
Shire's pipeline progress looks interesting at this stage. It announced that its pipeline ophthalmology candidate, SHP607, a protein replacement therapy being developed for the prevention of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), has received Fast Track designation from the FDA.
This designation expedites the development and review of drugs to treat serious diseases.
We note that SHP607 is currently in a phase II study to compare the severity of ROP among treatment-experienced patients compared to an untreated control population matched for gestational age. Data from this study are expected in the second half of 2015.
Meanwhile, Shire expects to file a new drug application for ophthalmology candidate lifitegrast. The candidate is being evaluated for the treatment of signs and symptoms of dry eye disease in the first quarter of 2015. Shire is also conducting a phase III study to evaluate the safety and efficacy study (OPUS-3) for a potential approval in the U.S. and international markets.
The company has also completed enrollment of patients in a phase II registration study on SHP625 in pediatric patients suffering from Alagille Syndrome (ALGS) and expects to report top-line results from this study in the first half of 2015. Shire also has four other phase II/III pediatric studies ongoing in patients suffering from ALGS. It is also conducting a phase II study in pediatric patients with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis.
Shire has also completed enrollment in a phase II study among adult patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and plans to report the top-line results in the first half of 2015.
On the other hand, the company submitted its investigational new drug application for SHP626 in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis with the FDA in Nov 2014. Shire now plans to initiate a phase IB multiple-dose study in the first quarter of 2015.
Shire is currently developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drug Vyvanse for additional indications such as binge eating disorder. It has received a priority review for its supplemental new drug application on Vyvanse from the FDA. A final decision is expected by Feb 2015.
We remind investors that Shire had repositioned its business in 2013, undertaking a realignment program with strategic focus on rare diseases and greater operational discipline. With an aim to reduce overlap, the company has merged three of its autonomous divisions into a single one to drive growth and innovation.
With AbbVie ( ABBV ) terminating its acquisition offer in Oct 2014, we expect Shire to focus on its existing drugs and pipeline. The company expects pipeline candidates to contribute approximately $3 billion in product sales by 2020. We believe the company's efforts to build a leaner organization with better focus on rare diseases should lead to improved margins.
Shire currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Investors interested in the health care sector may consider better-ranked stocks like Valeant Pharmaceuticals ( VRX ) and Sucampo Pharmaceuticals Inc ( SCMP ), both carrying a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | With AbbVie ( ABBV ) terminating its acquisition offer in Oct 2014, we expect Shire to focus on its existing drugs and pipeline. Click to get this free report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report VALEANT PHARMA (VRX): Free Stock Analysis Report SUCAMPO PHARMAC (SCMP): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. It announced that its pipeline ophthalmology candidate, SHP607, a protein replacement therapy being developed for the prevention of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), has received Fast Track designation from the FDA. | Click to get this free report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report VALEANT PHARMA (VRX): Free Stock Analysis Report SUCAMPO PHARMAC (SCMP): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. With AbbVie ( ABBV ) terminating its acquisition offer in Oct 2014, we expect Shire to focus on its existing drugs and pipeline. The company has also completed enrollment of patients in a phase II registration study on SHP625 in pediatric patients suffering from Alagille Syndrome (ALGS) and expects to report top-line results from this study in the first half of 2015. | Click to get this free report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report VALEANT PHARMA (VRX): Free Stock Analysis Report SUCAMPO PHARMAC (SCMP): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. With AbbVie ( ABBV ) terminating its acquisition offer in Oct 2014, we expect Shire to focus on its existing drugs and pipeline. The company has also completed enrollment of patients in a phase II registration study on SHP625 in pediatric patients suffering from Alagille Syndrome (ALGS) and expects to report top-line results from this study in the first half of 2015. | With AbbVie ( ABBV ) terminating its acquisition offer in Oct 2014, we expect Shire to focus on its existing drugs and pipeline. Click to get this free report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report VALEANT PHARMA (VRX): Free Stock Analysis Report SUCAMPO PHARMAC (SCMP): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Meanwhile, Shire expects to file a new drug application for ophthalmology candidate lifitegrast. | 8cc09fa2-9030-4fbe-932d-49d81004ae8e |
27229.0 | 2014-12-11 00:00:00 UTC | Why Gilead Sciences and AbbVie Care About This Tiny Company | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/why-gilead-sciences-and-abbvie-care-about-tiny-company-2014-12-11 | nan | nan | Shortening treatment durations
Achillion is working on an adjunct therapy, ACH-3102, that can be used alongside Sovaldi to limit treatment to eight weeks or less.
During a small phase 2 trial, Achillion reported that combining ACH-3102 and Sovaldi cleared the disease in 100% of patients who received the drugs for eight weeks. That matches up nicely against Gilead's Harvoni.
Harvoni can be used for as little as eight weeks in about 40% of patients. To qualify, patients must not have been previously treated, must not have liver disease, and must have viral loads of hepatitis C that are below 6 million IU/mL.
This last requirement is particularly important to investors; nine of the 12 people who were functionally cured by ACH-3102 and Sovaldi had viral loads greater than 6 million IU/mL. That means ACH-3102 could conceivably shorten treatment duration to eight weeks for far more people than Harvoni.
That news must have captured AbbVie's attention, too. AbbVie's cocktail, which should get a yes or no decision from the FDA on Dec. 21, is dosed for 12 weeks. If Achillion's study results in larger trials show patients can be cured over a far shorter period than AbbVie can offer, then any potential market share AbbVie captures could prove be short-lived.
Possibly, even shorter
Based on its success in treating patients over an eight-week period, Achillion is studying a six-week treatment regiment for ACH-3102 and Sovaldi. Results are expected before year-end, and if they're positive, then it could ultimately be Achillion, not AbbVie, that poses a bigger threat to Gilead Sciences' Harvoni.
1 great health care stock to buy for 2015 and beyond
Healthcare stocks soared in 2014, and 2015 is shaping up to be another great year for stocks. But if you want to make sure you're buying one of the best health care stocks, you need to know where to start. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. To get the full story on this year's stock -- completely free -- simply click here .
The article Why Gilead Sciences and AbbVie Care About This Tiny Company originally appeared on Fool.com.
Todd Campbell owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Todd owns E.B. Capital Markets, LLC. E.B. Capital's clients may or may not have positions in the companies mentioned. Todd owns Gundalow Advisors, LLC. Gundalow's clients do not have positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Gilead Sciences and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | That news must have captured AbbVie's attention, too. AbbVie's cocktail, which should get a yes or no decision from the FDA on Dec. 21, is dosed for 12 weeks. If Achillion's study results in larger trials show patients can be cured over a far shorter period than AbbVie can offer, then any potential market share AbbVie captures could prove be short-lived. | If Achillion's study results in larger trials show patients can be cured over a far shorter period than AbbVie can offer, then any potential market share AbbVie captures could prove be short-lived. That news must have captured AbbVie's attention, too. AbbVie's cocktail, which should get a yes or no decision from the FDA on Dec. 21, is dosed for 12 weeks. | If Achillion's study results in larger trials show patients can be cured over a far shorter period than AbbVie can offer, then any potential market share AbbVie captures could prove be short-lived. Results are expected before year-end, and if they're positive, then it could ultimately be Achillion, not AbbVie, that poses a bigger threat to Gilead Sciences' Harvoni. That news must have captured AbbVie's attention, too. | Results are expected before year-end, and if they're positive, then it could ultimately be Achillion, not AbbVie, that poses a bigger threat to Gilead Sciences' Harvoni. That news must have captured AbbVie's attention, too. AbbVie's cocktail, which should get a yes or no decision from the FDA on Dec. 21, is dosed for 12 weeks. | e49c910b-b0f5-4e39-9333-18a7e20403be |
27230.0 | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC | Incyte (INCY) Gains on Positive Baricitinib Study Results - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/incyte-incy-gains-on-positive-baricitinib-study-results-analyst-blog-2014-12-10 | nan | nan | Incyte Corporation ( INCY ) and partner, Eli Lilly and Company ( LLY ), announced encouraging results from the phase III RA-BEACON study (n=527) on baricitinib. Incyte's shares were up 2.2% on the news.
The study evaluated baricitinib in patients suffering from moderately-to-severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) having previously failed one or more tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors and who were on stable doses of conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (cDMARD) therapy. The company expects to present detail data from the study in 2015.
Lilly and Incyte are expecting results from additional phase III studies in 2015 on baricitinib in RA patients including those who have inadequately responded to conventional DMARDs and those with earlier stage disease. Moreover, the companies are evaluating the safety and efficacy of the candidate in an extensive phase III program in people suffering from RA (n>3000).
Incyte and Eli Lilly are also developing baricitinib for the treatment of psoriasis and diabetic nephropathy in phase II studies.
Our Take
We are encouraged by the positive results from the RA-BEACON study. The successful development of its pipeline candidates is crucial for Incyte which is primarily dependent on Jakafi. However, competition is stiff in the RA market given the presence of treatments like AbbVie Inc.'s ( ABBV ) Humira among others.
Jakafi is approved for the treatment of patients suffering from intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis (MF), including primary MF, post-polycythemia vera MF and post-essential thrombocythemia MF.
Incyte currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). A better-ranked stock in the health care sector is Biogen Idec Inc. ( BIIB ) carrying a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | However, competition is stiff in the RA market given the presence of treatments like AbbVie Inc.'s ( ABBV ) Humira among others. Click to get this free report LILLY ELI & CO (LLY): Free Stock Analysis Report INCYTE CORP (INCY): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Incyte Corporation ( INCY ) and partner, Eli Lilly and Company ( LLY ), announced encouraging results from the phase III RA-BEACON study (n=527) on baricitinib. | Click to get this free report LILLY ELI & CO (LLY): Free Stock Analysis Report INCYTE CORP (INCY): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. However, competition is stiff in the RA market given the presence of treatments like AbbVie Inc.'s ( ABBV ) Humira among others. Incyte Corporation ( INCY ) and partner, Eli Lilly and Company ( LLY ), announced encouraging results from the phase III RA-BEACON study (n=527) on baricitinib. | Click to get this free report LILLY ELI & CO (LLY): Free Stock Analysis Report INCYTE CORP (INCY): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. However, competition is stiff in the RA market given the presence of treatments like AbbVie Inc.'s ( ABBV ) Humira among others. Incyte Corporation ( INCY ) and partner, Eli Lilly and Company ( LLY ), announced encouraging results from the phase III RA-BEACON study (n=527) on baricitinib. | Click to get this free report LILLY ELI & CO (LLY): Free Stock Analysis Report INCYTE CORP (INCY): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. However, competition is stiff in the RA market given the presence of treatments like AbbVie Inc.'s ( ABBV ) Humira among others. Incyte Corporation ( INCY ) and partner, Eli Lilly and Company ( LLY ), announced encouraging results from the phase III RA-BEACON study (n=527) on baricitinib. | 607491db-bece-495b-9efb-d6095cfa1f9a |
27231.0 | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC | Roche (RHHBY) Presents Positive Data on Haemophilia Drug - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/roche-rhhby-presents-positive-data-on-haemophilia-drug-analyst-blog-2014-12-10 | nan | nan | Roche ( RHHBY ) announced data on its pipeline candidate ACE910 at the 56th American Society of Hematology.
ACE910 is an antibody therapy being evaluated for treating haemophilia A patients.
Roche reported results from a phase I study on ACE910 wherein it was observed that once-weekly subcutaneous administration of ACE910 was well tolerated and showed a promising efficacy profile in hemophilia A patients.
The objectives of the phase I study were to assess the safety and efficacy of ACE910 in this patient group, as well as the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the candidate.
Additionally, results showed that ACE910 significantly reduced the annualized bleeding rate during treatment, compared to the same in the six-month period prior to study enrollment.
Moreover, ACE910 was effective in reducing the rate of bleeding in spite of the presence of blood clotting factor VIII in the patient's blood.
Hence, Roche plans to move the candidate into advanced clinical trials in 2015 based on final results from the phase I study.
We are encouraged by Roche's performance so far in 2014. The oncology portfolio looks solid as ever and we expect further traction. We are also impressed by the company's efforts to grow its portfolio beyond oncology to immunology and ophthalmology. However, generic competition for Xeloda and Pegasys will negatively impact sales going forward.
Roche currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Biodel Inc. ( BIOD ). All three stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Biodel Inc. ( BIOD ). Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIODEL INC (BIOD): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Roche reported results from a phase I study on ACE910 wherein it was observed that once-weekly subcutaneous administration of ACE910 was well tolerated and showed a promising efficacy profile in hemophilia A patients. | Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Biodel Inc. ( BIOD ). Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIODEL INC (BIOD): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIODEL INC (BIOD): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Biodel Inc. ( BIOD ). Roche reported results from a phase I study on ACE910 wherein it was observed that once-weekly subcutaneous administration of ACE910 was well tolerated and showed a promising efficacy profile in hemophilia A patients. | Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Biodel Inc. ( BIOD ). Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIODEL INC (BIOD): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Roche reported results from a phase I study on ACE910 wherein it was observed that once-weekly subcutaneous administration of ACE910 was well tolerated and showed a promising efficacy profile in hemophilia A patients. | 4dd6b94d-c704-4c96-b8ab-9d05874f5537 |
27232.0 | 2014-12-08 00:00:00 UTC | This Could Be the Next Big Pharma Buyout | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/could-be-next-big-pharma-buyout-2014-12-08 | nan | nan | In a bid to offset the risk of patent expiration, drugmakers spend billions of dollars every year on acquisitions to bolster drug pipelines and boost sales. But just because we know that Big Pharma has a penchant for purchases doesn't mean we know which companies they might be interested in buying. We asked three Motley Fool analysts to tell us which companies they think could be a perfect fit for an M&A-hungry acquirer. Read on to see which three they selected.
Source: Shire
Leo Sun : In June, AbbVie abandoned its $54 billion bid to buy Dublin-based Shire , because of new anti-inversion tax rules.
But that doesn't mean other U.S. companies won't buy Shire, which has a robust pipeline of ADHD and rare-disease drugs. Shire's three core ADHD drugs -- Vyvanse, Intuniv, and Adderall XR -- controlled a fourth of the entire U.S. ADHD market last quarter. Sales of Vyvanse, which accounted for 23% of Shire's top line, rose 19% to $355 million. Its nine main drugs (excluding Cinryze, which it acquired less than a year ago) all posted double-digit sales growth. That attractive portfolio of drugs helped Shire's revenue and operating income respectively soar 33% and 49% last quarter.
An obvious suitor would be Pfizer , which was willing to pay $112 billion for London-based AstraZeneca earlier this year before the deal fell apart. Pfizer's new drugs, such as palbociclib and bococizumab, are potential blockbusters, but Pfizer needs to beef up its pipeline with more high-growth drugs like the ones that Shire offers. Even if Pfizer doesn't step up, Merck -- which is looking for new drugs, not big inversions -- could be another potential suitor.
Source: Zoetis.
Cheryl Swanson : The largest global company in animal health , Zoetis , could soon have Big Pharma knocking on its door.
At $4.56 billion in revenue last year, Pfizer-spinoff Zoetis is by far the leader in animal-health, where critical mass is important. German-based Bayer AG , which is shedding its plastics business, could do a bolt-on acquisition of Zoetis. Such a deal would vault Bayer from fifth-place to top dog in animal-health.
Another suitor could cut in, however. As Todd Campbell pointed out recently, Pershing Square's founder Bill Ackman has a $2 billion stake in Zoetis. Ackman had teamed with Valeant Pharmaceuticals in a bid for Allergan and failed -- Zoetis could be a fallback plan.
Rising income in emerging markets has created higher pet ownership and increasing demand for livestock. Zoetis currently has a 20% market share of the estimated $23 billionglobal marketfor animal medicines and vaccines.
: The best biotech takeout targets are companies with a single drug, because the buyer gets just what it wants and doesn't have to pay for something extra. Medivation fits that bill with its prostate cancer drug Xtandi.
While Medivation doesn't have any molecules in the pipeline, it's testing Xtandi in other indications with the potential to treat prostate cancer patients at other times in the disease progression. It's also testing Xtandi as a treatment for breast cancer.
Astellas would be the obvious suitor, since it already sells Xtandi outside the U.S., where Medivation gets double-digit royalties, and shares profits with Medivation in the U.S. If Astellas believes its future royalty payments plus the U.S. profits are worth more than Medivation's enterprise value, it makes sense for the Japanese pharma to buy Medivation.
While it's less likely that another pharma would buy Medivation, it's not unheard of if the asset is attractive enough as long as the buyer was willing to work with the biotech's current marketing partner. Eli Lilly , for example, bought ImClone Systems, despite having to work with ImClone's marketing partner Bristol-Myers Squibb to sell Erbitux. The competition -- Bristol also bid on the company -- allowed ImClone's investors to get a better price, something Medivation's shareholders would certainly appreciate.
1 great healthcare stock to buy for 2015 and beyond
Health care stocks soared in 2014, and 2015 is shaping up to be another great year for stocks. But if you want to make sure you're buying one of the best health care stocks, you need to know where to start. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. To get the full story on this year's stock -- completely free -- simply click here .
The article This Could Be the Next Big Pharma Buyout originally appeared on Fool.com.
Brian Orelli and Cheryl Swanson have no position in any stocks mentioned. Leo Sun owns shares of Pfizer. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Valeant Pharmaceuticals. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools dno't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Source: Shire Leo Sun : In June, AbbVie abandoned its $54 billion bid to buy Dublin-based Shire , because of new anti-inversion tax rules. In a bid to offset the risk of patent expiration, drugmakers spend billions of dollars every year on acquisitions to bolster drug pipelines and boost sales. While Medivation doesn't have any molecules in the pipeline, it's testing Xtandi in other indications with the potential to treat prostate cancer patients at other times in the disease progression. | Source: Shire Leo Sun : In June, AbbVie abandoned its $54 billion bid to buy Dublin-based Shire , because of new anti-inversion tax rules. Cheryl Swanson : The largest global company in animal health , Zoetis , could soon have Big Pharma knocking on its door. Medivation fits that bill with its prostate cancer drug Xtandi. | Source: Shire Leo Sun : In June, AbbVie abandoned its $54 billion bid to buy Dublin-based Shire , because of new anti-inversion tax rules. But that doesn't mean other U.S. companies won't buy Shire, which has a robust pipeline of ADHD and rare-disease drugs. Pfizer's new drugs, such as palbociclib and bococizumab, are potential blockbusters, but Pfizer needs to beef up its pipeline with more high-growth drugs like the ones that Shire offers. | Source: Shire Leo Sun : In June, AbbVie abandoned its $54 billion bid to buy Dublin-based Shire , because of new anti-inversion tax rules. Even if Pfizer doesn't step up, Merck -- which is looking for new drugs, not big inversions -- could be another potential suitor. Source: Zoetis. | e45b5c75-7476-4006-aeb6-abcd35571ded |
27233.0 | 2014-12-08 00:00:00 UTC | Time to Buy This Dip in Gilead Sciences, Inc. Stock? | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/time-buy-dip-gilead-sciences-inc-stock-2014-12-08 | nan | nan | The past month hasn't been kind to shareholders of Gilead Sciences . After the stock reached an all-time high of $116.83 in November, shares have now fallen over 10% in roughly a three-week span. What's more, investors and hedge funds alike have begun piling into Gilead's chief rival on the hepatitis C front, namely AbbVie . The net result has been two stocks moving in drastically different directions:
Cutting to the chase, this exodus out of Gilead reflects the growing concern that AbbVie might decide to significantly undercut Harvoni's $94,500 price tag, with its hepatitis C regimen of Viekirax plus Exviera, in order to curry favor with payers. Payers, for their part, have fanned these flames by publicly pleading with AbbVie to do so, even stating that the current price tags of Gilead's hep C drugs are "unsustainable."
While I have no idea whether AbbVie will go this route or how it would ultimately affect Harvoni's commercial performance, I do believe Gilead is a great long-term pick up following this dip. Here's why.
Harvoni probably won't be wiped off the map by competition
The hepatitis C drug game has been marked by disruptive new therapies that go on to eventually completely displace their older counterparts. For example, Vertex Pharmaceuticals saw sales of its hepatitis C therapy Incivek plunge by 99% in the wake of Sovaldi's approval. And Johnson & Johnson 's Olysio is also expected to meet the same fate following Harvoni's approval.
Harvoni is a different animal altogether, though, With functional cure rates of 94% for genotype 1a patients , it's going to be hard to make a better mouse-trap, so to speak. The only angle left is for future therapies to lower the treatment duration. And so far, this approach hasn't worked out so well, as shown by the failure of Merck & Co. 's experimental therapy last month. In sum, AbbVie's rival therapy may gain some points on the pricing front, but I don't see it gaining the lion's share of the market over such a potent new therapy.
Gilead's pipeline is a sight to behold
Gilead's string of successful acquisitions over the past decade has given it one of the most promising clinical pipelines in the business. Specifically, Gilead has clinical trials under way for at least six potential blockbuster indications, such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and a host of blood-based disorders, just to name a few. The monoclonal antibody Simtuzumab, in particular, looks like it could be a megablockbuster in the making, based on its diverse clinical trial program (assuming that it succeeds in the clinic).
Even so, I am doubtful that the market is placing much value in either Simtuzumab or Gilead's superb pipeline in general, given the stock's price-to-earnings ratio of a mere 18. Most of Gilead's peers are currently garnering much higher premiums, suggesting that relatively little value is being assigned to this top-notch pipeline.
Why I'm keeping the faith
Watching a stock lose 10% in a month can be painful, especially when the underlying business seems to be going gangbusters. This is one of the main reasons taking the long view is so important. I'm not concerned about where Gilead's share price will be in a month or even a year from now. As a long-term investor, I'm more interested in how management is growing the clinical pipeline to create deep value, which is a task they've excelled at thus far. With multiple potential blockbusters in tow, top-notch management, and a strong balance sheet, I haven't lost any sleep buying more Gilead on this dip.
1 great stock to buy for 2015 and beyond
Next year is shaping up to be another great one for stocks. But if you want to make sure that 2015 is your best investing year ever, you need to know where to start. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. To get the full story on this year's stock -- completely free -- simply click here .
The article Time to Buy This Dip in Gilead Sciences, Inc. Stock? originally appeared on Fool.com.
George Budwell owns shares of AbbVie and Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool recommends Gilead Sciences, Johnson & Johnson, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals and owns shares of Gilead Sciences and Johnson & Johnson. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | The net result has been two stocks moving in drastically different directions: Cutting to the chase, this exodus out of Gilead reflects the growing concern that AbbVie might decide to significantly undercut Harvoni's $94,500 price tag, with its hepatitis C regimen of Viekirax plus Exviera, in order to curry favor with payers. What's more, investors and hedge funds alike have begun piling into Gilead's chief rival on the hepatitis C front, namely AbbVie . Payers, for their part, have fanned these flames by publicly pleading with AbbVie to do so, even stating that the current price tags of Gilead's hep C drugs are "unsustainable." | What's more, investors and hedge funds alike have begun piling into Gilead's chief rival on the hepatitis C front, namely AbbVie . The net result has been two stocks moving in drastically different directions: Cutting to the chase, this exodus out of Gilead reflects the growing concern that AbbVie might decide to significantly undercut Harvoni's $94,500 price tag, with its hepatitis C regimen of Viekirax plus Exviera, in order to curry favor with payers. Payers, for their part, have fanned these flames by publicly pleading with AbbVie to do so, even stating that the current price tags of Gilead's hep C drugs are "unsustainable." | The net result has been two stocks moving in drastically different directions: Cutting to the chase, this exodus out of Gilead reflects the growing concern that AbbVie might decide to significantly undercut Harvoni's $94,500 price tag, with its hepatitis C regimen of Viekirax plus Exviera, in order to curry favor with payers. What's more, investors and hedge funds alike have begun piling into Gilead's chief rival on the hepatitis C front, namely AbbVie . Payers, for their part, have fanned these flames by publicly pleading with AbbVie to do so, even stating that the current price tags of Gilead's hep C drugs are "unsustainable." | What's more, investors and hedge funds alike have begun piling into Gilead's chief rival on the hepatitis C front, namely AbbVie . The net result has been two stocks moving in drastically different directions: Cutting to the chase, this exodus out of Gilead reflects the growing concern that AbbVie might decide to significantly undercut Harvoni's $94,500 price tag, with its hepatitis C regimen of Viekirax plus Exviera, in order to curry favor with payers. Payers, for their part, have fanned these flames by publicly pleading with AbbVie to do so, even stating that the current price tags of Gilead's hep C drugs are "unsustainable." | f9618dca-3ed0-45cd-957a-575e01a4e954 |
27234.0 | 2014-12-08 00:00:00 UTC | AbbVie Reveals Phase II Data on Blood Cancer Drug at ASH - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/abbvie-reveals-phase-ii-data-on-blood-cancer-drug-at-ash-analyst-blog-2014-12-08 | nan | nan | AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) announced new results from an open-label, multi-center phase II study evaluating the preliminary efficacy of venetoclax (ABT-199) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or as frontline therapy for patients unfit for intensive therapy. The results were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH).
In this study, the venetoclax group showed an overall response rate of 15.5%. Out of 32 patients, one achieved complete response, while four showed complete response with incomplete blood count recovery.
Based on the data, AbbVie stated its intention to conduct additional studies for evaluating venetoclax in combination with other drugs for the treatment of AML.
We note that the company is already evaluating venetoclax in a phase III study for the treatment of relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia and other types of cancer. AbbVie has an agreement with Genentech (a subsidiary of Roche ( RHHBY )) for the development of venetoclax.
Meanwhile, AbbVie has an important regulatory event coming up with the FDA expected to respond on its marketing application for its hepatitis C virus (HCV) combination for the treatment of genotype 1 (GT1) HCV patients. A response from the agency is expected by year-end.
Chances of gaining EU approval seem high with the European Medicines Agency's European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use issuing positive opinions for the all-oral, interferon-free combination of Viekirax (ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir) plus Exviera (dasabuvir) for use with or without ribavirin in patients with GT1 and genotype 4 (GT4) chronic HCV infection. A final decision in the EU should be out in the first quarter of 2015.
We expect investor focus to remain on updates on the regulatory status of the HCV combination.
AbbVie holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Some better-ranked stocks in the biotech sector are Biogen Idec Inc. ( BIIB ) and Amgen Inc. ( AMGN ). Both carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Based on the data, AbbVie stated its intention to conduct additional studies for evaluating venetoclax in combination with other drugs for the treatment of AML. AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) announced new results from an open-label, multi-center phase II study evaluating the preliminary efficacy of venetoclax (ABT-199) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or as frontline therapy for patients unfit for intensive therapy. AbbVie has an agreement with Genentech (a subsidiary of Roche ( RHHBY )) for the development of venetoclax. | Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) announced new results from an open-label, multi-center phase II study evaluating the preliminary efficacy of venetoclax (ABT-199) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or as frontline therapy for patients unfit for intensive therapy. Based on the data, AbbVie stated its intention to conduct additional studies for evaluating venetoclax in combination with other drugs for the treatment of AML. | AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) announced new results from an open-label, multi-center phase II study evaluating the preliminary efficacy of venetoclax (ABT-199) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or as frontline therapy for patients unfit for intensive therapy. Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Based on the data, AbbVie stated its intention to conduct additional studies for evaluating venetoclax in combination with other drugs for the treatment of AML. | Based on the data, AbbVie stated its intention to conduct additional studies for evaluating venetoclax in combination with other drugs for the treatment of AML. Meanwhile, AbbVie has an important regulatory event coming up with the FDA expected to respond on its marketing application for its hepatitis C virus (HCV) combination for the treatment of genotype 1 (GT1) HCV patients. Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | 0c666198-2dfc-4a72-a9a6-3bb2d57336fb |
27235.0 | 2014-12-06 00:00:00 UTC | 3 Reasons Gilead Sciences Could Soar in 2015 | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/3-reasons-gilead-sciences-could-soar-2015-2014-12-06 | nan | nan | There's no doubt that 2014 was very kind to Gilead Sciences investors. Shares in Gilead surged 36% this year thanks to blockbuster sales of Sovaldi, the hepatitis C drug the company launched last December.
However, shares have been slipping recently over worries that new competition from AbbVie could cut into Gilead Sciences hepatitis C market share in 2015. Although AbbVie's hepatits C drug is likely to win some revenue that would otherwise have gone to Gilead Sciences, here are three reasons that investors may want to stick with the company.
Source: Gilead Sciences via Google Maps.
1. Good not great
AbbVie's hepatitis C drug cocktail is a good therapy, but it's arguably not as great as Gilead Sciences' next generation hepatitis C drug, Harvoni. Harvoni won FDA approval in October, and more prescriptions are being written for Harvoni than were being written for Sovaldi at the same point during its launch.
Whether or not AbbVie will be able to dislodge Harvoni will probably stem from price, rather than efficacy. During trials, the one-pill-once-daily Harvoni cleared hepatitis C from up to 99% of patients over 12 weeks. In the more common and tougher-to-treat genotype 1a variant of the disease, Harvoni boasted cure rates in the mid-90% range. For comparison, AbbVie's 3 pill-a-day therapy had cure rates in genotype 1a of around 90% and it wasn't until side-affect laden ribavirin was added that cure rates in that genotype spiked up into the high 90% range. Given AbbVie's arguably more onerous dosing and its potential reliance on ribavirin for many patients, it remains to be seen just how often doctors prescribe it over Harvoni. Regardless, Harvoni is likely to remain a blockbuster drug that generates billions of dollars in sales for Gilead Sciences next year.
Source: Gilead Sciences
2. Strengthening its core
Much of Gilead Sciences' long-term success has stemmed from its market share leadership in treating HIV patients. The company boasts some of the best-selling HIV therapies available, including five separate drugs that could hit billion-dollar blockbuster status this year.
Two of those drugs, Complera, which was launched in 2011, and Stribild, which won the FDA go-ahead in 2012, are growing sales quickly. In the third quarter, Complera's sales jumped 57% to 330 million and Stribild's sales soared 128% to $328 million.
In the next year, Gilead Sciences' HIV product lineup should become even stronger, given that the company filed for FDA approval of a newly formulated version of its top-selling HIV drug Viread, which offers a better safety profile. If approved, Gilead Sciences is likely to begin replacing Viread in its multi-drug HIV combination therapies.
3. Broadening its reach
This year, Gilead Sciences won approval for Zydelig, its first oncology drug. That drug is approved as a treatment for relapsing chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or CLL, relapsing follicular B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and relapsing small lymphocytic lymphoma. Gilead is also conducting late-stage studies on Zydelig as a front-line therapy in those indications.
Deeper down the pipeline, Gilead is not only developing a slate of potential Harvoni successors for hepatitis C, but is developing drugs for hepatitis B, too. The company also has phase 2 trials under way in pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory disease as well. If any of these studies pan out as hoped, then investor enthusiasm could drive share prices higher.
And another thing
The FDA is set to make a decision on AbbVie's hepatitis C cocktail this month, and if it's approved, Gilead Sciences shares may come under pressure. But long-haul investors should remember that in addition to Harvoni arguably being a superior drug in terms of efficacy, the hepatitis C treatment market is massive. There are over 150 million people infected with hepatitis C worldwide, and this year Gilead Sciences has treated just 117,000 of them. As Gilead Sciences wins approval for its hepatitis C treatments in other markets, such as Japan, and its launches in Europe pick up momentum, there are a lot of drivers that could support hepatitis C revenue growth next year. Investors should also recognize that the next battleground for hepatitis C market share likely won't focus on cure rate, but on treatment duration. Arguably, Gilead Sciences pipeline is the best prepared to reduce treatment time below the eight and 12 weeks required for Harvoni.
Outside of hepatitis C, Gilead Sciences appears to be on pace to eclipse $10 billion in annual sales of its HIV drugs, and the company could soon see cancer drug sales begin to contribute in 2015, too. For those reasons, investors may want to look beyond the short-term risk and maintain a long-term view when it comes to Gilead Sciences.
1 great healthcare stock to buy for 2015 and beyond
Healthcare stocks soared in 2014, and 2015 is shaping up to be another great year for stocks. But if you want to make sure you're buying one of the best healthcare stocks, you need to know where to start. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. To get the full story on this year's stock -- completely free -- simply click here .
The article 3 Reasons Gilead Sciences Could Soar in 2015 originally appeared on Fool.com.
Todd Campbell owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Todd owns E.B. Capital Markets, LLC. E.B. Capital's clients may or may not have positions in the companies mentioned. Todd owns Gundalow Advisors, LLC. Gundalow's clients do not have positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | And another thing The FDA is set to make a decision on AbbVie's hepatitis C cocktail this month, and if it's approved, Gilead Sciences shares may come under pressure. However, shares have been slipping recently over worries that new competition from AbbVie could cut into Gilead Sciences hepatitis C market share in 2015. Although AbbVie's hepatits C drug is likely to win some revenue that would otherwise have gone to Gilead Sciences, here are three reasons that investors may want to stick with the company. | Good not great AbbVie's hepatitis C drug cocktail is a good therapy, but it's arguably not as great as Gilead Sciences' next generation hepatitis C drug, Harvoni. However, shares have been slipping recently over worries that new competition from AbbVie could cut into Gilead Sciences hepatitis C market share in 2015. Although AbbVie's hepatits C drug is likely to win some revenue that would otherwise have gone to Gilead Sciences, here are three reasons that investors may want to stick with the company. | Good not great AbbVie's hepatitis C drug cocktail is a good therapy, but it's arguably not as great as Gilead Sciences' next generation hepatitis C drug, Harvoni. However, shares have been slipping recently over worries that new competition from AbbVie could cut into Gilead Sciences hepatitis C market share in 2015. Although AbbVie's hepatits C drug is likely to win some revenue that would otherwise have gone to Gilead Sciences, here are three reasons that investors may want to stick with the company. | Good not great AbbVie's hepatitis C drug cocktail is a good therapy, but it's arguably not as great as Gilead Sciences' next generation hepatitis C drug, Harvoni. However, shares have been slipping recently over worries that new competition from AbbVie could cut into Gilead Sciences hepatitis C market share in 2015. Although AbbVie's hepatits C drug is likely to win some revenue that would otherwise have gone to Gilead Sciences, here are three reasons that investors may want to stick with the company. | f5b3219a-9b50-4001-9a05-77250e0d5841 |
27236.0 | 2014-12-06 00:00:00 UTC | Should Big Pharma Buy Into the Medical Marijuana Industry? | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/should-big-pharma-buy-medical-marijuana-industry-2014-12-06 | nan | nan | Source: Flickr user Mark
Few stories were as captivating to investors as medical marijuana in 2014. The promise of using marijuana to treat common conditions like cancer pain and uncommon indications like epilepsy created a flurry of investor interest that sent shares in marijuana stocks soaring.
However, just because medical marijuana's use is intriguing doesn't mean that these companies will deliver on investor's optimism. Most marijuana drugmakers are small companies that may struggle to come up with the financing necessary to usher treatments through expensive clinical trials. That could suggest that they need to ink licensing deals or be acquired by big pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies. Whether or not big drugmakers would be interested in pursuing such opportunities is an important question, so we asked two Motley Fool analysts for their opinion. Read on to learn whether they think big cap companies should buy into the medical marijuana industry.
: Should big pharma get into the medical Pacific yew tree industry? How about medical poppy business?
Trick question. They already are.
Bristol-Myers Squibb 's cancer drug Taxol was discovered in the Pacific yew tree. Opiate pain killers such as morphine and codeine are found in opium poppy. There are plenty of other examples of useful drugs that were derived from plants as well.
It's pretty clear there are useful chemicals -- cannabinoids called CBD and THC -- in marijuana. GW Pharmaceuticals ' Sativex, which is a mixture of CBD and THC, is approved in a few countries to treat spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis and cancer and its CBD-based drug candidate Epdiolex appears to be helping pediatric epilepsy patients without any other options.
There are certainly risks associated with cannabinoids, but for indications where there's a high risk of death and no other options, the risks become secondary to the benefits.
I don't see any inherent reason why big pharma shouldn't be trying to study the same pathways except for the stigma of marijuana. Companies could get around the issue by synthesizing the active compound directly rather than deriving it from the plant. AbbVie 's Marinol, for instance, is synthetic THC, which is FDA approved to increase appetites of patients with AIDS and is also used off-label for cancer patients.
Leo Sun : Investing in medical marijuana doesn't make sense for the biggest pharma companies because it's simply not that profitable.
For example, GW Pharmaceuticals ' flagship cannabinoid medicine, Sativex, has been approved or recommended for approval in 24 countries as a treatment for severe spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis. Despite that impressive geographic reach, Sativex only generated £3.4 million ($5.3 million) in revenues in the first nine months of fiscal 2014.
GW's pipeline of treatments includes drugs targeting potential type 2 diabetes and schizophrenia indications. While there are a number of interesting opportunities in its pipeline, it's still too early and unproven for me to feel confident in its pricey valuation -- over 20x trailing-12 month revenue.
And with cannabinoid drugs like Sativex not selling well, combined with pricey valuations for current so-called 'marijuana stocks', I don't see a compelling reason for big pharma to throw money into acquiring these drugs or their developers. Big pharma needs, well, big revenue streams to move the needle -- and these cannabinoid drugs just haven't provided that, at least not yet.
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The article Should Big Pharma Buy Into the Medical Marijuana Industry? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Brian and Leo do not have positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | AbbVie 's Marinol, for instance, is synthetic THC, which is FDA approved to increase appetites of patients with AIDS and is also used off-label for cancer patients. Most marijuana drugmakers are small companies that may struggle to come up with the financing necessary to usher treatments through expensive clinical trials. Leo Sun : Investing in medical marijuana doesn't make sense for the biggest pharma companies because it's simply not that profitable. | AbbVie 's Marinol, for instance, is synthetic THC, which is FDA approved to increase appetites of patients with AIDS and is also used off-label for cancer patients. : Should big pharma get into the medical Pacific yew tree industry? GW Pharmaceuticals ' Sativex, which is a mixture of CBD and THC, is approved in a few countries to treat spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis and cancer and its CBD-based drug candidate Epdiolex appears to be helping pediatric epilepsy patients without any other options. | AbbVie 's Marinol, for instance, is synthetic THC, which is FDA approved to increase appetites of patients with AIDS and is also used off-label for cancer patients. Whether or not big drugmakers would be interested in pursuing such opportunities is an important question, so we asked two Motley Fool analysts for their opinion. GW Pharmaceuticals ' Sativex, which is a mixture of CBD and THC, is approved in a few countries to treat spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis and cancer and its CBD-based drug candidate Epdiolex appears to be helping pediatric epilepsy patients without any other options. | AbbVie 's Marinol, for instance, is synthetic THC, which is FDA approved to increase appetites of patients with AIDS and is also used off-label for cancer patients. Whether or not big drugmakers would be interested in pursuing such opportunities is an important question, so we asked two Motley Fool analysts for their opinion. : Should big pharma get into the medical Pacific yew tree industry? | 82e304b7-b81e-4852-be4b-47e57904ac7f |
27237.0 | 2014-12-05 00:00:00 UTC | Roche to Acquire California-based Ariosa Diagnostics - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/roche-to-acquire-california-based-ariosa-diagnostics-analyst-blog-2014-12-05 | nan | nan | Roche ( RHHBY ) specializes in drugs for oncology, immunology and infectious diseases.
Apart from providing therapeutic products and services for diverse medical needs, Roche also focuses on innovative diagnostic solutions for early detection and treatment of diseases.
This pharmaceutical major has a broad portfolio of diagnostic tests with more than a hundred high-quality Elecsys assays for immune testing along with a new generation of fully-automated cobas analyzers for improved medical decision making, scheduling and efficiency.
In a bid to further strengthen its Diagnostic division, Roche recently announced that it will acquire California-based privately-owned Ariosa Diagnostics, Inc.
We note that Ariosa is a molecular diagnostics testing service provider. The company provides highly targeted and accurate non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) service using cell-free DNA (cfDNA) technology.
This acquisition will enable Roche to enter the NIPT and cell-free DNA testing services markets.
Ariosa's proprietary prenatal test, Harmony, is a blood test that is performed as early as 10 weeks into pregnancy.
The test will enable physicians to evaluate fetal cfDNA found in maternal blood, thereby assessing the risk of Down syndrome and other genetic abnormalities. In particular, the test is designed to assess the risk of trisomies 13, 18 and 21, which indicate extra chromosome in the fetus that may lead to severe genetic conditions.
Roche expects to close the transaction later in the month.
The Diagnostics division generated sales of CHF 7.8 billion in the first nine months of 2014, up 6% from a year ago. We are impressed by Roche's efforts to strengthen its Diagnostic division which will further boost sales.
Roche currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks include Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Valeant Pharmaceutcials ( VRX ). While Allergan and Valeant Pharmaceuticals hold a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks include Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Valeant Pharmaceutcials ( VRX ). While Allergan and Valeant Pharmaceuticals hold a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report VALEANT PHARMA (VRX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | While Allergan and Valeant Pharmaceuticals hold a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report VALEANT PHARMA (VRX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks include Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Valeant Pharmaceutcials ( VRX ). | Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report VALEANT PHARMA (VRX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks include Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Valeant Pharmaceutcials ( VRX ). While Allergan and Valeant Pharmaceuticals hold a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). | While Allergan and Valeant Pharmaceuticals hold a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Some better-ranked stocks include Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Valeant Pharmaceutcials ( VRX ). Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report VALEANT PHARMA (VRX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | 9a11ef69-82a0-4f40-a29a-cc92bf6d8e41 |
27238.0 | 2014-12-05 00:00:00 UTC | Sanofi Buys Merck's Manufacturing Facility in Puerto Rico - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/sanofi-buys-mercks-manufacturing-facility-in-puerto-rico-analyst-blog-2014-12-05 | nan | nan | Sanofi 's ( SNY ) animal health unit, Merial, announced that it will be acquiring Merck & Co. Inc.'s ( MRK ) manufacturing facility in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico. The successful completion of the acquisition of the facility will help Sanofi to expand its Animal Health business' global operations.
Also, Sanofi will be able to use the facility's expertise in chewables' manufacturing technology. Sanofi will retain Merck's 200 employees at the Barceloneta facility. The deal is subject to approval from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
Sanofi is expected to use the facility for the manufacturing and packaging of its Heartgard and Heartgard Plus products, which help to prevent heartworm disease in dogs and cats.
Sanofi's Animal Health business currently operates in more than 150 countries with around 6,200 employees. Sanofi's Animal Health business generated sales of €1.6 billion in the first nine months of 2014, an increase of 5.3% on a constant exchange rates basis.
Our Take
We believe more than any other segment, investor focus to remain on Sanofi's Pharmaceuticals business, in particular the diabetes business. The company believes that diabetes business to remain flat next year. The company's diabetes business is one of the largest contributors to the Pharmaceuticals segment as well as to the company's top-line.
The Animal Health business expansion is meager to offset this loss. The company needs to take greater initiatives to minus Lantus loss.
Sanofi carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). | Click to get this free report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). | Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | 236c6e2d-6a39-40aa-a273-945cc496982f |
27239.0 | 2014-12-04 00:00:00 UTC | IWB, C, AMGN, ABBV: ETF Inflow Alert | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/iwb-c-amgn-abbv-etf-inflow-alert-2014-12-04 | nan | nan | Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel , one standout is the iShares Russell 1000 ETF (Symbol: IWB) where we have detected an approximate $69.5 million dollar inflow -- that's a 0.6% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 92,600,000 to 93,200,000). Among the largest underlying components of IWB, in trading today Citigroup Inc (Symbol: C) is off about 0.7%, Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is off about 0.6%, and AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is up by about 0.3%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the IWB Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWB, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, IWB's low point in its 52 week range is $97.30 per share, with $115.96 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $115.55. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average » .
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Click here to find out which 9 other ETFs had notable inflows »
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Among the largest underlying components of IWB, in trading today Citigroup Inc (Symbol: C) is off about 0.7%, Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is off about 0.6%, and AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is up by about 0.3%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the IWB Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWB, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IWB's low point in its 52 week range is $97.30 per share, with $115.96 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $115.55. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. | Among the largest underlying components of IWB, in trading today Citigroup Inc (Symbol: C) is off about 0.7%, Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is off about 0.6%, and AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is up by about 0.3%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the IWB Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWB, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IWB's low point in its 52 week range is $97.30 per share, with $115.96 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $115.55. Click here to find out which 9 other ETFs had notable inflows » The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Among the largest underlying components of IWB, in trading today Citigroup Inc (Symbol: C) is off about 0.7%, Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is off about 0.6%, and AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is up by about 0.3%. Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel , one standout is the iShares Russell 1000 ETF (Symbol: IWB) where we have detected an approximate $69.5 million dollar inflow -- that's a 0.6% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 92,600,000 to 93,200,000). For a complete list of holdings, visit the IWB Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWB, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IWB's low point in its 52 week range is $97.30 per share, with $115.96 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $115.55. | Among the largest underlying components of IWB, in trading today Citigroup Inc (Symbol: C) is off about 0.7%, Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is off about 0.6%, and AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is up by about 0.3%. Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel , one standout is the iShares Russell 1000 ETF (Symbol: IWB) where we have detected an approximate $69.5 million dollar inflow -- that's a 0.6% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 92,600,000 to 93,200,000). For a complete list of holdings, visit the IWB Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWB, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IWB's low point in its 52 week range is $97.30 per share, with $115.96 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $115.55. | e41dcfd5-8e06-41ab-a033-ba166c7bd6ae |
27240.0 | 2014-12-04 00:00:00 UTC | 1 Big FDA Decision I'm Watching This Month | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/1-big-fda-decision-im-watching-month-2014-12-04 | nan | nan | Biotech investing is very risky -- failures outnumber successes. Pundits like to joke that small and mid-sized biotechs should come with a black box label: WARNING: A wrong decision can cost you 90% of your investment.
On the other hand, what other industry is so susceptible to "good news pops" that can catapult a stock upward? The timing of those good news pops is even possible to determine--since they typically correlate closely with FDA events, such as FDA approval, or PDUFA dates. Believe it or not, the FDA pretty much stays on track with its calendar, so the decision tends to come in close to the scheduled date. If it's a thumb's up, it's an exciting event that signals a drug has successfully come to the end of a long journey.
In addition, an FDA panel can give investors a good idea what the final decision will be ahead of time. It has happened that the advisory panel says "yeah" and the FDA's ultimate decision is "nay," but that's fairly uncommon.
Pop and drop--expect it and don't be fooled
Ideally, investors are buying biotech stocks for more fundamental reasons than a hoped-for FDA approval. But these events are important catalysts, and investors should know when they're coming. One thing to be aware of is that the "pop" that comes with a positive FDA decision is often followed by a "drop," because it is a long way from FDA approval to a successful drug launch. As reality sets in, investor exuberance can quickly fade. When that happens, the very same stock that got caught up in FDA catalyst momentum often rapidly returns to earth.
All that said, there's one stock that I am particularly watching this month. Incyte Corporation is an emerging biotech with a market cap slightly over $12 billion. It has a very significant PDUFA decision date on December 5th for its lead drug Jakafi (ruxolitinib).
Incyte stole a march on competitors in 2011 when it got Jakafi -- the first-ever JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor on the market. Three years later, Jakafi is still the only FDA approved drug for a rare and severe bone-marrow cancer, myelofibrosis (MV).
But while Jakafi has a monopoly in MV, the market has remained small -- fewer than 14,000 patients.
That could all change because the FDA granted Jakafi priority review for use in another indication--patients with polycythemia vera (PV) in August. Incyte had promising late-stage results for Jakafi against this much more common blood disorder and is now up for FDA approval. PV affects about 100,000 patients in the U.S.
Jakafi could also achieve blockbuster status if approval for PV comes through. Safra Sarasin analyst David Kaegi projects it will increase Jakafi's peak sales to over $1 billion. Incyte holds domestic right to Jakafi, while co-developer Novartis reaps worldwide profits.
There's no immediate competition forthcoming for Jakafi, but Gilead Sciences is working on a long-term spoiler. Currently, Gilead's JAK inhibitor (momelotinib) is going head-to-head with Jakafi in a clinical trial for MV.
On the other hand, Gilead seems determined to expand into oncology, and synergies with the internal pipelines could make Incyte a Gilead take-over target.
In addition, Incyte has a good chance of eventually expanding Jakafi to treating more major cancers, including pancreatic, where Jakafi's mid-stage studies showed the drug significantly boosted overall survival in a subset of patients. The FDA has granted Jakafi fast track status as a treatment for second-line pancreatic cancer. Three additional Phase II proof-of-concept trials focusing on Jakafi's effect on survival in breast, colon and non-small-cell lung cancer are enrolling patients.
Incyte has another potential blockbuster in its garage
Another catalyst could be coming for Incyte this December. Topline Phase 3 data is expected for baricitinib, its novel all-oral rheumatoid arthritis treatment, before the end of the year.
Baricitinib was co-developed with Eli Lilly , a company that badly needs a win after its lupus drug flopped in a Phase 3 program a few months ago. Fortunately, recent events have been going in baricitinib's favor. The drug was once expected to be the third oral treatment on the market for rheumatoid arthritis, but AstraZeneca halted development of its competing product (fostamatinib) based on weaker-than expected Phase III data.
Baricitinib still has a rival in Pfizer's Xeljanz, but that drug failed to gain regulatory approval in Europe. Pfizer's drug is also dosed more frequently than baricitinib (twice a day, versus once a day).
Peak sales for baricitinib are now estimated at around $2.3 billion by Morningstar. In addition, Morningstar assigned a 100% probability to Jakafi being approved for PV.
Baricitinib also has potential in treating psoriasis or diabetic nephropathy, where it is currently being evaluated in Phase 2 trials.
Incyte's Q3 results showed 97.8 million net product revenues from Jakafi, representing 63% growth over the same period last year. Guidance came down for Jakafi to increase to a range of $350 to $360 million, driven by continued strong underlying demand. The company is not yet profitable, since it is plowing all its profits from Jakafi into its pipeline.
( http://www.noodls.com/view/348DD7248230AE2573903F5126E347C7B6BF3A75?3405xxx1414670206#sthash.TpDlVNCc.dpuf
It looks pretty good for Incyte this month, since it should catch a second wind if good baricitinib results come in. But let's be clear: small and mid-sized biotechs are not for those afraid of a wild ride.
Incyte could have a great December, but this stock could potentially leave it in the dust!
Health care stocks soared in 2014, and 2015 is shaping up to be another great year for stocks. But if you want to make sure you're buying one of the best health care stocks, you need to know where to start. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. To get the full story on this year's stock -- completely free -- simply click here .
The article 1 Big FDA Decision I'm Watching This Month originally appeared on Fool.com.
Cheryl Swanson owns shares of Gilead Sciences and Incyte. The Motley Fool recommends Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Pop and drop--expect it and don't be fooled Ideally, investors are buying biotech stocks for more fundamental reasons than a hoped-for FDA approval. Three additional Phase II proof-of-concept trials focusing on Jakafi's effect on survival in breast, colon and non-small-cell lung cancer are enrolling patients. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. | In addition, Incyte has a good chance of eventually expanding Jakafi to treating more major cancers, including pancreatic, where Jakafi's mid-stage studies showed the drug significantly boosted overall survival in a subset of patients. The FDA has granted Jakafi fast track status as a treatment for second-line pancreatic cancer. The Motley Fool owns shares of Gilead Sciences. | Pop and drop--expect it and don't be fooled Ideally, investors are buying biotech stocks for more fundamental reasons than a hoped-for FDA approval. Three years later, Jakafi is still the only FDA approved drug for a rare and severe bone-marrow cancer, myelofibrosis (MV). In addition, Incyte has a good chance of eventually expanding Jakafi to treating more major cancers, including pancreatic, where Jakafi's mid-stage studies showed the drug significantly boosted overall survival in a subset of patients. | But these events are important catalysts, and investors should know when they're coming. ( http://www.noodls.com/view/348DD7248230AE2573903F5126E347C7B6BF3A75?3405xxx1414670206#sthash.TpDlVNCc.dpuf It looks pretty good for Incyte this month, since it should catch a second wind if good baricitinib results come in. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. | 207b08b7-4b70-4466-ae4e-3d77d4325f3e |
27241.0 | 2014-12-04 00:00:00 UTC | Sanofi's Priftin Gains U.S. Approval for Latent TB Indication - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/sanofis-priftin-gains-u.s.-approval-for-latent-tb-indication-analyst-blog-2014-12-04 | nan | nan | It is a common practice for pharma and biotech companies to file for label expansions of existing drugs. The successful label expansion of approved drugs could boost their commercial potential.
Earlier in the week, Sanofi ( SNY ) announced that Priftin was approved in the U.S. for another indication. The drug was approved in combination with isoniazid (INH) for the treatment of latent tuberculosis infection in patients (aged two years and older) at high risk of progression to tuberculosis (TB) disease. The drug was approved on a priority basis.
We note that Priftin has been approved in the U.S. for almost 16 years for the treatment of active pulmonary TB caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis. The drug must be used in combination with one or more antituberculosis drugs.
However, the drug is yet to be available outside the U.S. Sanofi has said that it is looking to get Priftin approved in other countries as well.
As per the World Health Organization, around 9 million people worldwide were affected by this deadly disease and 1.5 million (16.7%) died from it.
Sanofi is developing a vaccine in a phase II study for the treatment of TB.
Johnson & Johnson's ( JNJ ) Sirturo is another approved product for TB.
Sanofi carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report JOHNSON & JOHNS (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report JOHNSON & JOHNS (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). | Click to get this free report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report JOHNSON & JOHNS (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). | Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report JOHNSON & JOHNS (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | 2644a087-2adb-4753-8c04-5bf821170ad2 |
27242.0 | 2014-12-03 00:00:00 UTC | Andreas Halvorsen Joins Other Gurus in Investing in Alibaba | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/andreas-halvorsen-joins-other-gurus-investing-alibaba-2014-12-03 | nan | nan | A look at the portfolio of Norwegian-born entrepreneur Andreas Halvorsen ( Trades , Portfolio ), founder and CIO of Viking Global Investors LP, confirms his preference for healthcare stocks - such holdings account for nearly 30% of his portfolio - but, in the third quarter, he - like many of the gurus we follow at GuruFocus - couldn't resist the temptation to invest in Alibaba ( BABA ) when the Chinese ecommerce company had its historic IPO in September.
Halvorsen bought 11,387,526 shares of Alibaba for an average price of $89.95 per share. That purchase had a 4.1% impact on his portfolio.
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Alibaba was just one of nearly two dozen stocks that Halvorsen added to his portfolio in the third quarter.
He also purchased 14,904,121 shares of Citigroup ( C ), a New York-based banking and financial services company, for an average price of $50.23. That transaction had a 3.1% impact on his portfolio.
His purchase of 16,735,985 shares of Bank of New York Mellon Corp ( BK ), another banking and financial services company based in New York, had a 2.6% impact on his portfolio. Halvorsen paid an average price of $38.9 per share.
Halvorsen purchased 10,769,105 shares of AbbVie Inc ( ABBV ), a Chicago-based pharmaceutical company, for an average price of $55.53. That acquisition had a 2.5% impact on his portfolio.
He purchased 923,500 shares of Google ( GOOGL ) for an average price of $589.37. His acquisition in the California-based internet services company had a 2.2% impact on his portfolio.
Other holdings that are new to his portfolio are Air Products & Chemicals Inc (APD), Cheniere Energy Inc (LNG), Dollar Tree Stores Inc (DLTR), SanDisk Corp (SNDK), Bank of America Corporation (BAC), Liberty Global PLC (LBTYA), Golar LNG Ltd (GLNG), Aon PLC (AON), HCA Holdings Inc (HCA), Medtronic Inc (MDT), DR Horton Inc (DHI), Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL), Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc (MMC), Humana Inc (HUM), Colfax Corp (CFX), Molina Healthcare Inc (MOH), Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras (PBR), Kite Pharma Inc (KITE) and Newfield Exploration Co (NFX).
Halvorsen added to his holdings in 18 stocks in the third quarter. The greatest impact to his portfolio was made by his purchase of 2,710,805 shares of Pioneer Natural Resources Co (PXD), an oil and gas company based in Texas, for an average price per share of $211.58. The transaction had a 2.16% impact on his portfolio.
Halvorsen increased his holdings in Precision Castparts Corp (PCP), an industrial goods and metal fabrication company from Portland, Oregon, by 1,494,266 shares. The transaction, in which he paid an average price of $243 per share, had a 1.39% impact on his portfolio.
Halvorsen also purchased 1,342,512 shares of Actavis PLC (ACT), an Illinois-based pharmaceutical company, for an average price of $223.78. The acquisition had a 1.32% impact on his portfolio.
Other companies in which Halvorsen added to his stakes are Allergan Inc (AGN), MasterCard Inc (MA), SBA Communications Corp (SBAC), Mohawk Industries Inc (MHK), Kansas City Southern Inc (KSU), Newfield Exploration, Illumina Inc (ILM), Micron Technology Inc (MU), Facebook Inc (FB), Visa Inc (V), Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc (HLT), DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc (DVA), Walgreen Co (WAG), Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc (ALXN) and Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (SLXP).
Divestitures and reductions
Halvorsen sold all his holdings in 27 companies - Time Warner Inc (TWX), Cameron International Corp (CAM), Constellation Brands Inc (STZ), Michael Kors Holdings Ltd (KORS), Apple Inc (AAPL), Valero Energy Corp (VLO), Workday Inc (WDAY), Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp (CTSH), Autodesk Inc (ADSK), Universal Health Services Inc (UHS), Rite Aid Corp (RAD), Zynga Inc (ZNGA), Ctrip.com International Ltd (CTRP), Cimarex Energy Co (XEC), Crown Castle International Corp (CCI), Triumph Group Inc (TGI), Zimmer Holdings Inc (ZMH), PrincipalFinancial Group (PFG), Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd (MPEL), Centene Corp (CNC), Myriad Genetics Inc (MYGN), Adobe Systems Inc (ADBE), Intercept Pharmaceuticals Inc (ICPT), BlackBerry Ltd (BBRY), American Airlines Group Inc (AAL), Allegion PLC (ALLE) and Concho Resources Inc (CXO).
The sale of 7,872,453 shares of Time Warner, a New York-based media company, had the greatest impact on Halvorsen's portfolio, -2.4%. Halvorsen sold the stock for an average price of $65.66 per share.
He reduced his holdings in 14 companies - Capital One Financial Corp (COF), Monsanto Co (MON), Baidu Inc (BIDU), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (REGN), LyondellBasell Industries NV (LYB), Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc (VRX), Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd (CP), Mondelez International Inc (MDLZ), Lowe's Companies Inc (LOW), Netflix Inc (NFLX), Twenty-First Century Fox Inc (FOXA), H&R Block Inc (HRB), RalphLauren Corp (RL) and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc (TMO).
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This article first appeared on GuruFocus .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Halvorsen purchased 10,769,105 shares of AbbVie Inc ( ABBV ), a Chicago-based pharmaceutical company, for an average price of $55.53. Other holdings that are new to his portfolio are Air Products & Chemicals Inc (APD), Cheniere Energy Inc (LNG), Dollar Tree Stores Inc (DLTR), SanDisk Corp (SNDK), Bank of America Corporation (BAC), Liberty Global PLC (LBTYA), Golar LNG Ltd (GLNG), Aon PLC (AON), HCA Holdings Inc (HCA), Medtronic Inc (MDT), DR Horton Inc (DHI), Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL), Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc (MMC), Humana Inc (HUM), Colfax Corp (CFX), Molina Healthcare Inc (MOH), Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras (PBR), Kite Pharma Inc (KITE) and Newfield Exploration Co (NFX). Other companies in which Halvorsen added to his stakes are Allergan Inc (AGN), MasterCard Inc (MA), SBA Communications Corp (SBAC), Mohawk Industries Inc (MHK), Kansas City Southern Inc (KSU), Newfield Exploration, Illumina Inc (ILM), Micron Technology Inc (MU), Facebook Inc (FB), Visa Inc (V), Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc (HLT), DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc (DVA), Walgreen Co (WAG), Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc (ALXN) and Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (SLXP). | Halvorsen purchased 10,769,105 shares of AbbVie Inc ( ABBV ), a Chicago-based pharmaceutical company, for an average price of $55.53. Carl Icahn Undervalued Stocks Carl Icahn Top Growth Companies Carl Icahn High Yield stocks Andreas Halvorsen Undervalued Stocks Andreas Halvorsen Top Growth Companies Andreas Halvorsen High Yield stocks Alibaba was just one of nearly two dozen stocks that Halvorsen added to his portfolio in the third quarter. His purchase of 16,735,985 shares of Bank of New York Mellon Corp ( BK ), another banking and financial services company based in New York, had a 2.6% impact on his portfolio. | Halvorsen purchased 10,769,105 shares of AbbVie Inc ( ABBV ), a Chicago-based pharmaceutical company, for an average price of $55.53. A look at the portfolio of Norwegian-born entrepreneur Andreas Halvorsen ( Trades , Portfolio ), founder and CIO of Viking Global Investors LP, confirms his preference for healthcare stocks - such holdings account for nearly 30% of his portfolio - but, in the third quarter, he - like many of the gurus we follow at GuruFocus - couldn't resist the temptation to invest in Alibaba ( BABA ) when the Chinese ecommerce company had its historic IPO in September. Carl Icahn Undervalued Stocks Carl Icahn Top Growth Companies Carl Icahn High Yield stocks Andreas Halvorsen Undervalued Stocks Andreas Halvorsen Top Growth Companies Andreas Halvorsen High Yield stocks Alibaba was just one of nearly two dozen stocks that Halvorsen added to his portfolio in the third quarter. | Halvorsen purchased 10,769,105 shares of AbbVie Inc ( ABBV ), a Chicago-based pharmaceutical company, for an average price of $55.53. That purchase had a 4.1% impact on his portfolio. The transaction, in which he paid an average price of $243 per share, had a 1.39% impact on his portfolio. | 511a9d72-5659-47a3-af7d-7631952260b4 |
27243.0 | 2014-12-02 00:00:00 UTC | The Most Important FDA Decision We're Watching This Month | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/most-important-fda-decision-were-watching-month-2014-12-02 | nan | nan | Source: Flickr user JD Hancock
As we head into the holidays, a few drugmakers will be hoping to unwrap FDA approvals in December. But not all approvals are created equal. According to McKinsey & Co most drugs tend to fall flat of preapproval forecasts. That suggests it's hard for investors to know which FDA approvals to embrace and which to ignore. So we asked three Motley Fool analysts to tell us what FDA decisions they're most interested in this month. Read on to learn which three they picked.
Brian Orelli : The only thing better than an instant blockbuster treating an unmet need is two drugs battling it out for those same patients.
We should have that soon when AbbVie gets its hepatitis C drugs approved by the FDA in December. Enanta Pharmaceuticals will share in the wealth, having helped develop one of the drugs in the cocktail. The PDUFA date for the drugs is Dec. 21, but an approval could come early, especially if FDA reviewers want to clear their desks before the holidays.
While it's always possible the drugs might not get approved, it's highly unlikely. The cocktail is able to rid a vast majority of patients of their hepatitis C virus and appears safe enough to gain approval. The drugs were recently given a positive opinion from the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use. Abbvie just has to wait on the rubber stamp approval from the European Commission before it can launch the drugs, which will go by Viekirax and Exviera, in Europe.
Once approved, Viekirax and Exviera will compete with Gilead Sciences ' Harvoni. As a single pill taken once a day, Harvoni has the clear advantage over Abbvie's regimen, which requires two pills, one of which has to be taken twice a day. AbbVie might be able to capture some of the market share if it discounts its combination enough to get health insurers to make its cocktail the preferred (or perhaps only) hepatitis C drugs covered by the insurance plan.
Todd Campbell :Cubist Pharmaceuticals ' Zerbaxa may not be as highly anticipated as AbbVie's hepatitis C combo regimen, but it's an important drug that could significantly move the sales needle for this small cap biotech stock.
The FDA, which awarded Zerbaxa fast-track status last year, will make its decision on whether or not to approve Zerbaxa on Dec. 21. If the regulator gives Cubist the OK, the company thinks that Zerbaxa, a drug used to treat complicated urinary tract and intra-abdominal infections caused by gram negative bacteria, such as E. Coli, could have billion dollar blockbuster peak sales potential. That sales optimism stems from a rising number of gram negative bacterial infections globally. Since E Coli accounts for between 12% and 50% of hospital acquired infections annually, rising hospitalization tied to improving healthcare in developing countries and an ageing America suggests that the number of cases will continue climbing.
Cubist has also filed for EU approval and expects a decision from EU regulators in the second half of 2015. If Zerbaxa wins approval in the U.S. and EU and Cubist can deliver on Zerbaxa's billion dollar sales potential, it could prove to be a big win for the company given that it could help Cubist's sales almost double from their current $1.2 billion annualized rate.
Leo Sun : POZEN investors are still waiting for the FDA to approve its "safer-aspirin" products PA32540 and PA8140 ("PA") as secondary prevention treatments for cardiovascular disease in patients with a high risk of developing aspirin-induced gastric ulcers.
POZEN stock has been on a bumpy ride over the past year, after the FDA rejected the approval of PA in late April due to "deficiencies" with a third-party supplier for an active ingredient in the drug. That was a setback for POZEN, but POZEN stated that the deficiencies were properly addressed, resubmitted its NDA, and now faces a new PDUFA date on Dec. 30, 2014. PA32540 previously met its primary and secondary endpoints in earlier clinical trials.
If PA is approved, it would be a big boost for POZEN, which reported $22.5 million in revenues in the first nine months of 2014. Most of the company's revenue, which rose 188% YOY to $7.5 million last quarter, currently comes from royalties for Vimovo, an anti-inflammatory arthritis drug which was passed from AstraZeneca to Horizon Pharma last year.
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The article The Most Important FDA Decision We're Watching This Month originally appeared on Fool.com.
Todd and Leo own shares of Gilead Sciences. Brian doesn't have any positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Cubist Pharmaceuticals and Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool owns shares of Cubist Pharmaceuticals and Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Todd Campbell :Cubist Pharmaceuticals ' Zerbaxa may not be as highly anticipated as AbbVie's hepatitis C combo regimen, but it's an important drug that could significantly move the sales needle for this small cap biotech stock. We should have that soon when AbbVie gets its hepatitis C drugs approved by the FDA in December. Abbvie just has to wait on the rubber stamp approval from the European Commission before it can launch the drugs, which will go by Viekirax and Exviera, in Europe. | We should have that soon when AbbVie gets its hepatitis C drugs approved by the FDA in December. Abbvie just has to wait on the rubber stamp approval from the European Commission before it can launch the drugs, which will go by Viekirax and Exviera, in Europe. As a single pill taken once a day, Harvoni has the clear advantage over Abbvie's regimen, which requires two pills, one of which has to be taken twice a day. | Todd Campbell :Cubist Pharmaceuticals ' Zerbaxa may not be as highly anticipated as AbbVie's hepatitis C combo regimen, but it's an important drug that could significantly move the sales needle for this small cap biotech stock. We should have that soon when AbbVie gets its hepatitis C drugs approved by the FDA in December. Abbvie just has to wait on the rubber stamp approval from the European Commission before it can launch the drugs, which will go by Viekirax and Exviera, in Europe. | We should have that soon when AbbVie gets its hepatitis C drugs approved by the FDA in December. Abbvie just has to wait on the rubber stamp approval from the European Commission before it can launch the drugs, which will go by Viekirax and Exviera, in Europe. As a single pill taken once a day, Harvoni has the clear advantage over Abbvie's regimen, which requires two pills, one of which has to be taken twice a day. | 253182c7-15dd-4a3b-842f-929be5864fd8 |
27244.0 | 2014-12-01 00:00:00 UTC | 5 Stocks to Watch Closely for the Rest of 2014 | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/5-stocks-watch-closely-rest-2014-2014-12-01 | nan | nan | By James Brumley, InvestorPlace Contributor
It would be easy for investors to let their guard down between now and the end of the year, thinking all the major 2014 news for stocks has already been unveiled. And for the most part, the assumption isn’t wrong.
There’s still a handful of stocks to watch closely through the end of December, however, as a few more major announcements and clues are in the queue. In fact, there are a few names that will face significant make-or-break moments over the course of the coming six weeks.
PLUS: Top 10 Dow Dividend Stocks for December
In no particular order, here are the market’s five most important stocks to watch through the end of next month.
RadioShack Corporation (RSH)
It’s a reality that’s been somewhat forgotten since October when it looked like the struggling retailer got the near-term cash infusion it needed to remain afloat, but if RadioShack Corporation (RSH) has a poor showing during this year’s holiday shopping season, it may well be the end of the company as we know it.
Just as a refresher, it was only in September the market was talking about a potential bankruptcy for RadioShack if couldn’t secure a new $585 million line of credit to replace the overly restrictive one provided by GE Capital. Although the company’s liquidity woes were addressed in the meantime, it should be noted RadioShack has still never really secured the full (and fully flexible) loan it said it needed three months ago.
While we probably won’t know for sure if the retailer is a lost cause until January, between any holiday sales updates and the company’s earnings report due out in early December, the market will probably have a good idea about the organization’s future before the year ends. Thus, RSH stock is one of the top stocks to watch from here.
Enanta Pharmaceuticals (ENTA)
Enanta Pharmaceuticals Inc (ENTA) is another one of the key stocks to watch in December … late December to be specific. Dec. 21 is a proverbial D-Day for ENTA stock. That’s the projected date the Food & Drug Administration will make a final decision regarding the company’s hepatitis C treatment, ABT-450.
ABT-450 is a protease inhibitor that was co-developed with AbbVie Inc (ABBV). It’s unique, in that it’s an all-oral, interferon-free treatment for genotype 1 HCV. The drug has shown a sustained virologic response rate of 90% or better 12 weeks and 24 weeks after the treatment was administered.
And, though it doesn’t guarantee an approval, the fact that the FDA has seen fit to grant Enanta Pharmaceuticals a priority review of the therapy bodes well.
Sears Holdings Corp (SHLD)
Sears Holdings Corp (SHLD) was initially expected to report its Q3 earnings on Thursday two weeks ago, but the release date was pushed back to Dec. 4. The rescheduling doesn’t change anything about the company’s expected performance, however.
That being said, the quarterly operating numbers have largely become irrelevant for Sears Holdings and owners of SHLD stock. Far more telling — and far more important at this point — is the balance sheet, which has been morphing as the organization sells productive pieces of itself just to last through what’s becoming something of a quarterly cash-burning extravaganza.
Almost as much fun as watching this slow-motion train wreck will be hearing the fresh excuses and recycled turnaround plans CEO Eddie Lampert is going to give shareholders.
Whatever the case, put SHLD on your list of stocks to watch closely in the near future.
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BCRX)
Enanta Pharmaceuticals isn’t the only biopharma stock that has a date with destiny in December. BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BCRX) also has a major PDUFA announcement scheduled for Dec. 23. That’s when the FDA is going to make the call on BioCryst Pharmaceuticals’ influenza drug Rapivab (peramivir).
The odds generally favor those who on BCRX stock, as the drug has been approved for the same intended use in Japan and Korea since 2010, with no known problems developing in the meantime.
The specific reason BioCryst Pharmaceuticals belongs on a list of stocks to watch through the end of the year, however, is that if Rapivab is approved by the FDA, it will be the United States’ first and only single-dose, intravenously administered acute influenza treatment.
Walgreen Company (WAG)
Last but not least, BioCryst Pharmaceuticals isn’t the only company with news coming out on Dec. 23. In what has to be one of the most inconveniently timed earnings announcements of the year, Walgreen Company (WAG) will be reporting its fiscal Q1 results that day before the market opens.
Two days before Christmas is a tough time for investors to take notice of much of anything, which is why they’d want to make a point of putting WAG stock on a list of stocks to watch next month.
As of the latest look, the drug store is expected to post a profit of 75 cents per share of WAG stock on $19.3 billion in revenue.
As of this writing, James Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | ABT-450 is a protease inhibitor that was co-developed with AbbVie Inc (ABBV). Just as a refresher, it was only in September the market was talking about a potential bankruptcy for RadioShack if couldn’t secure a new $585 million line of credit to replace the overly restrictive one provided by GE Capital. While we probably won’t know for sure if the retailer is a lost cause until January, between any holiday sales updates and the company’s earnings report due out in early December, the market will probably have a good idea about the organization’s future before the year ends. | ABT-450 is a protease inhibitor that was co-developed with AbbVie Inc (ABBV). Sears Holdings Corp (SHLD) Sears Holdings Corp (SHLD) was initially expected to report its Q3 earnings on Thursday two weeks ago, but the release date was pushed back to Dec. 4. BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BCRX) Enanta Pharmaceuticals isn’t the only biopharma stock that has a date with destiny in December. | ABT-450 is a protease inhibitor that was co-developed with AbbVie Inc (ABBV). Enanta Pharmaceuticals (ENTA) Enanta Pharmaceuticals Inc (ENTA) is another one of the key stocks to watch in December … late December to be specific. The specific reason BioCryst Pharmaceuticals belongs on a list of stocks to watch through the end of the year, however, is that if Rapivab is approved by the FDA, it will be the United States’ first and only single-dose, intravenously administered acute influenza treatment. | ABT-450 is a protease inhibitor that was co-developed with AbbVie Inc (ABBV). Enanta Pharmaceuticals (ENTA) Enanta Pharmaceuticals Inc (ENTA) is another one of the key stocks to watch in December … late December to be specific. That’s when the FDA is going to make the call on BioCryst Pharmaceuticals’ influenza drug Rapivab (peramivir). | 0f60ef89-1aec-4672-b150-79251aa4899c |
27245.0 | 2014-12-01 00:00:00 UTC | Novartis' Cardiovascular Drug Gets Accelerated Assessment - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/novartis-cardiovascular-drug-gets-accelerated-assessment-analyst-blog-2014-12-01 | nan | nan | Positive news flowed in for Novartis ( NVS ) when it announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has granted accelerated assessment to its pipeline candidate LCZ696.
The candidate is being evaluated for the treatment of patients suffering from heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF).
The given designation allows the CHMP to provide an opinion at day 150 versus a normal 210 day procedure. Meanwhile, Novartis expects to submit the file for marketing authorization in the EU in early 2015.
The submission will be based on positive results from the PARADIGM-HF study. PARADIGM-HF is a randomized double-blind phase III study evaluating the efficacy and safety profile of LCZ696 versus enalapril in patients with HF-REF. Results from the study showed LCZ696 was superior to ACE-inhibitor enalapril on key endpoints.
We note that LCZ696 has been given Fast Track designation by the FDA and a rolling submission is expected to be complete by the end of 2014.
Last month, Novartis announced new data on LCZ696, from the PARADIGM-HF study. The randomized, double-blind study showed that LCZ696 reduced the occurrence of sudden deaths, emergency room visits, hospitalizations, deteriorating symptoms and the need for more intense treatment in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction as compared to enalapril. This data was presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2014.
Novartis currently needs to focus on its pipeline as it faces generic competition for several key drugs such as Gleevec, Zometa and Diovan. Hence, we expect investor focus on further updates from LCZ696.
Novartis, a large cap pharma, currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Investors looking for better-ranked stocks in the health care sector may consider companies like Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Shire ( SHPG ). All three carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Investors looking for better-ranked stocks in the health care sector may consider companies like Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Shire ( SHPG ). Click to get this free report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Positive news flowed in for Novartis ( NVS ) when it announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has granted accelerated assessment to its pipeline candidate LCZ696. | Click to get this free report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Investors looking for better-ranked stocks in the health care sector may consider companies like Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Shire ( SHPG ). The candidate is being evaluated for the treatment of patients suffering from heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF). | Click to get this free report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Investors looking for better-ranked stocks in the health care sector may consider companies like Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Shire ( SHPG ). The randomized, double-blind study showed that LCZ696 reduced the occurrence of sudden deaths, emergency room visits, hospitalizations, deteriorating symptoms and the need for more intense treatment in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction as compared to enalapril. | Investors looking for better-ranked stocks in the health care sector may consider companies like Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Shire ( SHPG ). Click to get this free report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. PARADIGM-HF is a randomized double-blind phase III study evaluating the efficacy and safety profile of LCZ696 versus enalapril in patients with HF-REF. | 081defc8-a79e-40fd-a7a7-3f3c1098eccb |
27246.0 | 2014-11-27 00:00:00 UTC | Bristol-Myers Squibb's HCV Drug Daclatasvir Receives CRL - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/bristol-myers-squibbs-hcv-drug-daclatasvir-receives-crl-analyst-blog-2014-11-27 | nan | nan | Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ) announced that the FDA has issued a complete response letter (CRL) for the new drug application (NDA) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) candidate, daclatasvir. The company is looking to get daclatasvir approved in combination with other agents for the treatment of HCV.
We remind investors that in April this year, Bristol-Myers had submitted NDAs for daclatasvir and asunaprevir. The company was looking to get the combination of daclatasvir (an NS5A complex inhibitor) and asunaprevir (an NS3/4A protease inhibitor) approved in the U.S. for the treatment of patients with genotype 1b HCV. However, Bristol-Myers withdrew the NDA for asunaprevir last month. As a result of the withdrawal of asunaprevir, the FDA has asked for additional data on daclatasvir in combination with other antiviral agents for the treatment of HCV.
Currently, the company is in discussions with the FDA regarding the data required for approval.
Meanwhile, the company continues to progress with its daclatasvir HCV program which includes pre- and post-liver transplant (ALLY-1), HCV patients co-infected with HIV (ALLY-2) and patients with genotype 3 (ALLY-3). Earlier this month, the company announced encouraging results from the phase III UNITY program (UNITY-1 and UNITY-2) evaluating an all-oral daclatasvir trio regimen (a fixed-dose combination of daclatasvir with asunaprevir and beclabuvir) in patients with genotype 1 HCV.
The CRL on daclatasvir comes as a disappointment for Bristol-Myers. Moreover, there is low visibility on how long the candidate would be delayed in the U.S. before it enters, if at all, the highly lucrative HCV market in the U.S. Several companies including AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Merck ( MRK ) are looking to bring their next generation HCV treatments to the market. In fact, AbbVie's HCV treatment could gain FDA approval by year end.
Bristol-Myers currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and AbbVie. While Allergan is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock, AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Moreover, there is low visibility on how long the candidate would be delayed in the U.S. before it enters, if at all, the highly lucrative HCV market in the U.S. Several companies including AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Merck ( MRK ) are looking to bring their next generation HCV treatments to the market. In fact, AbbVie's HCV treatment could gain FDA approval by year end. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and AbbVie. | While Allergan is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock, AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Moreover, there is low visibility on how long the candidate would be delayed in the U.S. before it enters, if at all, the highly lucrative HCV market in the U.S. Several companies including AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Merck ( MRK ) are looking to bring their next generation HCV treatments to the market. | Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Moreover, there is low visibility on how long the candidate would be delayed in the U.S. before it enters, if at all, the highly lucrative HCV market in the U.S. Several companies including AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Merck ( MRK ) are looking to bring their next generation HCV treatments to the market. In fact, AbbVie's HCV treatment could gain FDA approval by year end. | In fact, AbbVie's HCV treatment could gain FDA approval by year end. While Allergan is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock, AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Moreover, there is low visibility on how long the candidate would be delayed in the U.S. before it enters, if at all, the highly lucrative HCV market in the U.S. Several companies including AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Merck ( MRK ) are looking to bring their next generation HCV treatments to the market. | fa99a278-c1c7-431a-b688-894700584d54 |
27247.0 | 2014-11-26 00:00:00 UTC | Novartis' Multiple Myeloma Drug FDA Action Date Delayed - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/novartis-multiple-myeloma-drug-fda-action-date-delayed-analyst-blog-2014-11-26 | nan | nan | Novartis ( NVS ) announced that the FDA has extended the priority review period for the new drug application (NDA) for LBH589 by up to 3 months. The company is looking to get LBH589 (in combination with Velcade and dexamethasone) approved for treatment-experienced patients suffering from multiple myeloma.
This is not surprising since earlier this month, the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) had voted against approving LBH589 for treatment-experienced patients suffering from multiple myeloma. Although the FDA is not compelled to follow its advisory panel's recommendations, it usually does so.
Meanwhile, several companies are developing therapies for the treatment of multiple myeloma. AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb's ( BMY ) are jointly evaluating elotuzumab for the treatment of multiple myeloma in treatment-experienced patients.
Our Take
The extension of priority review period for LBH589 is concerning. We are not confident about the chances of LBH589 gaining approval given the ODAC's negative recommendation for the candidate.
The successful development of LBH589 would have significantly boosted Novartis' portfolio, which is presently facing generic competition for a number of products including Zometa and Diovan mono. Additionally, the patent covering Gleevec is slated to expire in 2015 in the U.S. and in 2016 in the major European countries.
Meanwhile, Novartis is submitting a rolling NDA for LCZ696 for heart failure in the U.S., which is expected to be completed by the end of 2014. The company intends to file for its approval in this indication in Europe in early 2015.
Novartis currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A better-ranked stock in the pharmaceutical sector is Allergan ( AGN ), carrying a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). AbbVie holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb's ( BMY ) are jointly evaluating elotuzumab for the treatment of multiple myeloma in treatment-experienced patients. AbbVie holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb's ( BMY ) are jointly evaluating elotuzumab for the treatment of multiple myeloma in treatment-experienced patients. AbbVie holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). | Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb's ( BMY ) are jointly evaluating elotuzumab for the treatment of multiple myeloma in treatment-experienced patients. AbbVie holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). | AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb's ( BMY ) are jointly evaluating elotuzumab for the treatment of multiple myeloma in treatment-experienced patients. AbbVie holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | 8874a950-299f-4a26-9d1d-4b2dfabd4bf0 |
27248.0 | 2014-11-26 00:00:00 UTC | Mutual Funds Enjoy Very Favorable Impression: 3 Funds to Buy Now - Mutual Fund Commentary | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/mutual-funds-enjoy-very-favorable-impression%3A-3-funds-to-buy-now-mutual-fund-commentary | nan | nan | According to the recently published annual survey by the Investment Company Institute, mutual funds dominate a significant portion of investment choices by US households. About 53.2 million U.S. households and 90.4 million individual investors were the owners of mutual funds in mid-2014. The 44.3% of U.S. households owning shares of mutual funds and U.S. registered investment companies include closed-end funds and exchange-traded funds among others.
What is more promising for mutual funds is that its popularity has remained on the higher side. The popularity of mutual funds is reemphasized by the fact that favorability rating among shareholders for mutual fund companies has remained at 68% in mid-2014.
Mutual funds are definitely a preferred alternative investment option for more than one reason. Before looking into 3 top fund picks currently, let's look into the details of the popularity of mutual funds.
Mutual Funds as Alternative Investment
Mutual funds are great options for investors looking for a relatively less risky way to earn at least more than what fixed income instruments offer. Money from individuals and even organizations are invested in stocks, bonds, or other assets covering diverse industries globally.
One of the benefits of mutual funds is that it allows a small investor to invest in a basket of securities at once. Investors need not worry about investing a large chunk in securities separately. Moreover, these are less risky than any individual asset class as underperformance of a security that is mitigated by outperformance of others in the portfolio. In addition to the asset diversification, mutual funds also provide liquidity, economies of scale and are professionally managed.
Favorable Impression for Mutual Funds
While the percentage of households having "very" or "somewhat" favorable impressions of fund companies continued to be the same as in May 2013 at 68%, fund investors having "very" favorable impression surged from 13% in May 2013 to 17% in May 2014. Meanwhile, 87% of shareholders with opinion on fund companies and familiar with mutual fund companies had "very" or "somewhat" favorable impressions.
The somewhat favorable impression percentage has been stable over the years, while the very favorable impression keeps changing. The following chart shows the percentage changes since 1997.
Source: ICI
According to ICI: "In 2014, the Annual Mutual Fund Shareholder Tracking Survey was revised to include a dual frame random digit dial (RDD) sample design. In prior years, the survey used a landline RDD sampling frame."
All About Fund Performance?
Most investors believe that fund performance is primarily the driving factor behind investor sentiment. Forty one percent of the investors familiar with mutual fund companies ranked fund performance as the most crucial, while 19% believed opinion of the professional financial advisers help them shape their point of view on the mutual fund industry. Among other factors, 13%, 10%, 9%, 7% and 1% believed the factors driving investor reaction are personal experience with mutual fund companies, friends and family, current events in financial markets, stock market fluctuations and media coverage, respectively.
For this year, the survey also stated that more number of investors were confident that mutual funds will help achieve their financial goals. About 84% were confident about mutual funds' ability to help them reach financial goals. Also, one in four investors were "very" confident in mid-2014, up from a ratio of one in five feeling very confident in May 2013.
The confidence is perhaps justified given that the US markets have enjoyed the Bullish trend this year. The S&P 500 and the Dow are often extending the record highs. While the S&P 500 (.INX) is up nearly 12% year to date, the Dow is up 7.5% so far this year.
Mutual funds too have gained with healthcare, real estate and utilities leading the gains among the sector equity funds. Looking at all category performances and total return, India Equity funds (International Equity Funds) lead the race followed by Trading-Leveraged Debt (Alternative funds), Health, Real Estate and Long Government (Taxable Bond Funds).
Source: Morningstar
Returns as of Nov 24, 2014
3 Top Performers This Year
Based on the top performance so far this year, we will pick 3 best ranked mutual funds from varied categories. The funds carry a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) .
Remember, the goal of the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank is to guide investors to identify potential winners and losers. Unlike most of the fund-rating systems, the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank is not just focused on past performance, but the likely future success of the fund.
These funds are also among the top performers this year. They have relatively low expense ratio and carry no sales load.
Healthcare
Fidelity Select Health Care Portfolio (FSPHX) invests the majority of its assets in companies whose principal operations include production, design and sales of health care related products or services. The fund focuses on acquiring common stocks and invests in companies all over the globe. This healthcare mutual fund is non-diversified and returned 38.1% over the last one year period.
The fund boasts year-to-date return of 31.2%. It carries an annual expense ratio of 0.76% as compared to category average of 1.43%.
Among the top holdings of the fund are Actavis PLC (ACT), McKesson Corp (MCK), Shire PLC ADR (SHPG), AbbVie Inc (ABBV) and Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc (ALXN). These stocks have year-to-date returns of 60.9%, 29.5%, 50.3%, 28.9% and 45.1%, respectively.
Real Estate
JHFunds2 Real Estate Securities 1 (JIREX) seeks to provide long-term growth of capital as well as current income. The fund invests a large proportion of its assets in equity securities issued by real estate investment trusts and companies. Not more than 10% of its assets may be invested in foreign firms.
The fund boasts year-to-date return of 27.3%. It carries an annual expense ratio of 0.78% as compared to category average of 1.34%.
Among the top holdings of the fund are Simon Property Group Inc (SPG), AvalonBay Communities Inc (AVB), HCP Inc (HCP), Ventas Inc (VTR), and General Growth Properties Inc (GGP). These stocks have year-to-date returns of 17.7%, 32.9%, 20.5%, 22.7% and 32.5%, respectively.
Long Government
Wasatch-Hoisington US Treasury (WHOSX) invests almost all its assets in U.S. Treasury securities to provide returns higher than rate of inflation over a business cycle. The fund also invests in repurchase agreements collateralized by Treasury securities. The average maturity and the portfolio duration are adjusted based on HIMCO's assessment of multi-year trends in several factor like economic conditions, inflationary pressure, rate changes and U.S. Treasury bonds' long-term value in relation to inflation.
The fund boasts year-to-date return of 24.6%. It carries an annual expense ratio of 0.71% as compared to category average of 0.56%.
About Zacks Mutual Fund Rank
By applying the Zacks Rank to mutual funds, investors can find funds that not only outpaced the market in the past but are also expected to outperform going forward. Learn more about the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank in our Mutual Fund Center .
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Among the top holdings of the fund are Actavis PLC (ACT), McKesson Corp (MCK), Shire PLC ADR (SHPG), AbbVie Inc (ABBV) and Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc (ALXN). In addition to the asset diversification, mutual funds also provide liquidity, economies of scale and are professionally managed. Remember, the goal of the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank is to guide investors to identify potential winners and losers. | Among the top holdings of the fund are Actavis PLC (ACT), McKesson Corp (MCK), Shire PLC ADR (SHPG), AbbVie Inc (ABBV) and Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc (ALXN). Forty one percent of the investors familiar with mutual fund companies ranked fund performance as the most crucial, while 19% believed opinion of the professional financial advisers help them shape their point of view on the mutual fund industry. Looking at all category performances and total return, India Equity funds (International Equity Funds) lead the race followed by Trading-Leveraged Debt (Alternative funds), Health, Real Estate and Long Government (Taxable Bond Funds). | Among the top holdings of the fund are Actavis PLC (ACT), McKesson Corp (MCK), Shire PLC ADR (SHPG), AbbVie Inc (ABBV) and Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc (ALXN). Favorable Impression for Mutual Funds While the percentage of households having "very" or "somewhat" favorable impressions of fund companies continued to be the same as in May 2013 at 68%, fund investors having "very" favorable impression surged from 13% in May 2013 to 17% in May 2014. Forty one percent of the investors familiar with mutual fund companies ranked fund performance as the most crucial, while 19% believed opinion of the professional financial advisers help them shape their point of view on the mutual fund industry. | Among the top holdings of the fund are Actavis PLC (ACT), McKesson Corp (MCK), Shire PLC ADR (SHPG), AbbVie Inc (ABBV) and Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc (ALXN). Forty one percent of the investors familiar with mutual fund companies ranked fund performance as the most crucial, while 19% believed opinion of the professional financial advisers help them shape their point of view on the mutual fund industry. These funds are also among the top performers this year. | c05990bf-046a-4b46-a34b-34aea605b801 |
27249.0 | 2014-11-25 00:00:00 UTC | 3 Simple Reasons Doctors May Stick With Gilead Sciences Instead of AbbVie | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/3-simple-reasons-doctors-may-stick-gilead-sciences-instead-abbvie-2014-11-25 | nan | nan | Source: Gilead Sciences via Google Maps
This December, the FDA will decide whether or not to approve AbbVie's hepatitis C drug cocktail. If they give AbbVie the green light to begin marketing its hepatitis C drug, it will give AbbVie an opportunity to wrestle market share away from Gilead Sciences , the drugmaker behind Sovaldi and Harvoni, the two top selling hepatitis C drugs.
A tough road ahead
AbbVie will likely find it hard to win away business from Gilead Sciences. After winning FDA and EU approval this past year, Sovaldi has gone on to rack up over $8 billion in sales during 2014. And Gilead Sciences' next generation hepatitis C drug, Harvoni, appears to be off to a fast start, too. Since winning the FDA go-ahead in October, reports suggest that the number of Harvoni prescriptions being written is already exceeding the levels achieved by Sovaldi at the same time during its launch.
Since Sovaldi (and now Harvoni) have become the standard of care in hepatitis C, AbbVie may have to cut prices if it hopes to carve away some of Gilead Sciences' script volume. A price cut from AbbVie would be welcomed by health care payers, including health insurers and state Medicaid programs, struggling to contain spiraling costs associated with Gilead Sciences' drugs.
However, even if AbbVie does offer a price discount, it's far from a lock that AbbVie will significantly dent demand for Harvoni. Here's why.
1. Better efficacy
The goal of any therapy is a 100% cure rate. Less than a decade ago, the current standard treatment for hepatitis C was a combination of the side-effect-laden drugs peginterferon and ribavirin, which achieved a functional cure in just half of patients treated. Even as recently as 2012, the best drug for treating the indication -- Vertex Pharmaceuticals ' Incivek -- cured just 80% of patients. But the introduction of Sovaldi and Harvoni has changed the outlook for hepatitis C patients dramatically. Sovaldi offers cure rates in the low 90% range and Harvoni offers cure rates as high as 99%.
Since Harvoni works so well, AbbVie may find it tough to win over doctors. AbbVie's cocktail cures about 90% of patients with genotype 1a hepatitis C; the most common variation of the disease. Meanwhile, Harvoni boasts cure rates of 94% or better in genotype 1a patients. Adding ribavirin to AbbVie's drug regimen in patients with genotype 1a improves cure rates to 97%, but because of side effects, doctors have been trying to avoid, rather than embrace, the use of ribavirin.
Source: Gilead Sciences
2. Easier on patients
One of Harvoni's top selling points will be its easier dosing schedule. Harvoni is a once-daily pill that most patients will take for 12 weeks. That matches up favorably to AbbVie's three-pills-a-day therapy.
AbbVie's cocktail consists of Viekirax taken once daily and Exviera taken twice daily for 12 weeks, and since patients will need to take three pills instead of one, doctors are likely to be concerned about patient adherence -- especially, if ribavirin is included in the AbbVie cocktail. During trials, 88% of patients taking AbbVie's therapy plus ribavirin took the drugs as prescribed at least 80% of the time. While that may be a "solid" adherence rate, it's far from an ideal one.
Additionally, 6% of AbbVie's patients stopped taking AbbVie's cocktail prematurely, with 1.8% doing so because of adverse events. That isn't as good as Gilead Sciences' Harvoni, which saw less than 1% of those participating in its trials stop taking Harvoni because of adverse events.
3. Shorter treatment duration
Harvoni offers an additional benefit over AbbVie's cocktail in the form of a potentially shorter treatment period for many patients. In addition to being approved for 12 weeks, roughly 40% of patients can be prescribed Harvoni for just eight weeks.
Those that qualify for this shorter treatment period are those that have not been previously treated, do not have liver cirrhosis, and have levels of hepatitis in their bodies below a certain level.
Gilead Sciences' 40% estimate of how many people may qualify for the shorter treatment plan suggests that as many as 1.2 million of the 3 million people living with chronic hepatitis C in the U.S. could be eligible for the eight week therapy.
AbbVie may have a hard time competing for scripts against Harvoni in those patients given that, if approved, it would require all patients to receive treatment for 12 weeks. It may also be hard for AbbVie to beat out Harvoni on price for those patients given that Harvoni, which costs $94,500 for 12 weeks, would cost just $63,000 over eight weeks.
Globalizing a cure
The total market for hepatitis C treatment globally is massive. The World Health Organization estimates that between 150 million and 170 million people worldwide have chronic hepatitis C. Many of those patients are in far flung regions of the world, suggesting that the battle for treatment market share won't be limited to developed markets like the United States and Europe. So far, Gilead Sciences has a significant edge in those regions, too. This past fall, Gilead Sciences announced deals with a slate of generic manufacturers to make and market Sovaldi for those markets. As a low cost generic Sovaldi gets more entrenched overseas, AbbVie may find that its role in treating hepatitis C is that of a niche player. That said, a niche drug in such a massive market could still make this a blockbuster therapy for AbbVie. Some analysts think that AbbVie's cocktail could eventually generate as much as $3 billion per year in sales. However, that will pale in comparison to Harvoni, which could see sales of $10 billion in the next year.
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The article 3 Simple Reasons Doctors May Stick With Gilead Sciences Instead of AbbVie originally appeared on Fool.com.
Todd Campbell owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Todd owns E.B. Capital Markets, LLC. E.B. Capital's clients may or may not have positions n the companies mentioned. Todd owns Gundalow Advisors, LLC. Gundalow's clients do not have positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Gilead Sciences and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Since Sovaldi (and now Harvoni) have become the standard of care in hepatitis C, AbbVie may have to cut prices if it hopes to carve away some of Gilead Sciences' script volume. Source: Gilead Sciences via Google Maps This December, the FDA will decide whether or not to approve AbbVie's hepatitis C drug cocktail. If they give AbbVie the green light to begin marketing its hepatitis C drug, it will give AbbVie an opportunity to wrestle market share away from Gilead Sciences , the drugmaker behind Sovaldi and Harvoni, the two top selling hepatitis C drugs. | Additionally, 6% of AbbVie's patients stopped taking AbbVie's cocktail prematurely, with 1.8% doing so because of adverse events. Source: Gilead Sciences via Google Maps This December, the FDA will decide whether or not to approve AbbVie's hepatitis C drug cocktail. If they give AbbVie the green light to begin marketing its hepatitis C drug, it will give AbbVie an opportunity to wrestle market share away from Gilead Sciences , the drugmaker behind Sovaldi and Harvoni, the two top selling hepatitis C drugs. | If they give AbbVie the green light to begin marketing its hepatitis C drug, it will give AbbVie an opportunity to wrestle market share away from Gilead Sciences , the drugmaker behind Sovaldi and Harvoni, the two top selling hepatitis C drugs. AbbVie's cocktail consists of Viekirax taken once daily and Exviera taken twice daily for 12 weeks, and since patients will need to take three pills instead of one, doctors are likely to be concerned about patient adherence -- especially, if ribavirin is included in the AbbVie cocktail. It may also be hard for AbbVie to beat out Harvoni on price for those patients given that Harvoni, which costs $94,500 for 12 weeks, would cost just $63,000 over eight weeks. | If they give AbbVie the green light to begin marketing its hepatitis C drug, it will give AbbVie an opportunity to wrestle market share away from Gilead Sciences , the drugmaker behind Sovaldi and Harvoni, the two top selling hepatitis C drugs. AbbVie's cocktail consists of Viekirax taken once daily and Exviera taken twice daily for 12 weeks, and since patients will need to take three pills instead of one, doctors are likely to be concerned about patient adherence -- especially, if ribavirin is included in the AbbVie cocktail. Source: Gilead Sciences via Google Maps This December, the FDA will decide whether or not to approve AbbVie's hepatitis C drug cocktail. | 71bb34b5-0630-427d-92b1-947b42c10867 |
27250.0 | 2014-11-25 00:00:00 UTC | AbbVie Takes Aim at Gilead Sciences | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/abbvie-takes-aim-gilead-sciences-2014-11-25 | nan | nan | Source: AbbVie.
The advisory arm of the European Medicines Agency has recommended approval for AbbVie 's three-pill daily hepatitis C cocktail, putting AbbVie on track to challenge Gilead Sciences ' dominant position in Europe early next year.
A battle coming?
The decision by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use to endorse approval of AbbVie's Exviera and Viekirax (the two drugs used in the three pill cocktail) for use in hepatitis C patients should result in an official approval from the EMA in the first quarter of 2015.If approved, patients will need to to take Viekirax once daily and Exviera twice daily.
Whether Gilead Sciences should be concerned about the threat of mounting competition in Europe isn't yet certain. Gilead Science's Harvoni is a single-pill treatment taken once a day, which is much friendlier than AbbVie's new cocktail's dosing schedule. And, since both companies' compounds have very good functional cure rates, AbbVie's ability to win away market share will probably have to come from cheaper prices.
AbbVie hasn't yet provided insight into its pricing plans, but it's unlikely that AbbVie will price its cocktail significantly less than the $94,500 that Gilead Sciences is charging for Harvoni. However, a small price advantage may sway some health care payers to include AbbVie's regimen in their formularies instead of Harvoni.
Such a move by payers, however, could result in prescriber and patient pushback, since Harvoni arguably posted better cure rates during its clinical trials.
While AbbVie's three-drug cocktail did produce cure rates as high as 99% in genotype 1b patients, which account for about one-third of genotype 1 cases, AbbVie's treatment cured just 90% of the more common 1a variation. That fell short of the 94% and higher cure rate delivered by Harvoni in genotype 1a patients. Adding ribavirin to AbbVie's cocktail boosts cure rates to 97%, but doctors have been moving away from, not toward, treatment regimens relying on side-affect laden ribavirin, so it's unclear how many doctors would favor such an approach,
AbbVie's regimen may also need to overcome the hurdle of treatment duration. In about 40% of cases, patients may be treated with Harvoni over eight weeks , rather than 12 weeks, while AbbVie's therapy requires treatment for 12 weeks across all patients.
Supporting more than one player
That's not to say that AbbVie won't be able to carve out some market share. The global hepatitis C population stands at between 150 million and 170 million people, and the population of hepatitis C patients in Europe totals roughly 9 million. Another 3 million people are infected with chronic hepatitis C in the U.S., too, where AbbVie could win FDA approval for its cocktail in December.
The sheer size of the patient population worldwide suggests that the market is large enough to support more than one therapy. In the U.S. alone, for example, treating every patient for eight weeks, rather than 12 weeks, with Harvoni would still cost payers a staggering $189 billion. Looking at the market opportunity available to hepatitis C drugmakers another way, consider that Gilead Sciences' prior generation hepatitis C drug, Sovaldi, treated 117,000 patients through the first nine months of this year, translating into revenue of more than $8 billion.
The opportunity this suggests
More options for doctors, patients, and payers is a good thing, given that different therapies may allow doctors and health care payers to parse data and prescribe different therapies to different patients based on whichever drug works best.
Such an approach could mean that there is an opportunity for AbbVie to carve away some of Gilead Sciences' market share. However, in my view, there's a much larger opportunity available to drugmakers if they can reduce treatment times below eight weeks. If that's true, then investors should start focusing their analysis less on what are essentially similar cure rates and more on treatment duration.
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The article AbbVie Takes Aim at Gilead Sciences originally appeared on Fool.com.
Todd Campbell owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Todd owns E.B. Capital Markets, LLC. E.B. Capital's clients may or may not have positions in the companies mentioned. Todd owns Gundalow Advisors, LLC. Gundalow's clients do not have positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | And, since both companies' compounds have very good functional cure rates, AbbVie's ability to win away market share will probably have to come from cheaper prices. Source: AbbVie. The advisory arm of the European Medicines Agency has recommended approval for AbbVie 's three-pill daily hepatitis C cocktail, putting AbbVie on track to challenge Gilead Sciences ' dominant position in Europe early next year. | While AbbVie's three-drug cocktail did produce cure rates as high as 99% in genotype 1b patients, which account for about one-third of genotype 1 cases, AbbVie's treatment cured just 90% of the more common 1a variation. In about 40% of cases, patients may be treated with Harvoni over eight weeks , rather than 12 weeks, while AbbVie's therapy requires treatment for 12 weeks across all patients. Source: AbbVie. | The advisory arm of the European Medicines Agency has recommended approval for AbbVie 's three-pill daily hepatitis C cocktail, putting AbbVie on track to challenge Gilead Sciences ' dominant position in Europe early next year. While AbbVie's three-drug cocktail did produce cure rates as high as 99% in genotype 1b patients, which account for about one-third of genotype 1 cases, AbbVie's treatment cured just 90% of the more common 1a variation. In about 40% of cases, patients may be treated with Harvoni over eight weeks , rather than 12 weeks, while AbbVie's therapy requires treatment for 12 weeks across all patients. | And, since both companies' compounds have very good functional cure rates, AbbVie's ability to win away market share will probably have to come from cheaper prices. Such an approach could mean that there is an opportunity for AbbVie to carve away some of Gilead Sciences' market share. Source: AbbVie. | afa2e611-5f4e-4e87-929c-731fda8eb095 |
27251.0 | 2014-11-24 00:00:00 UTC | Novo Nordisk's Victoza Recommended for Label Expansion - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/novo-nordisks-victoza-recommended-for-label-expansion-analyst-blog-2014-11-24 | nan | nan | Novo Nordisk A/S ( NVO ) announced that Victoza (once-daily) has received a positive opinion from The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) for the treatment of patients suffering from type II diabetes and moderate renal impairment.
Victoza is already available as an adjunct to diet and exercise for the treatment of type II diabetes for improving blood glucose control. Currently, the company is looking to expand the product's label. A response from the European Commission should be out within the next two months.
Our Take
We are encouraged by the CHMP's recommendation for Victoza's label expansion and believe that chances of gaining approval are high.
Although the market for type II diabetes is crowded with products like Januvia, Janumet and Byetta, the limited availability of treatments for the combination of type II diabetes with renal impairment shows that Victoza has the opportunity to gain a wide share of the market. Already a blockbuster drug, Victoza generated revenues of 9.4 billion DKK ($1.7 billion) in the first nine months of 2014.
Once its label is expanded, Victoza can be used without dose adjustments for the treatment of patients suffering from type II diabetes as well as moderate renal impairment, which may increase the eligible patient population.
Novo Nordisk carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan Inc. ( AGN ), AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. ( BMY ). While Allergan carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie and Bristol-Myers carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan Inc. ( AGN ), AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. ( BMY ). While Allergan carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie and Bristol-Myers carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report NOVO-NORDISK AS (NVO): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | While Allergan carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie and Bristol-Myers carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report NOVO-NORDISK AS (NVO): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan Inc. ( AGN ), AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. ( BMY ). | Click to get this free report NOVO-NORDISK AS (NVO): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan Inc. ( AGN ), AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. ( BMY ). While Allergan carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie and Bristol-Myers carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). | Click to get this free report NOVO-NORDISK AS (NVO): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan Inc. ( AGN ), AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. ( BMY ). While Allergan carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie and Bristol-Myers carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). | 2988a997-61c6-47fe-9507-70c5fb28b089 |
27252.0 | 2014-11-24 00:00:00 UTC | Can Partnering To Fight Hepatitis C Pay At Enanta? | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/can-partnering-fight-hepatitis-c-pay-enanta-2014-11-24 | nan | nan | Biotech company Enanta Pharmaceuticals has been around for 19 years, but the fiscal year it's entering now is surely the most important one of its life.
By Dec. 21, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to approveAbbVie 's ( ABBV ) Viekirax, a hepatitis C treatment that combinesEnanta 's ( ENTA ) drug paritaprevir with two AbbVie-developed drugs. Enanta's partnership with the big pharma goes back to 2006, when AbbVie joined the race to develop a new treatment for the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that improved upon the traditional regimen of interferon, an injectable drug that causes unpleasant side effects.
As things turned out,Gilead Sciences ( GILD ) got there first. Its drug Sovaldi smashed all drug-launch records after the FDA approved it last December, racking up $8.7 billion in sales by the end of the third quarter. And that happened even though patients with the most common genotype of HCV, genotype 1, were still supposed to take it with interferon unless their health wouldn't allow it. Last month Gilead launched Harvoni, a combination of Sovaldi with a new drug that allows genotype 1 patients an interferon-free regimen.
Going Up Against Gilead
AbbVie's regimen also treats genotype 1 patients without interferon and with few side effects, and with an excellent cure rate in its clinical trials. It will be the first real competitor to Gilead's dominance. So much Wall Street speculation has centered around AbbVie's strategy to penetrate the market: Where will it price, which patients will it target, and how much share will it ultimately get?
"It's pretty obvious that Gilead has an easier, more convenient regimen ... and you end up with the same cure rates," said analyst Liisa Bayko of JMP Securities. "There may be certain preferences among certain payers, as they get certain rebates or discounts. I think most people have the old 80-20 rule, allocating about 80% of sales to Gilead."
The answers to the questions are also crucial to Enanta. It's a measure of just how big the HCV stakes are that the company has already raked in an extraordinary amount of money for a biotech that doesn't have a product out yet. Excluding stock-options expenses, it's turned an annual profit every year since 2010 -- the earliest on record, as the firm went public in March 2013.
In fiscal 2014, which ended on Sept. 30 and which Enanta reported Monday, the company pulled in revenue of $47.7 million, up 49% from the previous year. Net income more than tripled to $34.4 million, or $1.80 a share. Some of the money came from Enanta's contract with the National Institutes of Health's infectious-disease unit, but the great majority came from AbbVie's milestone payments for paritaprevir's success in clinical trials.
On the conference call discussing the financial results Monday, CEO Jay Luly said that Enanta stands to collect up to $155 million more upon Viekirax's approval in "major jurisdictions." That includes the European Union, which AbbVie expects to enter early next year after an advisory committee of the European Medicines Agency voted last week to recommend approval of Viekirax and its companion drug Exviera.
Royalties Awaited
After that, however, Enanta will start collecting royalties, which will be tied to the drug's sales. Enanta will collect a royalty on 30% of global sales of the "3D" regimen, which includes both Viekirax and Exviera, and is expected to be the most commonly prescribed. For Viekirax alone, which may be more advisable for some patients, Enanta will collect a royalty on 45% of sales. Luly said the royalties will be "double digits," but didn't cite an exact number.
Luly also didn't provide any 2015 guidance. Financial reporting for a biotech in Enanta's position is very different from other companies, since it does not have control over the pricing and marketing of its products, and its milestone-based business model leads to extremely lumpy quarters.
Although the company was profitable in fiscal 2014, all of the profit and most of the revenue came in the third quarter, when Enanta collected a $40 million milestone payment upon AbbVie's U.S. and European regulatory filings, and made $2.61 a share. By contrast, in the fourth quarter it took in $2.6 million in revenue -- all from the NIH contract -- and lost 27 cents a share.
However, analysts expect that once the royalties start coming in, Enanta will start making consistent quarterly profits. For the full year of 2015, revenue is expected to jump more than 400% to $250 million, with earnings at $8.38 a share.
One thing that Enanta does have more direct control over is its spending, and on Monday's call JPMorgan analyst Jessica Fye pressed for details about the research and development outlook. Luly said the R&D budget will increase, but declined to give specifics, given the firm is still processing a couple of recent changes.
For one, last month Enanta decided not to participate in a profit-sharing program with AbbVie on its next-generation version of paritaprevir, called ABT-493, so that it could plow the money into other programs, including drugs outside the HCV field.
Also, Enanta is regaining its rights to a different hepatitis C drug fromNovartis ( NVS ), which in September bailed out of their partnership after deciding it didn't want to make HCV a strategic focus. Luly said the transfer, which includes data sets from a proof-of-concept study, should be completed by the end of this year.
"We're in the thick of defining the development-plan next steps for this program, and we're not ready to talk about that yet today, but we do expect we'll be talking about that early next year," Luly said.
Analyst Bayko said she expects Enanta will need to find another partner for that drug, since the class it belongs to -- NS5A inhibitors -- don't work by themselves. However, another possible scenario is that the whole company gets acquired by AbbVie. She said that will probably depend on data from the phase two trial of ABT-493, which is expected sometime next year.
"It really turns into a question of, 'What do you think the second molecule is worth?'" she said.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Enanta's partnership with the big pharma goes back to 2006, when AbbVie joined the race to develop a new treatment for the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that improved upon the traditional regimen of interferon, an injectable drug that causes unpleasant side effects. By Dec. 21, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to approveAbbVie 's ( ABBV ) Viekirax, a hepatitis C treatment that combinesEnanta 's ( ENTA ) drug paritaprevir with two AbbVie-developed drugs. Going Up Against Gilead AbbVie's regimen also treats genotype 1 patients without interferon and with few side effects, and with an excellent cure rate in its clinical trials. | Going Up Against Gilead AbbVie's regimen also treats genotype 1 patients without interferon and with few side effects, and with an excellent cure rate in its clinical trials. Although the company was profitable in fiscal 2014, all of the profit and most of the revenue came in the third quarter, when Enanta collected a $40 million milestone payment upon AbbVie's U.S. and European regulatory filings, and made $2.61 a share. By Dec. 21, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to approveAbbVie 's ( ABBV ) Viekirax, a hepatitis C treatment that combinesEnanta 's ( ENTA ) drug paritaprevir with two AbbVie-developed drugs. | Enanta's partnership with the big pharma goes back to 2006, when AbbVie joined the race to develop a new treatment for the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that improved upon the traditional regimen of interferon, an injectable drug that causes unpleasant side effects. Although the company was profitable in fiscal 2014, all of the profit and most of the revenue came in the third quarter, when Enanta collected a $40 million milestone payment upon AbbVie's U.S. and European regulatory filings, and made $2.61 a share. For one, last month Enanta decided not to participate in a profit-sharing program with AbbVie on its next-generation version of paritaprevir, called ABT-493, so that it could plow the money into other programs, including drugs outside the HCV field. | Going Up Against Gilead AbbVie's regimen also treats genotype 1 patients without interferon and with few side effects, and with an excellent cure rate in its clinical trials. Although the company was profitable in fiscal 2014, all of the profit and most of the revenue came in the third quarter, when Enanta collected a $40 million milestone payment upon AbbVie's U.S. and European regulatory filings, and made $2.61 a share. By Dec. 21, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to approveAbbVie 's ( ABBV ) Viekirax, a hepatitis C treatment that combinesEnanta 's ( ENTA ) drug paritaprevir with two AbbVie-developed drugs. | 0d3c22b6-a8bb-42d4-9fc3-1c78fd4abca7 |
27253.0 | 2014-11-24 00:00:00 UTC | 3 Biotech Stocks That Could Soar Even Higher | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/3-biotech-stocks-could-soar-even-higher-2014-11-24 | nan | nan | Source: Flickr user Vastateparksstaff
When to sell a winning stock is one of the toughest questions for investors to answer. Selling a stock that is reaching for new highs might be the right decision sometimes, but other times it might mean getting out of a long-haul opportunity too early. With that in mind, we asked three Motley Fool analysts to tell us which high-flying companies they'd keep in their portfolios. Read on to learn which companies they picked.
Todd Campbell : Celgene 's shares have jumped more than 52% since their low in April, trouncing the S&P 500's otherwise respectable 13.6% return during the period. That spike has Celgene trading at record highs, but despite a sky-high share price investors may be best served holding on rather than heading for the exits.
Celgene's built an enviable business on the back of Revlimid, its highly successful multiple myeloma therapy. Revlimid's $4 billion in annual sales has allowed Celgene to develop other top-selling drugs including Abraxane and Pomalyst. In the third quarter, sales of the cancer drug Abraxane totaled $212 million, suggesting that it may become a billion dollar blockbuster soon. And Pomalyst, a multiple myeloma drug, saw its sales jump 102% from a year ago to $181 last quarter, which means that it may hit that billion dollar plateau someday, too. Celgene also believes that Otezla, a treatment for psoriasis that won FDA approval this year, could eventually become a top seller as well. With that kind of a product lineup and analysts thinking Celgene will deliver EPS of $4.88 next year, up 34% from this year, I'm content to focus on this company's long-term opportunity, rather than today's share price.
Source: Gilead Sciences
Cheryl Swanson: Up, up, and away. That's been the flight trajectory of Gilead Sciences ' this year, with its soaring stock price closely following the fortunes of its hep-C megablockbuster Solvadi.
Solvadi is likely to overtake the $10 billion marker in its first year on the market, but sales haven't always lived up to expectations. And when Solvadi sold $2.8 billion last quarter, against expectations of $2.96 billion, Gilead's stock price hit an air pocket. What was missed was that doctors were warehousing patients, waiting for Gilead's new hep-C wonder cocktail, Harvoni, to gain approval.
Harvoni boosts cure rates to 94-99%. Analysts expect now approved Harvoni -- which combines Sovaldi with NS5A inhibitor, ledipasvir -- to outstrip solo Sovaldi as the fastest-growing drug of all time.
Gilead's total revenue for last quarter more than doubled to $6 billion from a year earlier, making it the world's biggest biotech. Its hep-C drug pricing is in the nosebleed category, but competitors' treatments come up shy in efficacy, so they shouldn't seriously dent Gilead's market share.
Gilead has a solid product pipeline, with a number of drugs in late-stage clinical trials for 2015. With Harvoni winning EU approval on November 18th, this company still looks like a good bet moving forward.
George Budwell : AbbVie 's shares have risen by 35% in the past year, and are now pushing through their all-time highs in recent sessions. Despite this rapid price appreciation, I think AbbVie is on track to continue its upward trajectory for a good while longer, and Wall Street apparently shares my view. In the third quarter, top notch hedge funds like Paulson & Co. and Soros Fund Management, among others, took out huge positions in the drugmaker, upping overall institutional ownership by roughly 12%.
What appears to be attracting these top investors is AbbVie's stellar growth profile and rising dividend yield. Per the third-quarter, for instance, the company grew its revenue by 7.8% year over year, and increased its dividend by 17% to $0.49 per share. Going forward, AbbVie is expected to grow its diluted EPS by a noteworthy 27% next year, fueled largely by the commercial launch of its new hepatitis C therapy, and another year of double-digit sales growth for its flagship anti-inflammatory drug Humira. AbbVie's shares are thus presently trading at a modest 15.5 forward P/E ratio, suggesting that the stock still has plenty of room to run.
1 great stock to buy for 2015 and beyond
2015 is shaping up to be another great year for stocks. But if you want to make sure that 2015 is your best investing year ever, you need to know where to start. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. To get the full story on this year's stock -- completely free -- simply click here .
The article 3 Biotech Stocks That Could Soar Even Higher originally appeared on Fool.com.
Todd and Cheryl own Gilead Sciences and Celgene. George owns Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool recommends Celgene and Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Despite this rapid price appreciation, I think AbbVie is on track to continue its upward trajectory for a good while longer, and Wall Street apparently shares my view. George Budwell : AbbVie 's shares have risen by 35% in the past year, and are now pushing through their all-time highs in recent sessions. What appears to be attracting these top investors is AbbVie's stellar growth profile and rising dividend yield. | George Budwell : AbbVie 's shares have risen by 35% in the past year, and are now pushing through their all-time highs in recent sessions. Despite this rapid price appreciation, I think AbbVie is on track to continue its upward trajectory for a good while longer, and Wall Street apparently shares my view. What appears to be attracting these top investors is AbbVie's stellar growth profile and rising dividend yield. | Going forward, AbbVie is expected to grow its diluted EPS by a noteworthy 27% next year, fueled largely by the commercial launch of its new hepatitis C therapy, and another year of double-digit sales growth for its flagship anti-inflammatory drug Humira. George Budwell : AbbVie 's shares have risen by 35% in the past year, and are now pushing through their all-time highs in recent sessions. Despite this rapid price appreciation, I think AbbVie is on track to continue its upward trajectory for a good while longer, and Wall Street apparently shares my view. | George Budwell : AbbVie 's shares have risen by 35% in the past year, and are now pushing through their all-time highs in recent sessions. Despite this rapid price appreciation, I think AbbVie is on track to continue its upward trajectory for a good while longer, and Wall Street apparently shares my view. What appears to be attracting these top investors is AbbVie's stellar growth profile and rising dividend yield. | c6360a7b-19f7-4176-a6f5-f270d1d34906 |
27254.0 | 2014-11-23 00:00:00 UTC | George Soros Just Bought These 3 Stocks: Should You? | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/george-soros-just-bought-these-3-stocks-should-you-2014-11-23 | nan | nan | Source: AP
Superinvestors like Warren Buffett and George Soros are closely watched figures within the investment community for a very good reason: they have a knack for consistently beating the broader markets. Soros, for instance, has averaged annual returns in excess of 30% for stretches longer than a decade during his career. Major stock market indices like the S&P 500, by contrast, have historically averaged only about 10% in annual gains.
At the end of the third quarter, lay investors finally learned what these investing behemoths have been buying over the last three months via their 13F filings with the SEC. Per the filings for the Soros Fund Managment, we can see that the fund has become increasingly bearish in its outlook, with nearly 65% of its transactions consisting of sales in the third-quarter.
Even so, Soros' fund did make some noteworthy buys during the quarter, especially in health care. Namely, the fund opened or increased positions in the drugmakers AbbVie , Actavis plc , and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, . Given this billionaire's track record of beating the broader markets, I think it's worthwhile to consider whether or not to follow his lead into these three top health care names.
AbbVie looks like a compelling buy
AbbVie's stock has already risen over 30% this year, and is now breaking through its all-time highs in recent sessions. The stock's stellar year is due, at least partly, to a rising interest among institutional investors. Besides the Soros Fund, a number of top flight funds snapped up shares in the third-quarter, causing institutional ownership to rise to a healthy 80%.
Even after this meteroric rise, though, AbbVie still looks, to me, like a buy. Sales of the company's anti-inflammatory drug Humira should continue to post double-digit sales growth in 2015, and AbbVie's triple-therapy hepatitis C regimen is expected to launch in the first-quarter of next year. With a forward-price to earnings ratio currently pegged at 15.5, AbbVie's shares look comparatively cheap. The downside is that Humira will come off of patent protection in 2016, which could put the brakes on AbbVie's growth in the not-so distant future.
Actavis has been soaring, fueled by an acquisition bonanza
Perhaps no name has been as active in the merger and acquisition arena over the last two years as Actavis plc. After buying Dublin-based Warner-Chilcott in 2013, the company has become a serial acquirer of branded drugmakers , culminating in the $66 billion buyout of Botox maker Allergan last week.
What's key to understand is that Soros entered Actavis prior to this megamerger, when the underlying story was radically different. Following this buyout, I think Actavis is no longer a strong buy because it overpaid for Allergan in its bid to ward off Valeant. My hunch (and it's only a hunch) is that this potential misstep on the M&A front will dampen Actavis' burgeoning growth story. Time will tell if I'm correct.
Valeant looks cheap; its next move is critical to watch
Like Actavis, Valeant's growth story centers around buying rival drugmakers and subsequently increasing profit margins to unlock latent value. As it stands right now, Valeant's shares are trading at a reasonable forward price-to-earnings ratio of 14.3, and diluted EPS is expected to grow by an average of 26% over the next 5 years. According to the company's third-quarter earnings report , most of this growth should come from its acquisition of Bausch & Lomb, which is presently on track to generate 12% in annual sales growth this year.
Before buying Valeant's growth metrics, though, you may want to wait to see what their next move will be after losing Allergan to Actavis. My take is that Valeant is probably on the lookout for another major deal that could dramatically alter the pros and cons of investing in this drugmaker. The good news is that Valeant's management didn't get into a bidding war with Actavis, suggesting that the company is seeking deals that offer a certain level of immediate upside to shareholders. In short, I think Valeant is worth watching, but it's not quite time to buy.
The best of the bunch
Taking a cursory look at the activity of elite investors can be a good starting point when sussing out potential opportunities in the stock market. By the same token, you should always remember that these filings are out of date by the time they reach the public domain. When digging into these three buys by the Soros Fund, AbbVie looks like the only clear-cut buy at present, because the investing thesis for both Actavis and Valeant has fundamentally changed.
1 great stock to buy for 2015 and beyond
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The article George Soros Just Bought These 3 Stocks: Should You? originally appeared on Fool.com.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Namely, the fund opened or increased positions in the drugmakers AbbVie , Actavis plc , and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, . AbbVie looks like a compelling buy AbbVie's stock has already risen over 30% this year, and is now breaking through its all-time highs in recent sessions. Even after this meteroric rise, though, AbbVie still looks, to me, like a buy. | Namely, the fund opened or increased positions in the drugmakers AbbVie , Actavis plc , and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, . AbbVie looks like a compelling buy AbbVie's stock has already risen over 30% this year, and is now breaking through its all-time highs in recent sessions. Even after this meteroric rise, though, AbbVie still looks, to me, like a buy. | When digging into these three buys by the Soros Fund, AbbVie looks like the only clear-cut buy at present, because the investing thesis for both Actavis and Valeant has fundamentally changed. Namely, the fund opened or increased positions in the drugmakers AbbVie , Actavis plc , and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, . AbbVie looks like a compelling buy AbbVie's stock has already risen over 30% this year, and is now breaking through its all-time highs in recent sessions. | When digging into these three buys by the Soros Fund, AbbVie looks like the only clear-cut buy at present, because the investing thesis for both Actavis and Valeant has fundamentally changed. Namely, the fund opened or increased positions in the drugmakers AbbVie , Actavis plc , and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, . AbbVie looks like a compelling buy AbbVie's stock has already risen over 30% this year, and is now breaking through its all-time highs in recent sessions. | 69a87e2a-5856-4351-87c6-c4427f246860 |
27255.0 | 2014-11-21 00:00:00 UTC | Can New Launches Offset Sanofi's Soft Diabetes Business? - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/can-new-launches-offset-sanofis-soft-diabetes-business-analyst-blog-2014-11-21 | nan | nan | Sanofi ( SNY ) provided an update on its pipeline and upcoming product launches. The company expects to add up to 18 new products to its portfolio within the next seven years (between 2014 and 2020). These products are expected to generate cumulative sales of over €30 billion in the first five years on the market. Sanofi has launched 10 products between 2007 and 2013.
Sanofi intends to add three new products to its diabetes portfolio - Toujeo, Afrezza and Lixilan - by 2020. Toujeo, an investigational basal insulin, is under review in the U.S. and EU with decisions expected in the first and second quarter of 2015, respectively. Afrezza, an inhaled insulin therapy for adults suffering from type I and II diabetes, will be launched next year in the U.S. Meanwhile, Sanofi is evaluating LixiLan in a phase III program for type II diabetes with a regulatory submission expected in the U.S. by the end of 2015.
We note that Sanofi's diabetes segment is one of its largest revenue contributors. However, the segment is under pressure with 2015 sales expected to remain flat. The company raised concerns regarding Lantus sales in 2015 which will be under pressure due to competitive pricing. We remind investors that Lantus is one of the largest selling products at Sanofi contributing around €4.6 billion to sales in the first nine months of 2014.
Apart from its diabetes launches, the company also plans to launch Gaucher disease treatment, Cerdelga, soon in the U.S. The drug is currently under review in the EU with an opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) expected by year end. Sanofi also expects to launch recently approved multiple sclerosis treatment, Lemtrada, in the U.S. in 2015.
Additionally, Sanofi plans to launch products in its cardiovascular (Praluent to be submitted in the U.S. and EU by year end), Vaccines (a dengue vaccine to be filed in 2015) and Immunology & Inflammation (sarilumab and dupilumab) portfolios.
Both sarilumab and dupilumab are being developed in collaboration with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( REGN ). Dupilumab was recently granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA for the treatment of adults suffering from moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapy and/or for whom these treatments are not appropriate.
Sanofi currently has 14 candidates in its pipeline that are either in late-stage development or under regulatory review out of which 7 are vaccines and the rest are new molecular entities (NMEs). In addition to that it has 32 early- and mid-stage candidates including vaccines and NMEs.
The company expects its diabetes segment to remain under pressure till 2018. With many late-stage candidates having limited sales potential it will be interesting to see whether Sanofi will be able to offset its Diabetes segment loss with new product launches.
Sanofi carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report REGENERON PHARM (REGN): Free Stock Analysis Report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report REGENERON PHARM (REGN): Free Stock Analysis Report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). | Click to get this free report REGENERON PHARM (REGN): Free Stock Analysis Report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). | Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report REGENERON PHARM (REGN): Free Stock Analysis Report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | 2f3b2889-f330-4680-85d1-7809b4c76309 |
27256.0 | 2014-11-21 00:00:00 UTC | Amgen and AbbVie Strengthen Manufacturing Facilities in Asia - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/amgen-and-abbvie-strengthen-manufacturing-facilities-in-asia-analyst-blog-2014-11-21 | nan | nan | Amgen ( AMGN ) announced the completion of its first next-generation biomanufacturing facility located in Singapore.
Given Amgen's expertise in biologics manufacturing, the next-generation facility was completed in half the time required for constructing conventional biomanufacturing plants and is expected to have the same annual output as any conventional facility but using less energy and water and producing lower quantities of solid wastes and emissions.
The new Tuas facility is equipped with multiple technologies which should facilitate speed, productivity and flexibility in commercial-scale manufacturing of biologics.
Additionally, Amgen announced that it will continue construction at the Tuas site in Singapore. Thereafter, the company will work on another facility where it will make carfilzomib, the active ingredient for multiple myeloma drug Kyprolis.
The new facility is aimed to further strengthen Amgen's manufacturing expertise.
Meanwhile, AbbVie ( ABBV ) too is gearing up to expand its presence in Singapore. The company has acquired a small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing site in Singapore's Tuas Biomedical Park.
With this acquisition, AbbVie plans to expand its small molecule and biologics manufacturing to increase the capacity for compounds within its immunology and oncology pipelines.
The Singapore site includes a contained API facility, additional buildings and ancillary equipment. The API facility is expected to be fully operational by 2016.
We remind investors that in Feb 2014, AbbVie had announced its plans to construct a bulk biologics manufacturing facility on the property. The biologics facility is expected to be operational in 2019.
Consequently, AbbVie's headcount will increase with more than 250 new employees in the combined facilities.
AbbVie currently carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while Amgen carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Stocks that currently look attractive in the broad health care sector include Allegan ( AGN ) and Biogen Idec ( BIIB ).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | With this acquisition, AbbVie plans to expand its small molecule and biologics manufacturing to increase the capacity for compounds within its immunology and oncology pipelines. Meanwhile, AbbVie ( ABBV ) too is gearing up to expand its presence in Singapore. We remind investors that in Feb 2014, AbbVie had announced its plans to construct a bulk biologics manufacturing facility on the property. | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Meanwhile, AbbVie ( ABBV ) too is gearing up to expand its presence in Singapore. With this acquisition, AbbVie plans to expand its small molecule and biologics manufacturing to increase the capacity for compounds within its immunology and oncology pipelines. | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Meanwhile, AbbVie ( ABBV ) too is gearing up to expand its presence in Singapore. With this acquisition, AbbVie plans to expand its small molecule and biologics manufacturing to increase the capacity for compounds within its immunology and oncology pipelines. | With this acquisition, AbbVie plans to expand its small molecule and biologics manufacturing to increase the capacity for compounds within its immunology and oncology pipelines. Meanwhile, AbbVie ( ABBV ) too is gearing up to expand its presence in Singapore. We remind investors that in Feb 2014, AbbVie had announced its plans to construct a bulk biologics manufacturing facility on the property. | 81f422ba-de6b-470b-9174-cbb5dc428551 |
27257.0 | 2014-11-20 00:00:00 UTC | J&J Seeks FDA Approval for Schizophrenia Treatment - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/jj-seeks-fda-approval-for-schizophrenia-treatment-analyst-blog-2014-11-20 | nan | nan | Johnson & Johnson 's ( JNJ ) Janssen Research & Development is seeking FDA approval for a three-month formulation of its long-acting atypical antipsychotic, paliperidone palmitate, for the treatment of adults suffering from schizophrenia.
A once-monthly formulation of paliperidone palmitate is currently available under the trade name Invega Sustenna for the treatment of schizophrenia.
As per the company, if the three-month formulation is approved, it will be the first and only long-acting atypical antipsychotic with a four times a year dosing schedule.
Johnson & Johnson's NDA submission was based on results from a phase III international, randomized, multicenter, double-blind, relapse prevention study on the three-month formulation. The study was halted early on recommendation of an Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) based on certain positive efficacy results (read more: Good News for Johnson & Johnson ).
The NDA submission for the three-month formulation comes close on the heels of the approval of Invega Sustenna as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy for the treatment of schizoaffective disorder. This is the first and only FDA-approved once-monthly monotherapy for the treatment of schizoaffective disorder.
Our Take
The approval of the three-month formulation will strengthen Johnson & Johnson's position in the schizophrenia market. The company also has another established schizophrenia treatment, Risperdal Consta, in its portfolio. Risperdal Consta recorded sales of $896 million for the nine months ending Sep 2014.
Other major drugs in the schizophrenia market include Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's ( BMY ) Abilify (nine months 2014 sales of $1.5 billion) among others.
Johnson & Johnson is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock. Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report JOHNSON & JOHNS (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report JOHNSON & JOHNS (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). | Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report JOHNSON & JOHNS (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). | Some better-ranked companies in the health care space are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). While Allergan holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AbbVie carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report JOHNSON & JOHNS (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | b1efa5c2-e243-41dc-9ad4-772f552e8374 |
27258.0 | 2014-11-18 00:00:00 UTC | Roche's (RHHBY) Avastin Label Expansion Approved by FDA - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/roches-rhhby-avastin-label-expansion-approved-by-fda-analyst-blog-2014-11-18 | nan | nan | Updates on the regulatory front are eagerly awaited by investors in the pharma/biotech sector as they impact the share price of the concerned company. Regulatory updates include events like filing of marketing applications, acceptance of these applications for review by the regulatory agencies, reviews by advisory panels and, finally, a response from the regulatory agency regarding the approval status.
Roche ( RHHBY ) announced that the FDA has approved Avastin in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of women with platinum-resistant, recurrent ovarian cancer.
The approval was based on encouraging results from the phase III study, AURELIA.
The study was conducted among women suffering from recurrent, platinum-resistant ovarian cancer who were either on chemotherapy alone or Avastin added to chemotherapy.
Results from the study showed that the addition of Avastin to chemotherapy reduced the risk of the disease worsening or death by 62% (also known as progression-free survival) as compared to women who received only chemotherapy.
We note that Avastin has already received approval in the EU earlier in 2014 for treating women suffering from platinum-resistant, recurrent ovarian cancer.
We remind investors that Avastin is approved in Europe for the treatment of advanced stages of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, kidney cancer and ovarian cancer. In the U.S., Avastin is approved for the treatment of colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, kidney cancer, cervical cancer and ovarian cancer. Moreover, the drug is approved in the U.S. for progressive glioblastoma following prior therapy.
We note that Avastin is one of the leading drugs in Roche's portfolio. Avastin generated sales of CHF 4.7 billion in the first nine months of 2014. We are encouraged by Roche's efforts to expand the drug's label, which should further boost sales.
Roche currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb ( BMY ). All three stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb ( BMY ). Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Roche ( RHHBY ) announced that the FDA has approved Avastin in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of women with platinum-resistant, recurrent ovarian cancer. | Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb ( BMY ). We remind investors that Avastin is approved in Europe for the treatment of advanced stages of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, kidney cancer and ovarian cancer. | Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb ( BMY ). We remind investors that Avastin is approved in Europe for the treatment of advanced stages of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, kidney cancer and ovarian cancer. | Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb ( BMY ). Click to get this free report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. We note that Avastin has already received approval in the EU earlier in 2014 for treating women suffering from platinum-resistant, recurrent ovarian cancer. | 9324d1c6-7335-4c1d-9c3c-7b08162906de |
27259.0 | 2014-11-18 00:00:00 UTC | IVW, UNP, MMM, ABBV: Large Inflows Detected at ETF | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/ivw-unp-mmm-abbv-large-inflows-detected-etf-2014-11-18 | nan | nan | Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel , one standout is the iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (Symbol: IVW) where we have detected an approximate $77.7 million dollar inflow -- that's a 0.7% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 105,350,000 to 106,050,000). Among the largest underlying components of IVW, in trading today Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) is up about 0.4%, 3M Co (Symbol: MMM) is up about 0.3%, and AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is higher by about 0.7%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the IVW Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IVW, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, IVW's low point in its 52 week range is $93.41 per share, with $111.64 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $111.54. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average » .
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Click here to find out which 9 other ETFs had notable inflows »
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Among the largest underlying components of IVW, in trading today Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) is up about 0.4%, 3M Co (Symbol: MMM) is up about 0.3%, and AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is higher by about 0.7%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the IVW Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IVW, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IVW's low point in its 52 week range is $93.41 per share, with $111.64 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $111.54. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. | Among the largest underlying components of IVW, in trading today Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) is up about 0.4%, 3M Co (Symbol: MMM) is up about 0.3%, and AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is higher by about 0.7%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the IVW Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IVW, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IVW's low point in its 52 week range is $93.41 per share, with $111.64 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $111.54. Click here to find out which 9 other ETFs had notable inflows » The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Among the largest underlying components of IVW, in trading today Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) is up about 0.4%, 3M Co (Symbol: MMM) is up about 0.3%, and AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is higher by about 0.7%. Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel , one standout is the iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (Symbol: IVW) where we have detected an approximate $77.7 million dollar inflow -- that's a 0.7% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 105,350,000 to 106,050,000). For a complete list of holdings, visit the IVW Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IVW, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IVW's low point in its 52 week range is $93.41 per share, with $111.64 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $111.54. | Among the largest underlying components of IVW, in trading today Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP) is up about 0.4%, 3M Co (Symbol: MMM) is up about 0.3%, and AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is higher by about 0.7%. Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel , one standout is the iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (Symbol: IVW) where we have detected an approximate $77.7 million dollar inflow -- that's a 0.7% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 105,350,000 to 106,050,000). For a complete list of holdings, visit the IVW Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IVW, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IVW's low point in its 52 week range is $93.41 per share, with $111.64 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $111.54. | 63958d50-512b-44ff-9ae5-308363c7d8f5 |
27260.0 | 2014-11-18 00:00:00 UTC | Jeff Auxier Buys Berkshire Hathaway in Third Quarter | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/jeff-auxier-buys-berkshire-hathaway-third-quarter-2014-11-18 | nan | nan | Jeff Auxier ( Trades , Portfolio ) founded Auxier Asset Management and has managed the Auxier Focus Fund since its inception in 1999. Since inception, the fund has had returns 114.67 percentage points higher than the S&P 500.
In an interview with GuruFocus in 2012, Auxier told a story of when he cold-called Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) in 1982, and actually received career advice from the most successful investor himself.
"My main concern was to find an enduring approach where I would be able to survive through the most challenging economic conditions," Auxier said. "I was hooked on the value approach."
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While receiving such valuable advice after college was undoubtedly a boon for Auxier, it wasn't his first encounter with an influential investor. At the age of 11, Auxier mowed the lawn of Robert Pamplin, the then-CEO of Georgia Pacific, which was a top-performing stock of the 1960s.
"Like Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) says - chose your heroes carefully," Auxier said. "It pays to get a start young with the right values and business principles."
It's clear that Auxier stands behind his investing approach - his entire retirement saving is invested in the Focus Fund, and Auxier has committed to not selling a share for as long as he is portfolio manager.
During the third quarter, Auxier bought two new stocks, and added to the fund's positions in eight companies, notably GlaxoSmithKline ( GSK ), Bank of America ( BAC ), and Vitamin Shoppe ( VSI ). He sold out of eight positions, and reduced the stake in six companies, including AbbVie ( ABBV ) and DirecTV ( DTV ).
New buys
Auxier purchased one share of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) Class A stock for $200,011.10.
The stock reached the $200,000 mark for the first time on Aug. 14, and reached an intra-day high of $201,775. Berkshire is a diversified holding company which includes insurance, utilities, energy, finance, manufacturing, and retail.
The stock has been up 24% since the beginning of the year, and may be slightly overvalued when compared to the Peter Lynch earnings line.
Auxier also purchased 6,150 shares in Newell Rubbermaid (NWL) for an average price of $33.06 per share. The fund had previously held 120,600 shares in the third quarter of 2011, and gradually sold the shares before selling out last quarter.
Newell Rubbermaid's five business segments are home solutions, writing, tools, commercial products, and baby and parenting. A few of its most well-known brands include Rubbermaid, Calphalon, Goody, and Graco.
The company has been paying down its long-term debt since FY 2010. Diluted earnings per share has been increasing since FY 2011, and was $1.63 in FY 2013.
Sold out
Auxier sold out of seven positions; the largest impact to the portfolio was in Mercury General Corp (MCY). He sold 14,795 shares at an average price of $49.41 per share.
The following chart shows the historical holding in the company:
Mercury is an insurance holding company engaged mainly in writing automobile insurance in several states, but primarily in California.
Auxier also sold out of 3,968 shares of Allegion (ALLE) at an average price of $52.44. He had purchased the shares in the first quarter for about $50.24 per share.
Allegion specializes in mechanical hardware used in residential and commercial security such as locks, door closer and exit devices, steel doors, and frames. The company also utilizes electronic solutions such as digital and mobile solutions to make the hardware products more powerful.
Allegion spun off from Ingersoll Rand (IR) in December 2013. Allegion's insiders have been buying the stock - on Aug. 8, five directors of the company each purchased 496 shares.
Other gurus who hold a position in the company include George Soros (Trades, Portfolio), Paul Tudor Jones (Trades, Portfolio), and Louis Moore Bacon (Trades, Portfolio).
Auxier also sold out of positions in Distil PLC (BBVKF), Discovery Communications (DISCA), Liberty Media Corporation (LMCK) (LMCA), and PRGX Global (PRGX).
About GuruFocus: GuruFocus.com tracks the stocks picks and portfolio holdings of the world's best investors. This value investing site offers stock screeners and valuation tools. And publishes daily articles tracking the latest moves of the world's best investors. GuruFocus also provides promising stock ideas in 3 monthly newsletters sent to Premium Members .
This article first appeared on GuruFocus .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | He sold out of eight positions, and reduced the stake in six companies, including AbbVie ( ABBV ) and DirecTV ( DTV ). In an interview with GuruFocus in 2012, Auxier told a story of when he cold-called Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) in 1982, and actually received career advice from the most successful investor himself. During the third quarter, Auxier bought two new stocks, and added to the fund's positions in eight companies, notably GlaxoSmithKline ( GSK ), Bank of America ( BAC ), and Vitamin Shoppe ( VSI ). | He sold out of eight positions, and reduced the stake in six companies, including AbbVie ( ABBV ) and DirecTV ( DTV ). Jeff Auxier ( Trades , Portfolio ) founded Auxier Asset Management and has managed the Auxier Focus Fund since its inception in 1999. Warren Buffett Undervalued Stocks Warren Buffett Top Growth Companies Warren Buffett High Yield stocks While receiving such valuable advice after college was undoubtedly a boon for Auxier, it wasn't his first encounter with an influential investor. | He sold out of eight positions, and reduced the stake in six companies, including AbbVie ( ABBV ) and DirecTV ( DTV ). Jeff Auxier ( Trades , Portfolio ) founded Auxier Asset Management and has managed the Auxier Focus Fund since its inception in 1999. Warren Buffett Undervalued Stocks Warren Buffett Top Growth Companies Warren Buffett High Yield stocks While receiving such valuable advice after college was undoubtedly a boon for Auxier, it wasn't his first encounter with an influential investor. | He sold out of eight positions, and reduced the stake in six companies, including AbbVie ( ABBV ) and DirecTV ( DTV ). Auxier also purchased 6,150 shares in Newell Rubbermaid (NWL) for an average price of $33.06 per share. Sold out Auxier sold out of seven positions; the largest impact to the portfolio was in Mercury General Corp (MCY). | 25e32354-89df-419d-9c5b-daa0e9068b82 |
27261.0 | 2014-11-18 00:00:00 UTC | Celldex Therapeutics Surges on Positive Rindopepimut Data - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/celldex-therapeutics-surges-on-positive-rindopepimut-data-analyst-blog-2014-11-18 | nan | nan | Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. ( CLDX ) surged 28.9% after the company announced encouraging interim update from the phase II ReACT study evaluating the use of rindopepimut in EGFRvIII-positive glioblastoma (GBM) patients.
In the phase II exploratory ReACT study, rindopepimut demonstrated clear signs of clinical activity in patients suffering from recurrent GBM, including treatment naïve patients and those refractory to Roche's ( RHHBY ) Avastin (bevacizumab). We note that Avastin is the only approved drug for advanced GBM.
The study divided the patients into three groups. In the Group 1, Avastin-naïve population, rindopepimut met the six-month endpoint of progression free survival. At six months, 27% of these patients receiving rindopepimut were progression free as compared to 11% in the controlled arm.
Additionally, statistically significant overall survival benefit was also observed in the rindopepimut arm. The median with rindopepimut was 12 months, while that in the controlled arm was 8.8 months, representing a benefit of 3.2 months.
The other two groups included Avastin refractory patients. The median overall survival in these patients was 5.1 months in the rindopepimut arm, comparing favorably to historical data for this population.
Our Take
We are pleased with the encouraging interim update from the phase II ReACT study on rindopepimut. We note that three phase II studies (ACTIVATE, ACT II, and ACT III) on rindopepimut have been completed in treatment-naive EGFRvIII-positive GBM patients. In all three studies the candidate has demonstrated consistent improvement in both overall survival and median progression free survival. We believe that investor focus will remain on further updates on rindopepimut development.
Celldex carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Actavis ( ACT ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Both hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Actavis ( ACT ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report CELLDEX THERAPT (CLDX): Free Stock Analysis Report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report ACTAVIS PLC (ACT): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. ( CLDX ) surged 28.9% after the company announced encouraging interim update from the phase II ReACT study evaluating the use of rindopepimut in EGFRvIII-positive glioblastoma (GBM) patients. | Click to get this free report CELLDEX THERAPT (CLDX): Free Stock Analysis Report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report ACTAVIS PLC (ACT): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Actavis ( ACT ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Our Take We are pleased with the encouraging interim update from the phase II ReACT study on rindopepimut. | Click to get this free report CELLDEX THERAPT (CLDX): Free Stock Analysis Report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report ACTAVIS PLC (ACT): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Actavis ( ACT ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). In the phase II exploratory ReACT study, rindopepimut demonstrated clear signs of clinical activity in patients suffering from recurrent GBM, including treatment naïve patients and those refractory to Roche's ( RHHBY ) Avastin (bevacizumab). | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Actavis ( ACT ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report CELLDEX THERAPT (CLDX): Free Stock Analysis Report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report ACTAVIS PLC (ACT): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. In the phase II exploratory ReACT study, rindopepimut demonstrated clear signs of clinical activity in patients suffering from recurrent GBM, including treatment naïve patients and those refractory to Roche's ( RHHBY ) Avastin (bevacizumab). | 98ae835f-8875-482c-9bb8-aa36de8ff09b |
27262.0 | 2014-11-18 00:00:00 UTC | Novartis Presents Data on Heart Failure Candidate LCZ696 - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/novartis-presents-data-on-heart-failure-candidate-lcz696-analyst-blog-2014-11-18 | nan | nan | Novartis ( NVS ) announced new data on pipeline candidate, LCZ696, from the phase III study, PARADIGM-HF.
Data from the randomized, double-blind study showed that LCZ696 reduces the occurrence of sudden deaths, emergency room visits, hospitalizations, deteriorating symptoms and the need for more intense treatment in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction as compared to enalapril.
This data was presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2014.
Novartis plans to file for marketing authorization for LCZ696 with FDA by the end of 2014 and with the European Medicines Agency by early 2015.
Last week, Novartis announced positive results from phase III results - FUTURE 1 and FUTURE 2 on pipeline candidate secukinumab (AIN457), a selective interleukin-17A (IL-17A) inhibitor.
Results from the studies showed that secukinumab showed rapid and significant clinical improvements versus placebo in improving the signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
The FUTURE 1 study showed that more than 80% of patients treated with secukinumab experienced no progression of joint structural damage, which affects two-thirds of PsA patients.The results were presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Congress in Boston.
We note that Novartis is also evaluating secukinumab for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Novartis has also announced positive results from the phase III studies, MEASURE 1 and MEASURE 2 on secukinumab in AS. Secukinumab met the primary endpoint in both the studies and demonstrated rapid and statistically significant improvements versus placebo in the signs and symptoms of AS.
Novartis plans to make global regulatory submissions on secukinumab for the treatment of PsA and AS in 2015. Meanwhile, the FDA's response regarding secukinumab's approval status for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis should be out in early 2015. Novartis has also filed for the approval of secukinumab in the EU where a response should be out by the end of 2014 or early 2015.
Our Take
Successful development and commercialization of secukinumab for the treatment of psoriasis will further strengthen Novartis' dermatology portfolio. The company already has Xolair in its dermatology portfolio which is approved for the treatment of refractory chronic spontaneous urticaria in the EU and is known as refractory chronic idiopathic urticaria in the U.S.
Novartis currently needs to focus on its pipeline as it faces generic competition for several key drugs such as Gleevec, Zometa and Diovan.
Novartis currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb ( BMY ). All three carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb ( BMY ). Click to get this free report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. The FUTURE 1 study showed that more than 80% of patients treated with secukinumab experienced no progression of joint structural damage, which affects two-thirds of PsA patients.The results were presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Congress in Boston. | Click to get this free report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb ( BMY ). Last week, Novartis announced positive results from phase III results - FUTURE 1 and FUTURE 2 on pipeline candidate secukinumab (AIN457), a selective interleukin-17A (IL-17A) inhibitor. | Click to get this free report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb ( BMY ). Last week, Novartis announced positive results from phase III results - FUTURE 1 and FUTURE 2 on pipeline candidate secukinumab (AIN457), a selective interleukin-17A (IL-17A) inhibitor. | Click to get this free report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the broader health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ), Allergan ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb ( BMY ). Novartis plans to file for marketing authorization for LCZ696 with FDA by the end of 2014 and with the European Medicines Agency by early 2015. | 7827c70c-1b1c-464d-a806-f2e3d297dc4d |
27263.0 | 2014-11-17 00:00:00 UTC | Why Top Dividend Stock Johnson & Johnson Could Plunge in 2015 | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/why-top-dividend-stock-johnson-johnson-could-plunge-2015-2014-11-17 | nan | nan | As the healthcare sector rolls through its third-quarter earnings, a bucolic picture is coming into focus. Earnings across the sector are soaring due to new drug launches, a frenzy of acquisitions, and vast reorganizations that have helped to stem the tide from the ongoing patent cliff. So it's unsurprising that many top names like AbbVie , Celgene Corp. , and Johnson & Johnson are presently trading right on the razor's edge of their 52-week highs, and threatening to push higher still.
Shares of J&J, for instance, appear to offer considerable value on a forward-looking basis, despite the stock's strong performance in 2014:
Specifically, industry experts have J&J shares currently trading at a reasonable forward price-to-earnings ratio of 17.55. And when factoring in the company's healthy dividend yield of 2.57%, J&J looks like a compelling buy, even near its 52-week highs.
A look under J&J's proverbial hood, though, strongly suggests that a trend reversal may be right around the corner. With that in mind, here are three reasons why J&J stock could falter in 2015.
Reason No. 1
As I've discussed previously , J&J's growth story has centered largely around two drugs, Olysio for hepatitis C and its advanced prostate cancer drug Zytiga. Per the third quarter, Olysio composed nearly 10% of all pharma sales, and drove a whopping 63% of total growth within this critical business segment. The recent approval of Gilead Sciences ' once-daily, fixed-combo pill Harvoni, though, should wipe out nearly all of Olysio's sales, according to experts.
In anticipation of Harvoni, J&J's research partners have been working diligently on testing a combo of Olysio and Sovaldi, resulting in a regulatory approval with the Food and Drug Administration earlier this month. Despite this regulatory "win," J&J will probably remain on the outside looking in when it comes to the hepatitis C market, though, due to pricing. At the end of the day, J&J doesn't control Sovaldi's price, meaning that its newly approved combo will probably cost significantly more than either Harvoni or AbbVie's anticipated triple-drug regimen.
Reason No. 2
Zytiga sales will therefore need to pick up the slack, if J&J is to continue its monster run. The problem is that Zytiga sales are starting to show signs of flattening out. In the third quarter, for example, the drug posted its "weakest" amount of year-over-year growth to date, namely 36.5%. While 36.5% in annual growth shouldn't be taken lightly, it does represent around a 10% drop from prior quarters. In the first and second quarters, Zytiga sales posted 48.8% and 45.5% annual growth, respectively. Put simply, the drug's growth trajectory is starting to slow down, making it unlikely that Zytiga can offset the huge loss of Olysio sales in a meaningful way.
Reason No. 3
Like most healthcare companies, J&J has problems associated with seasonality due to complex payer reimbursement schemes. The result is that key drugs like Remicade and Zytiga tend to see huge sales dips during the first quarter of the year, compared to the fourth. If this trend holds up, and there is little reason to believe otherwise, J&J is on track to post negative growth within its pharmaceutical segment in the first quarter of next year, assuming Olysio doesn't somehow pull off a miracle. Put simply, I think J&J's record of consecutive quarterly growth in pharma could come to an end in the first-quarter of 2015.
Is it time to take profits on Johnson & Johnson?
I think there are two schools of thought that can be tapped to answer this question. On the one hand, J&J has a long track record of increasing dividends, share buybacks, and bringing innovative new products into the fold. Viewed this way, J&J looks like a hold -- in spite of these headwinds.
On the flip side, J&J has become overly reliant on its pharma segment to generate growth on the top and bottom lines. Its consumer and medical device segments have essentially been flat in the past few quarters, and this isn't a trend that is expected to change soon. If drug sales dip as expected, J&J's stock could come under immense pressure after a lengthy and marked rise.
My take is that J&J will be fine over the long term, but it isn't a compelling buy at these levels for the reasons outlined above. In short, I think this dividend stock has topped out for the time being. Going forward, I won't be a J&J buyer until the stock sheds a fair amount of this year's gains, or another major revenue driver comes into play.
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The article Why Top Dividend Stock Johnson & Johnson Could Plunge in 2015 originally appeared on Fool.com.
George Budwell owns shares of Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool recommends Celgene and Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool owns shares of Johnson & Johnson. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | At the end of the day, J&J doesn't control Sovaldi's price, meaning that its newly approved combo will probably cost significantly more than either Harvoni or AbbVie's anticipated triple-drug regimen. So it's unsurprising that many top names like AbbVie , Celgene Corp. , and Johnson & Johnson are presently trading right on the razor's edge of their 52-week highs, and threatening to push higher still. Earnings across the sector are soaring due to new drug launches, a frenzy of acquisitions, and vast reorganizations that have helped to stem the tide from the ongoing patent cliff. | So it's unsurprising that many top names like AbbVie , Celgene Corp. , and Johnson & Johnson are presently trading right on the razor's edge of their 52-week highs, and threatening to push higher still. At the end of the day, J&J doesn't control Sovaldi's price, meaning that its newly approved combo will probably cost significantly more than either Harvoni or AbbVie's anticipated triple-drug regimen. In the first and second quarters, Zytiga sales posted 48.8% and 45.5% annual growth, respectively. | So it's unsurprising that many top names like AbbVie , Celgene Corp. , and Johnson & Johnson are presently trading right on the razor's edge of their 52-week highs, and threatening to push higher still. At the end of the day, J&J doesn't control Sovaldi's price, meaning that its newly approved combo will probably cost significantly more than either Harvoni or AbbVie's anticipated triple-drug regimen. If this trend holds up, and there is little reason to believe otherwise, J&J is on track to post negative growth within its pharmaceutical segment in the first quarter of next year, assuming Olysio doesn't somehow pull off a miracle. | So it's unsurprising that many top names like AbbVie , Celgene Corp. , and Johnson & Johnson are presently trading right on the razor's edge of their 52-week highs, and threatening to push higher still. At the end of the day, J&J doesn't control Sovaldi's price, meaning that its newly approved combo will probably cost significantly more than either Harvoni or AbbVie's anticipated triple-drug regimen. In the first and second quarters, Zytiga sales posted 48.8% and 45.5% annual growth, respectively. | 20166b9c-cd70-4321-9ccb-f0292ca3ff52 |
27264.0 | 2014-11-17 00:00:00 UTC | Merck Updates on Anti-PD-1 Drug Keytruda Phase II Study - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/merck-updates-on-anti-pd-1-drug-keytruda-phase-ii-study-analyst-blog-2014-11-17 | nan | nan | Merck & Co. Inc. ( MRK ) announced positive results from a pivotal phase II study (KEYNOTE-002) on its anti-PD-1 therapy, Keytruda (pembrolizumab). Merck is comparing Keytruda to chemotherapy in advanced melanoma patients refractory to Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's ( BMY ) Yervoy (ipilimumab). Keytruda achieved the primary endpoint of progression free survival (PFS) in the study.
The global, randomized, pivotal phase II study (n=540) evaluated the superiority of either dose of Keytruda (2mg/kg and 10mg/kg every three weeks) over chemotherapy in Yervoy-refractory advanced melanoma patients. Results demonstrated that at six months, the PFS rates for Keytruda were 34% at the 2 mg/kg dose and 38% at the 10 mg/kg dose compared to 16% for chemotherapy. The data from the study was presented at the Society of Melanoma Research 2014 International Congress.
In addition, overall response rates were found to be 21% at 2 mg/kg dose and 25% at 10 mg/kg dose in comparison to 4% for chemotherapy. The company intends to present the data on overall survival at a future congress.
We remind investors that Keytruda was the first anti-PD-1 therapy to gain approval in the U.S. in September this year. The drug was approved in the U.S. at a dose of 2 mg/kg every three weeks for the treatment of patients suffering from unresectable or metastatic melanoma and whose disease progressed after treatment with Yervoy and a BRAF inhibitor, if BRAF V600 mutation is positive. According to the company, 900 of the 1,200 patients who may be eligible for Keytruda are already on the treatment.
Moreover, the FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to Keytruda last month for the treatment of patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation-negative and anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement-negative non-small cell lung cancer in patients whose disease has progressed on or following platinum-based chemotherapy.
We are pleased with the company's progress with its pipeline. Merck is evaluating Keytruda for different cancer types including bladder, colorectal and gastric among others.
Merck currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Buy). Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb. All three carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Click to get this free report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Merck & Co. Inc. ( MRK ) announced positive results from a pivotal phase II study (KEYNOTE-002) on its anti-PD-1 therapy, Keytruda (pembrolizumab). | Click to get this free report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Merck & Co. Inc. ( MRK ) announced positive results from a pivotal phase II study (KEYNOTE-002) on its anti-PD-1 therapy, Keytruda (pembrolizumab). | Click to get this free report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Merck is comparing Keytruda to chemotherapy in advanced melanoma patients refractory to Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's ( BMY ) Yervoy (ipilimumab). | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Click to get this free report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. The global, randomized, pivotal phase II study (n=540) evaluated the superiority of either dose of Keytruda (2mg/kg and 10mg/kg every three weeks) over chemotherapy in Yervoy-refractory advanced melanoma patients. | 60c5b4b0-0ad0-4e4a-bb0b-ac472ffe5b2e |
27265.0 | 2014-11-16 00:00:00 UTC | 7 Biggest Health Problems Americans Face | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/7-biggest-health-problems-americans-face-2014-11-16 | nan | nan | Americans include two health-related issues among the 10 most important problems facing the U.S., according to a recent Gallup survey . Healthcare in general ranked fourth on the list, with Ebola coming in at no. 8. But is Ebola really among the biggest health problems for Americans? Not when we look at the chances of actually being infected.
So, what are the actual biggest health problems that Americans face? One way to answer this question is to look at what drugs are prescribed the most. Here are the seven top health problems based on the most-prescribed drugs in the U.S., according to Medscape's analysis of data provided by IMS Health.
1. Hypothyroidism
AbbVie's Synthroid ranks at the top of the list of most-prescribed drugs. Synthroid is used to treat hypothyroidism, a condition caused by an underactive thyroid gland.
The American Thyroid Association estimates that 2%-3% of Americans have pronounced hypothyroidism, while 10%-15% have a mild version of the disease. Hypothyroidism occurs more frequently in women, especially women over age 60. Around half of Americans with the condition don't realize that they have hypothyroidism.
2. High cholesterol and high triglycerides
Coming in at a close second on the list is AstraZeneca's Crestor. The drug is used to help control high cholesterol and high triglyceride levels.
According to the American Heart Association, nearly 99 million Americans age 20 and over have high cholesterol. Elevated cholesterol levels are one of the major risk factors for heart attacks and strokes. The problem is that you won't know if you have high cholesterol unless you get tested -- and around one in three Americans haven't had their cholesterol levels checked in the last five years.
3. Heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease
AstraZeneca also claims the third most prescribed drug in the nation -- Nexium. The "purple pill" helps treat hearburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, also commonly referred to as acid reflux.
Around 20% of Americans have GERD, according to the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. A lot of people take over-the-counter medications, but that's not enough for many others. Medscape reported that over 18.6 million prescriptions of Nexium were filled between July 2013 and June 2014.
4. Breathing disorders
The next two highly prescribed drugs treat breathing disorders. GlaxoSmithKline's Ventolin HFA is used by asthma patients , while the company's Advair Diskus treats asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.
More than 25 million Americans have asthma. Around 7 million of these patients are children. Meanwhile, COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, ranks as the third-leading cause of death in the U.S.
5. High blood pressure
Novartis claims the next top-prescribed drug with Diovan. The drug treats high blood pressure by relaxing and widening blood vessels, thereby allowing blood to flow more readily.
Around one-third of American adults have high blood pressure. Many don't know that they are affected, because the condition doesn't usually manifest symptoms for a long time. However, high blood pressure can eventually lead to other serious health issues, including heart and kidney problems.
6. Diabetes
Several highly prescribed drugs combat diabetes, with Sanofi 's Lantus Solostar taking the top spot for the condition. Lantus Solostar is a long-acting basal insulin that is used for type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
According to the National Diabetes Statistics Report released in June 2014, 29.1 million Americans had diabetes in 2012. That's a big jump from just two years earlier, when 25.8 million Americans had the disease. Diabetes ranks as the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S.
7. Depression and anxiety
Eli Lilly 's Cymbalta fell just below Lantus Solostar in number of prescriptions. Cymbalta is the leading treatment for depression and generalized anxiety disorder.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America estimates that 14.8 million Americans ages 18 and older suffer from a major depressive disorder each year. Around 3.3 million have persistent depressive disorder, a form of depression that lasts for two or more years. Generalized anxiety disorder affects around 6.8 million adults in the U.S.
Common thread for common diseases
One thing that stands out about several of these common diseases affecting millions of Americans is that many people have one or more of these conditions -- but don't know it. This underscores the importance of getting a checkup on a regular basis.
Regardless of what the Gallup survey found, the odds of you getting Ebola are very low. On the other hand, the chances of you or someone in your family already having one of these seven conditions could be higher than you might think. Perhaps the truly biggest healthcare challenge facing Americans is knowing the status of their own health.
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The article 7 Biggest Health Problems Americans Face originally appeared on Fool.com.
Keith Speights has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Hypothyroidism AbbVie's Synthroid ranks at the top of the list of most-prescribed drugs. Americans include two health-related issues among the 10 most important problems facing the U.S., according to a recent Gallup survey . However, high blood pressure can eventually lead to other serious health issues, including heart and kidney problems. | Hypothyroidism AbbVie's Synthroid ranks at the top of the list of most-prescribed drugs. Heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease AstraZeneca also claims the third most prescribed drug in the nation -- Nexium. Breathing disorders The next two highly prescribed drugs treat breathing disorders. | Hypothyroidism AbbVie's Synthroid ranks at the top of the list of most-prescribed drugs. According to the American Heart Association, nearly 99 million Americans age 20 and over have high cholesterol. The problem is that you won't know if you have high cholesterol unless you get tested -- and around one in three Americans haven't had their cholesterol levels checked in the last five years. | Hypothyroidism AbbVie's Synthroid ranks at the top of the list of most-prescribed drugs. According to the American Heart Association, nearly 99 million Americans age 20 and over have high cholesterol. More than 25 million Americans have asthma. | 9da2c7ac-c92d-4d30-a03d-c1e3d823eb39 |
27266.0 | 2014-11-14 00:00:00 UTC | Where Will Google Stock Be in 10 Years? | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/where-will-google-stock-be-10-years-2014-11-14 | nan | nan | Over the past decade, Google stock has soared over 500%, fueled by the growth in search and mobile devices. Google now controls 58% of the world's Internet searches and 85% of the mobile market via Android, and it continues to disrupt Microsoft' s business with free operating systems and cloud-based software.
GOOGL data by YCharts .
But 10 years from now, will Google's growth stall out, giving other companies a chance to take the lead? Or can it keep expanding into new markets to find new sources of revenue growth?
The social networking dilemma
Google might seem to be a ubiquitous brand, but its business is still vulnerable to disruption. One soft spot is social networking.
In 2004, Facebook arrived, eventually taking over the world with 1.35 billion monthly active users (MAUs). That same year, Google launched its first social network, Orkut, which never caught on outside of Brazil. Google finally launched Google+ in 2011 to catch up to Facebook. Registered Google+ users soared from 359 million to 1.15 billion between 2012 and 2013, but only 343 million of those accounts are currently active, according to tracking site We Are Social.
That weakness is troubling, since Facebook clearly wants to evolve its social network into a full-blown mobile OS. Last April, Facebook launched Home, a replacement launcher which turned select Android devices into "Facebook phones." Facebook also unbundled Messenger as a stand-alone app to compete against other mobile messaging services.
Facebook Home: The preview version of a "Facebook OS." Source: Google Play.
Facebook's large percentage of mobile users (83% of is MAUs last quarter) could convince the company to launch of a forked version of Android (similar to Amazon's Fire OS) within a few years. If a "Facebook OS" gains enough hardware and software support, it could ruin Google's day by crippling its ability to monetize Google Play.
The product search problem
Google's other weak spot is product search. Google's prior effort, Google Shopping, listed merchant-submitted prices for free, but growth stalled in 2012, when Google started charging for listings. Google didn't have the leverage to make such a demand -- Google Shopping only handled around 80 million product searches, compared to 900 million at eBay and 335 million at Amazon , at the time.
Google's new plan, Google Express , offers same-day deliveries from bricks-and-mortar partners for $95 per year. It's a clear response to Amazon's free two-day delivery service for Prime members, who pay $99 per year, and its new Prime Fresh same-day grocery delivery service, which includes Prime benefits for $299 per year. The number of Prime members has more than doubled from 20 million confirmed members in January to 50 million estimated members (RBC Capital) in September.
Source: Google.
Amazon's Kindle and Fire TV devices are sold on a razor to razor-blades model -- the cheap devices are the razors, while Prime subscriptions and digital/physical purchases are the blades. Research company Customer Intelligence Research Partners recently found that Prime subscribers spent twice as much money as regular customers, while Kindle users spent 30% more than non-Kindle owners.
In the long run, Google can't compete against this business model by simply hiring a fleet of contract drivers.
The wild cards
Looking ahead, Google has invested in military robots ( Boston Dynamics ), artificial intelligence ( DeepMind ), healthcare (Calico, Baseline, devices), and smart cars ( Android Auto and driverless cars ).
Ten years down the road, several of these projects will inevitably flop, but others will flourish. Google's ventures into military robots, which conjure up dystopian visions of Skynet, probably won't become more than a niche business for the company. But Calico, its biotech subsidiary, could become a major source of revenue if its experimental drugs for "age-related diseases" are approved. Calico has already signed a deal with AbbVie , worth up to $1.5 billion, to discover and commercialize new treatments.
In the auto market, Google will leverage Android's dominant market share to expand into car infotainment systems with Android Auto. However, its driverless cars don't look as promising. The problem is that Google's fully automated system requires the detailed remapping of streets, while other half-automated systems -- like MobilEye 's ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) -- can detect and react to surroundings accordingly. This makes it a more practical choice for automakers and drivers who don't want to be confined to Google's "smart grid." Mobileye's crash avoidance systems start at less than $1,000, compared to Google's prototype cars, which are outfitted with around $150,000 in equipment.
Google's driverless cars. Source: Google.
10 years later...
Over the next 10 years, Facebook could threaten Google's lead in mobile devices, while Amazon could hinder Google's efforts to expand into product searches and home media consumption. That competition could cause Google's growth to level off, forcing it to invest more on new projects to push back. But if any of Google's "wild card" investments work, Google could evolve into a massive tech giant that straddles the healthcare, tech, and auto industries at the same time.
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The article Where Will Google Stock Be in 10 Years? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Leo Sun owns shares of Facebook. The Motley Fool recommends Amazon.com, eBay, Facebook, Google (A shares), and Google (C shares). The Motley Fool owns shares of Amazon.com, eBay, Facebook, Google (A shares), Google (C shares), Microsoft, and MOBILEYE NV EUR0.01. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Calico has already signed a deal with AbbVie , worth up to $1.5 billion, to discover and commercialize new treatments. Google now controls 58% of the world's Internet searches and 85% of the mobile market via Android, and it continues to disrupt Microsoft' s business with free operating systems and cloud-based software. Facebook's large percentage of mobile users (83% of is MAUs last quarter) could convince the company to launch of a forked version of Android (similar to Amazon's Fire OS) within a few years. | Calico has already signed a deal with AbbVie , worth up to $1.5 billion, to discover and commercialize new treatments. The wild cards Looking ahead, Google has invested in military robots ( Boston Dynamics ), artificial intelligence ( DeepMind ), healthcare (Calico, Baseline, devices), and smart cars ( Android Auto and driverless cars ). In the auto market, Google will leverage Android's dominant market share to expand into car infotainment systems with Android Auto. | Calico has already signed a deal with AbbVie , worth up to $1.5 billion, to discover and commercialize new treatments. 10 years later... Over the next 10 years, Facebook could threaten Google's lead in mobile devices, while Amazon could hinder Google's efforts to expand into product searches and home media consumption. The Motley Fool recommends Amazon.com, eBay, Facebook, Google (A shares), and Google (C shares). | Calico has already signed a deal with AbbVie , worth up to $1.5 billion, to discover and commercialize new treatments. It's a clear response to Amazon's free two-day delivery service for Prime members, who pay $99 per year, and its new Prime Fresh same-day grocery delivery service, which includes Prime benefits for $299 per year. In the auto market, Google will leverage Android's dominant market share to expand into car infotainment systems with Android Auto. | 0dde66be-9700-4e88-ba1c-fed10c59000c |
27267.0 | 2014-11-12 00:00:00 UTC | Regeneron/Sanofi Announce Positive Dupilumab Study Data - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/regeneron-sanofi-announce-positive-dupilumab-study-data-analyst-blog-2014-11-12 | nan | nan | Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( REGN ) and partner Sanofi ( SNY ) announced encouraging data from the interim analysis of a dose-ranging phase IIb study on dupilumab. The study evaluated the use of dupilumab in adults suffering from uncontrolled moderate-to-severe asthma.
The study evaluated four doses of dupilumab (300 mg every other week, 200 mg every other week, 300 mg monthly, 200 mg monthly). The three highest doses of dupilumab in combination with the current standard-of-treatment met the primary endpoint of achieving statistically significant improvement from baseline in forced expiratory volume over one second at week 12 in patients with high blood eosinophils, as compared to placebo in combination with standard-of-treatment. The final analyses on exacerbations and safety are scheduled to occur at 24 weeks.
Based on encouraging data from the interim analysis of phase IIb results, the company plans to advance dupilumab into phase III studies in patients with moderate-to-severe uncontrolled asthma.
As per company sources, asthma is estimated to affect approximately 25 million and in the range 235-300 million people in the U.S. and worldwide, respectively. Approximately 10% to 20% of these patients are less than optimally treat using existing therapies.
Apart from being evaluated for the treatment of moderate-to-severe asthma, dupilumab is being evaluated for the potential treatment of atopic dermatitis and chronic sinusitis with nasal polyposis.
Regeneron currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) while Sanofi is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) stock. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Both carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report REGENERON PHARM (REGN): Free Stock Analysis Report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( REGN ) and partner Sanofi ( SNY ) announced encouraging data from the interim analysis of a dose-ranging phase IIb study on dupilumab. | Click to get this free report REGENERON PHARM (REGN): Free Stock Analysis Report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). The study evaluated four doses of dupilumab (300 mg every other week, 200 mg every other week, 300 mg monthly, 200 mg monthly). | Click to get this free report REGENERON PHARM (REGN): Free Stock Analysis Report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). The study evaluated four doses of dupilumab (300 mg every other week, 200 mg every other week, 300 mg monthly, 200 mg monthly). | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report REGENERON PHARM (REGN): Free Stock Analysis Report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( REGN ) and partner Sanofi ( SNY ) announced encouraging data from the interim analysis of a dose-ranging phase IIb study on dupilumab. | 4a399e49-9b34-4885-925f-947ceac1f75d |
27268.0 | 2014-11-12 00:00:00 UTC | Gilead Reports Promising Data on its HCV Drug Harvoni - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/gilead-reports-promising-data-on-its-hcv-drug-harvoni-analyst-blog-2014-11-12 | nan | nan | Gilead Sciences, Inc. ( GILD ) announced pooled data from certain phase II and phase III studies evaluating Harvoni for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients with limited or no treatment options including patients with decompensated cirrhosis and patients with HCV recurrence following a liver transplant and patients who failed previous treatment with other direct acting antivirals. These data will be presented at the 65th annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
In the pooled analysis, HCV infected patients with compensated cirrhosis who received Harvoni alone or with ribavirin (RBV) for 12 or 24 weeks, achieved sustained virologic response (SVR12) of 96%. SVR12 rates using Harvoni plus RBV were 96% for genotype 1 and 4 patients who developed HCV recurrence following liver transplantation. SVR12 rates were also impressive in genotype 1 HCV patients with compensated cirrhosis who had failed prior treatment with pegylated interferon and RBV and subsequently pegylated interferon /RBV plus a protease inhibitor.
Harvoni is a once daily fixed-dose combination of ledipasvir and Gilead's blockbuster drug, Sovaldi. It was approved by the FDA in Oct 2014, making it the first once-daily single tablet regimen for the treatment of chronic HCV genotype 1 infection.
Meanwhile, the company also announced data from three phase II open-label studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of an all-oral regimen - Sovaldi plus GS-5816 - for the treatment of chronic HCV infection. SVR12 rates were between 88% - 100% in these studies.
Earlier this month, Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) announced that the FDA has approved its HCV drug Olysio in combination with Sovaldi as an all-oral, interferon- and ribavirin-free treatment for genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C infection in adults.
Gilead holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Equally well-ranked stocks in the health care space include Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Equally well-ranked stocks in the health care space include Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). In the pooled analysis, HCV infected patients with compensated cirrhosis who received Harvoni alone or with ribavirin (RBV) for 12 or 24 weeks, achieved sustained virologic response (SVR12) of 96%. It was approved by the FDA in Oct 2014, making it the first once-daily single tablet regimen for the treatment of chronic HCV genotype 1 infection. | Equally well-ranked stocks in the health care space include Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Gilead Sciences, Inc. ( GILD ) announced pooled data from certain phase II and phase III studies evaluating Harvoni for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients with limited or no treatment options including patients with decompensated cirrhosis and patients with HCV recurrence following a liver transplant and patients who failed previous treatment with other direct acting antivirals. Earlier this month, Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) announced that the FDA has approved its HCV drug Olysio in combination with Sovaldi as an all-oral, interferon- and ribavirin-free treatment for genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C infection in adults. | Equally well-ranked stocks in the health care space include Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Gilead Sciences, Inc. ( GILD ) announced pooled data from certain phase II and phase III studies evaluating Harvoni for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients with limited or no treatment options including patients with decompensated cirrhosis and patients with HCV recurrence following a liver transplant and patients who failed previous treatment with other direct acting antivirals. Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report JOHNSON & JOHNS (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Equally well-ranked stocks in the health care space include Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Gilead Sciences, Inc. ( GILD ) announced pooled data from certain phase II and phase III studies evaluating Harvoni for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients with limited or no treatment options including patients with decompensated cirrhosis and patients with HCV recurrence following a liver transplant and patients who failed previous treatment with other direct acting antivirals. SVR12 rates were between 88% - 100% in these studies. | fd4d2bb9-c34a-47e3-9929-a657cabac037 |
27269.0 | 2014-11-11 00:00:00 UTC | Stock Market News for November 11, 2014 - Market News | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/stock-market-news-for-november-11-2014-market-news-2014-11-11 | nan | nan | Benchmarks posted modest gains on Monday, boosted by a rally in healthcare and transportation stocks. The S&P 500 and the Dow's modest gains helped the indexes to settle at record highs for the fourth consecutive session.
For a look at the issues currently facing the markets, make sure to read today's Ahead of Wall Street article
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) gained 0.2% to close at 17,613.74. The Standard & Poor 500 (S&P 500) increased 0.3% to close at 2,038.26. The tech-laden Nasdaq Composite Index closed at 4,651.62; gaining 0.4%. The fear-gauge CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) went down 3.4% to settle at 12.67. A total of 6.1 billion shares were traded on Monday, lower than this month average of 7 billion. Advancers outpaced declining stocks on the NYSE. For 55% stocks that advanced, 42% declined.
The blue-chip index closed at a record level for the 23rd time this year. The S&P 500 also achieved its 39th record finish of 2014. Both the indexes went up over 7% in the last three weeks, registering their best three-week performance since Oct 2011. The tech-laden Nasdaq too closed at a record high, the highest level since Mar 2000.
Gains in healthcare stocks helped benchmarks close at record levels. The Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) gained 1%, the highest among the S&P 500 sectors. Shares of drug manufacturer AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) increased 3.7%, the biggest percentage gainer among the S&P 500 components. Bio-tech stocks also rallied on Monday. Shares of bio-tech companies such as Gilead Sciences Inc. ( GILD ), Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated ( VRTX ), Amgen Inc. ( AMGN ), Biogen Idec Inc. ( BIIB ), Celgene Corporation ( CELG ) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( REGN ) increased 0.5%, 0.9%, 1.8%, 2.2%, 1.5% and 2.2%, respectively.
The Health Care sector bounced back after being hit hard last Friday. Analysts believe healthcare stocks probably went up due to the pending review of the Affordable Care Act by the U.S. Supreme Court. Healthcare stocks took a beating on Friday after the apex court decided to hear a new challenge to a crucial part of the Affordable Care Act.
Internet stocks too gained on Monday. Shares of Internet television network provider Netflix, Inc. ( NFLX ), online retailer Amazon.com Inc. ( AMZN ) and online trading community eBay Inc. ( EBAY ) increased 0.8%, 1.8% and 0.7%, respectively.
Other Internet stocks such as LinkedIn Corporation ( LNKD ), Yahoo! Inc. ( YHOO ) and FireEye, Inc. ( FEYE ) gained 2.8%, 1.8% and 5.8%, respectively.
Gains in bio-tech and Internet stocks ensured a positive finish for the Nasdaq. Meanwhile, gains among transportation shares lifted the broader market. The Dow Jones Transportation Average climbed 1.3%, to close at a record high of 9,068.48. Gains among transportation shares were led by railroads and airlines. Shares of major companies from the railroad industry such as Union Pacific Corporation ( UNP ), CSX Corp. ( CSX ) and Kansas City Southern ( KSU ) increased 1.8%, 3.1% and 1.2%, respectively.
Shares of U.S. airline companies such as JetBlue Airways Corporation ( JBLU ), Delta Air Lines Inc. ( DAL ), United Continental Holdings, Inc. ( UAL ), American Airlines Group Inc. ( AAL ), The Boeing Company ( BA ) and Southwest Airlines Co. ( LUV ) surged 4.2%, 1.6%, 1.2%, 1.5%, 0.2% and 2.3%, respectively.
Drop in oil prices boosted airline stocks. Prices of WTI crude oil and Brent crude oil decreased 1.6% and 1.3% to $77.4 and $82.34, respectively.
However, decline in oil prices had a negative impact on energy shares. The Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) declined 0.9%. The sector was the biggest loser among the S&P 500 sectors. Shares of key energy stocks including Halliburton Company ( HAL ), Chesapeake Energy Corporation ( CHK ), Baker Hughes Incorporated ( BHI ) and Schlumberger Limited ( SLB ) dropped 0.4%, 2.2%, 1.3% and 0.5%, respectively.
Shares of cable providers also dropped on Monday after U.S. President Barack Obama said the Federal Communications Commission should regulate broadband like a public utility. Shares of Time Warner Cable Inc. ( TWC ), Comcast Corporation ( CMCSA ) and Cablevision Systems Corporation ( CVC ) plunged 4.9%, 3.9% and 1.7%, respectively.
Meanwhile, investors kept an eye on corporate earnings results. Dean Foods Company ( DF ) posted third quarter 2014 diluted loss from continuing operations of 3 cents per share, less than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 13 cents. Shares of Dean Foods surged 13.7%.
Shares of Toll Brothers Inc. ( TOL ) went up 2.3% after the luxury homebuilder's preliminary fourth-quarter 2014 revenue jumped 29.3% to $1.35 billion, more than analysts' expectations of $1.31 billion.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Shares of drug manufacturer AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) increased 3.7%, the biggest percentage gainer among the S&P 500 components. Click to get this free report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report VERTEX PHARM (VRTX): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report CELGENE CORP (CELG): Free Stock Analysis Report REGENERON PHARM (REGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NETFLIX INC (NFLX): Free Stock Analysis Report AMAZON.COM INC (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report EBAY INC (EBAY): Free Stock Analysis Report LINKEDIN CORP-A (LNKD): Free Stock Analysis Report YAHOO! For a look at the issues currently facing the markets, make sure to read today's Ahead of Wall Street article The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) gained 0.2% to close at 17,613.74. | Click to get this free report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report VERTEX PHARM (VRTX): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report CELGENE CORP (CELG): Free Stock Analysis Report REGENERON PHARM (REGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NETFLIX INC (NFLX): Free Stock Analysis Report AMAZON.COM INC (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report EBAY INC (EBAY): Free Stock Analysis Report LINKEDIN CORP-A (LNKD): Free Stock Analysis Report YAHOO! Shares of drug manufacturer AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) increased 3.7%, the biggest percentage gainer among the S&P 500 components. Shares of bio-tech companies such as Gilead Sciences Inc. ( GILD ), Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated ( VRTX ), Amgen Inc. ( AMGN ), Biogen Idec Inc. ( BIIB ), Celgene Corporation ( CELG ) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( REGN ) increased 0.5%, 0.9%, 1.8%, 2.2%, 1.5% and 2.2%, respectively. | Click to get this free report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report VERTEX PHARM (VRTX): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report CELGENE CORP (CELG): Free Stock Analysis Report REGENERON PHARM (REGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NETFLIX INC (NFLX): Free Stock Analysis Report AMAZON.COM INC (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report EBAY INC (EBAY): Free Stock Analysis Report LINKEDIN CORP-A (LNKD): Free Stock Analysis Report YAHOO! Shares of drug manufacturer AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) increased 3.7%, the biggest percentage gainer among the S&P 500 components. Gains in healthcare stocks helped benchmarks close at record levels. | Shares of drug manufacturer AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) increased 3.7%, the biggest percentage gainer among the S&P 500 components. Click to get this free report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report VERTEX PHARM (VRTX): Free Stock Analysis Report AMGEN INC (AMGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report CELGENE CORP (CELG): Free Stock Analysis Report REGENERON PHARM (REGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NETFLIX INC (NFLX): Free Stock Analysis Report AMAZON.COM INC (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report EBAY INC (EBAY): Free Stock Analysis Report LINKEDIN CORP-A (LNKD): Free Stock Analysis Report YAHOO! The tech-laden Nasdaq Composite Index closed at 4,651.62; gaining 0.4%. | 84fbdecb-e84c-4f13-b95f-ea80d9a1322f |
27270.0 | 2014-11-11 00:00:00 UTC | Bristol-Myers Gives Updates on HCV Candidate Daclatasvir - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/bristol-myers-gives-updates-on-hcv-candidate-daclatasvir-analyst-blog-2014-11-11 | nan | nan | Investors in the pharma/biotech sector eagerly wait for pipeline updates as they play an important role in deciding whether or not to invest in a particular company. These updates provide information on experimental drugs and at times give an insight into the commercial potential of the candidate once it is successfully developed and commercialized.
Last week, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ) provided an update on its hepatitis C (HCV) candidate daclatasvir. The company announced late-breaking data from the phase III UNITY program (UNITY-1 and UNITY-2) evaluating an all-oral daclatasvir trio regimen (a fixed-dose combination of daclatasvir with asunaprevir and beclabuvir) in patients with genotype 1 HCV.
In the UNITY-2 study, the daclatasvir trio regimen in combination with ribavirin demonstrated sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12) in treatment-naïve (98%) and treatment-experienced (93%) cirrhotic patients. Without ribavirin, the daclatasvir trio regimen showed SVR12 in 93% of treatment-naïve and 87% of treatment-experienced patients.
The UNITY-1 study assessed daclatasvir trio without ribavirin in treatment-naïve and -experienced non-cirrhotic patients. In the study 91% of all patients achieved SVR12.
Meanwhile, the company also announced data from the phase III ALLY-3 study which evaluated the use of daclatasvir in combination with Gilead Sciences' ( GILD ) Sovaldi in genotype 3 HCV patients. In the study the combination treatment showed SVR12 in 90% and 86% of treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced patients, respectively.
We expect investor focus to remain on updates regarding HCV combination therapies, going forward.
Bristol-Myers carries a Zacks Rank # 2 (Buy). Other well-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Both carry the same rank as Bristol-Myers.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Other well-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Investors in the pharma/biotech sector eagerly wait for pipeline updates as they play an important role in deciding whether or not to invest in a particular company. | Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Other well-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Meanwhile, the company also announced data from the phase III ALLY-3 study which evaluated the use of daclatasvir in combination with Gilead Sciences' ( GILD ) Sovaldi in genotype 3 HCV patients. | Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Other well-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). The company announced late-breaking data from the phase III UNITY program (UNITY-1 and UNITY-2) evaluating an all-oral daclatasvir trio regimen (a fixed-dose combination of daclatasvir with asunaprevir and beclabuvir) in patients with genotype 1 HCV. | Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Other well-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Last week, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ) provided an update on its hepatitis C (HCV) candidate daclatasvir. | 9aa53b04-4973-4121-80a3-35c60ec6f343 |
27271.0 | 2014-11-10 00:00:00 UTC | Closing Update: Stocks Eke Out Gains as Transports Fuel Another Higher Close | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/closing-update-stocks-eke-out-gains-transports-fuel-another-higher-close-2014-11-10 | nan | nan | Wall Street continued to gain altitude on Monday and touched new record highs with strength in the transportation sector fuelling today's modest gains. The Dow Jones Transportation average rose more than 1% to a record high on the continued slide in oil prices , followed by gains in the health care and financial sector. Despite the dearth of economic data, Wall Street was able to squeeze more mileage out of last Friday's October payroll report as well as the remainder of mostly upbeat Q3 earnings.
Besides transportation stocks, pharmaceuticals, specifically those involved in developing treatments for Hepatitis C, were also higher after Achillion Pharmaceuticals ( ACHN ) and AbbeVie ( ABBV ) encouraged investors with positive drug trials revealed at the Liver Disease conference in Boston. As a result, the biotech index gained nearly 2%, helping the Nasdaq Composite outperform the other major indices.
But it wasn't all green across Wall Street. Investors bailed out of cable providers after President Obama urged the Federal Communications Commission to reclassify broadband as a utility to allow for federal regulation to insure net neutrality. Shares of Comcast ( CMCSA ) and Time Warner Cable ( TWC ) fell as much as 5%, taking related stocks lower in sympathy.
Overseas markets were mostly higher after China and Hong Kong agreed to link their exchanges to allow investors access to China's $4.2 billion equity market. The Shanghai index jumped more than 2% higher, pulling European equities nearly 1% higher in concert.
Here's where the markets stand at the close:
US MARKETS
Dow Jones Industrial Index was up 39.81 (+0.2%) at 17,613.74
S&P 500 was up 6.34 (+0.3%) at 2,038.26
Nasdaq Composite Index was up 19.08 (+0.4%) at 4,651.62
GLOBAL SENTIMENT
FTSE 100 was up 0.67%
Nikkei 225 was down 0.59%
Hang Seng Index was up 0.83%
Shanghai China Composite Index was up 2.30%
UPSIDE MOVERS
(+) ACHN Reported a 100% SVR12 in a Phase 2 combination study with ACH-3102
(+) IBIO Announced an accord to allow Caliber Biotherapeutics use of IbioLaunch Platform for Ebola treatments
(+) THST Misses estimates but sales jump 20%, beating estimates
(+) GOGO AT&T ( T ) scraps in-flight internet plans
DOWNSIDE MOVERS
(-) DNDN Files Chapter 11 bankruptcy
(-) AKBA Narrows Q3 loss, but misses estimates
(-) MUX Swings to loss for Q3 from same quarter last year
(-) MTZ Downgraded to Hold at BB&T Capital Markets
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Copyright (C) 2016 MTNewswires.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Besides transportation stocks, pharmaceuticals, specifically those involved in developing treatments for Hepatitis C, were also higher after Achillion Pharmaceuticals ( ACHN ) and AbbeVie ( ABBV ) encouraged investors with positive drug trials revealed at the Liver Disease conference in Boston. The Dow Jones Transportation average rose more than 1% to a record high on the continued slide in oil prices , followed by gains in the health care and financial sector. Despite the dearth of economic data, Wall Street was able to squeeze more mileage out of last Friday's October payroll report as well as the remainder of mostly upbeat Q3 earnings. | Besides transportation stocks, pharmaceuticals, specifically those involved in developing treatments for Hepatitis C, were also higher after Achillion Pharmaceuticals ( ACHN ) and AbbeVie ( ABBV ) encouraged investors with positive drug trials revealed at the Liver Disease conference in Boston. FTSE 100 was up 0.67% Nikkei 225 was down 0.59% Hang Seng Index was up 0.83% Shanghai China Composite Index was up 2.30% (-) DNDN Files Chapter 11 bankruptcy (-) AKBA Narrows Q3 loss, but misses estimates (-) MUX Swings to loss for Q3 from same quarter last year (-) MTZ Downgraded to Hold at BB&T Capital Markets The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Besides transportation stocks, pharmaceuticals, specifically those involved in developing treatments for Hepatitis C, were also higher after Achillion Pharmaceuticals ( ACHN ) and AbbeVie ( ABBV ) encouraged investors with positive drug trials revealed at the Liver Disease conference in Boston. Wall Street continued to gain altitude on Monday and touched new record highs with strength in the transportation sector fuelling today's modest gains. Overseas markets were mostly higher after China and Hong Kong agreed to link their exchanges to allow investors access to China's $4.2 billion equity market. | Besides transportation stocks, pharmaceuticals, specifically those involved in developing treatments for Hepatitis C, were also higher after Achillion Pharmaceuticals ( ACHN ) and AbbeVie ( ABBV ) encouraged investors with positive drug trials revealed at the Liver Disease conference in Boston. Overseas markets were mostly higher after China and Hong Kong agreed to link their exchanges to allow investors access to China's $4.2 billion equity market. Dow Jones Industrial Index was up 39.81 (+0.2%) at 17,613.74 S&P 500 was up 6.34 (+0.3%) at 2,038.26 Nasdaq Composite Index was up 19.08 (+0.4%) at 4,651.62 | 6ff6f4f0-c035-4e6f-8bc6-d01d5573a51e |
27272.0 | 2014-11-10 00:00:00 UTC | Emergent BioSolutions Beats on Q3 Earnings, Guidance Up - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/emergent-biosolutions-beats-q3-earnings-guidance-analyst-blog-2014-11-10 | nan | nan | Shares of Emergent BioSolutions ( EBS ) have gained 6.5% following the company's impressive performance in the third quarter of 2014.
The company's third quarter earnings (on an adjusted basis) of 67 cents per share trumped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 37 cents. Earnings were 55.8% above the year-ago figure. The increase was primarily due to higher revenues generated by the company in the reported quarter.
Emergent Biosolutions Inc - Earnings Surprise | FindTheBest
Revenues climbed 54.8% year over year to $138 million in the third quarter of 2014. An 11% increase in product sales to $84.5 million boosted revenues in the reported quarter. The increase was primarily attributable to the inclusion of sales from Biosciences Division products, which were acquired as part of the Cangene acquisition earlier this year. Revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $125 million. BioThrax sales decreased 5% to $66 million in the quarter.
For the third quarter of 2014, contracts, grants and collaboration revenues were $44.1 million, soaring 244% year over year. The increase in contracts, grants and collaboration revenues reflects the impact of the recognition of the MorphoSys upfront payment.
2014 Outlook
The company now expects 2014 revenues in the range of $440 million to $460 million (old guidance: $425 million to $450 million). Strong performance in the third quarter led to the improved guidance. The Zacks Consensus Estimate of $431 million is below the company's guidance.
Our Take
We are impressed by the fiscal fourth quarter 2014 results. The company beat on both revenues and earnings. We are positive on the company's updated revenue guidance. However, we are concerned about slowdown in BioThrax sales.
Emergent BioSolutions carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). All carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABAXIS INC (ABAX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report EMERGENT BIOSOL (EBS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. The increase was primarily attributable to the inclusion of sales from Biosciences Division products, which were acquired as part of the Cangene acquisition earlier this year. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABAXIS INC (ABAX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report EMERGENT BIOSOL (EBS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABAXIS INC (ABAX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report EMERGENT BIOSOL (EBS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Emergent Biosolutions Inc - Earnings Surprise | FindTheBest Revenues climbed 54.8% year over year to $138 million in the third quarter of 2014. | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABAXIS INC (ABAX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report EMERGENT BIOSOL (EBS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). An 11% increase in product sales to $84.5 million boosted revenues in the reported quarter. | 397074cd-7dbf-4fa3-b722-d3dd2f6b562f |
27273.0 | 2014-11-10 00:00:00 UTC | Merck Reports Interim Data on Hepatitis C Virus Drug - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/merck-reports-interim-data-on-hepatitis-c-virus-drug-analyst-blog-2014-11-10 | nan | nan | Merck & Co. Inc. ( MRK ) presented interim data from a proof-of-concept (C-SWIFT) study on its fixed-dose combination regimen - grazoprevir/elbasvir (MK-5172/MK-8742, MK-5172A) plus Gilead's ( GILD ) Sovaldi (sofosbuvir - a nucleotide inhibitor) - for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The data was presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).
Interim results from the C-SWIFT study revealed that the response rates (sustained virologic response [SVR] at 4/8 weeks following therapy) ranged from 80% to 94.7% in cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients following six and eight weeks of treatment respectively. The four-week regimen resulted in sub-optimal efficacy.
The primary endpoint of the C-SWIFT study, which enrolled a total of 102 treatment-naïve patients with HCV genotype 1 (GT1a and GT1b) infection, is the percentage of patients achieving sustained virologic response 12 weeks after the completion of therapy.
Merck now plans to initiate phase II studies (C-CREST) in the first quarter of 2015. The program will evaluate the efficacy and safety of two short-duration triple therapy regimens - MK-3682 (a nucleotide inhibitor) plus grazoprevir/elbasvir and MK-3682 in combination with grazoprevir and MK-8408, in non-cirrhotic HCV patients.
We note that grazoprevir/elbasvir was granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA in Oct 2013.
We are pleased with Merck's efforts to build its HCV product portfolio. In keeping with this target, Merck acquired HCV focused company Idenix Pharmaceuticals in Aug 2014.
Merck currently carries Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Allergan Inc. ( AGN ). Both carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Allergan Inc. ( AGN ). Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Merck & Co. Inc. ( MRK ) presented interim data from a proof-of-concept (C-SWIFT) study on its fixed-dose combination regimen - grazoprevir/elbasvir (MK-5172/MK-8742, MK-5172A) plus Gilead's ( GILD ) Sovaldi (sofosbuvir - a nucleotide inhibitor) - for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Allergan Inc. ( AGN ). Merck & Co. Inc. ( MRK ) presented interim data from a proof-of-concept (C-SWIFT) study on its fixed-dose combination regimen - grazoprevir/elbasvir (MK-5172/MK-8742, MK-5172A) plus Gilead's ( GILD ) Sovaldi (sofosbuvir - a nucleotide inhibitor) - for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Allergan Inc. ( AGN ). Merck & Co. Inc. ( MRK ) presented interim data from a proof-of-concept (C-SWIFT) study on its fixed-dose combination regimen - grazoprevir/elbasvir (MK-5172/MK-8742, MK-5172A) plus Gilead's ( GILD ) Sovaldi (sofosbuvir - a nucleotide inhibitor) - for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) and Allergan Inc. ( AGN ). Merck & Co. Inc. ( MRK ) presented interim data from a proof-of-concept (C-SWIFT) study on its fixed-dose combination regimen - grazoprevir/elbasvir (MK-5172/MK-8742, MK-5172A) plus Gilead's ( GILD ) Sovaldi (sofosbuvir - a nucleotide inhibitor) - for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. | 62be7e4d-bd53-4649-9076-a5f782e6b8ff |
27274.0 | 2014-11-09 00:00:00 UTC | Google's "Cancer Pill": Revolutionary or Ridiculous? | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/googles-cancer-pill-revolutionary-or-ridiculous-2014-11-09 | nan | nan | Google recently unveiled one of its most ambitious healthcare projects ever -- a "smart pill" which scans for cancer cells and other health problems. The pill is loaded with nanoparticles, which are roughly 1/2,000th the size of a red blood cell, which capture and transmit biometric data to an external wearable device via Bluetooth. The pill can be "programmed" with specific functions, such as binding to cancer cells or detecting renal disease with sodium-detecting nanoparticles.
Novartis' interest in both Google's contact lens and Proteus' smart pill highlights its growing interest in the global mobile health industry, which Grand View Research projects will grow from $1.95 billion in 2012 to $49 billion by 2020. Oracle's interest in Proteus indicates that smart pills could relay data to Oracle's clinical trial products, which synchronize collected data to its Oracle Health Sciences Cloud.
Therefore, Google's smart pill is grounded in existing technologies, although it certainly leapfrogs over Proteus' technology into uncharted territory.
The challenges ahead
As Google expands its healthcare efforts, it will have to answer critical questions about privacy.
A recent survey from Survata showed that people trusted the NSA more than Google with their private data. On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the least trustworthy), Google had a score of 7.39, compared to the NSA's score of 7.06.
The reason is simple -- despite its altruistic claims, Google is still a publicly traded company with a bottom line to protect. Since accumulated user data has always been Google's greatest asset, it's easy to suspect the company of tapping health-related data for targeted ads. For example, a diabetes patient might start seeing ads for glucose test strips. To address those fears, Conrad told the AP that Google had "no interest" in either commercializing the data or the technology, insisting that it would be licensed to partners instead.
In conclusion, Google's smart pills are clearly more revolutionary than ridiculous. However, I believe that public distrust of Google could hamper its efforts, and that it will have to tread lightly to win over potential healthcare partners.
This coming blockbuster will make every biotech jealous
The best biotech investors consistently reap gigantic profits by recognizing true potential earlier and more accurately than anyone else. Let me cut right to the chase. There is a product in development that will revolutionize not just how we treat a common chronic illness, but potentially the entire health industry. Analysts are already licking their chops at the sales potential. In order to outsmart Wall Street and realize multi-bagger returns you will need The Motley Fool's new free report on the dream-team responsible for this game-changing blockbuster. CLICK HERE NOW .
The article Google's "Cancer Pill": Revolutionary or Ridiculous? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Leo Sun has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Google (A shares) and Google (C shares). The Motley Fool owns shares of Google (A shares), Google (C shares), and Oracle. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Google recently unveiled one of its most ambitious healthcare projects ever -- a "smart pill" which scans for cancer cells and other health problems. The pill is loaded with nanoparticles, which are roughly 1/2,000th the size of a red blood cell, which capture and transmit biometric data to an external wearable device via Bluetooth. In order to outsmart Wall Street and realize multi-bagger returns you will need The Motley Fool's new free report on the dream-team responsible for this game-changing blockbuster. | Oracle's interest in Proteus indicates that smart pills could relay data to Oracle's clinical trial products, which synchronize collected data to its Oracle Health Sciences Cloud. The article Google's "Cancer Pill": Revolutionary or Ridiculous? The Motley Fool owns shares of Google (A shares), Google (C shares), and Oracle. | Novartis' interest in both Google's contact lens and Proteus' smart pill highlights its growing interest in the global mobile health industry, which Grand View Research projects will grow from $1.95 billion in 2012 to $49 billion by 2020. The Motley Fool recommends Google (A shares) and Google (C shares). The Motley Fool owns shares of Google (A shares), Google (C shares), and Oracle. | Google recently unveiled one of its most ambitious healthcare projects ever -- a "smart pill" which scans for cancer cells and other health problems. Oracle's interest in Proteus indicates that smart pills could relay data to Oracle's clinical trial products, which synchronize collected data to its Oracle Health Sciences Cloud. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. | ad673fd1-2689-41ae-bb0e-01e1e3c703a4 |
27275.0 | 2014-11-08 00:00:00 UTC | 3 Biotech Stocks to Watch in November | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/3-biotech-stocks-watch-november-2014-11-08 | nan | nan | Investing in biotech companies can be tricky, especially for investors who don't have a scientific background or who don't completely understand the process of bringing new drugs to the marketplace.
Fortunately, the Fool is here to help. We asked three of our top biotech analysts which company they're keeping a close eye on as we head into November, and this is what they had to say.
Brian Orelli : With the American Society of Hematology meeting happening in early December, November is a good month to catch up on drugs that treat blood cancers and other blood diseases.
We'll actually get a bit of a catalyst before the meeting: On Nov. 6, abstracts for the presentations at the meeting are released, and on Nov. 17, late-breaking abstracts for clinical trials are published.
The late-breaking submissions tend to be the most interesting, but they usually have the least amount of data since the clinical trials are often still in process. The abstracts are sometimes just placeholders, and you have to wait for the meeting to get any meaningful data.
Whether it's in the abstract or at the meeting, I'm looking forward to seeing Seattle Genetics' data from its Aethera trial, testing Adcetris immediately following an autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma. The biotech already reported a 75% improvement in progression-free survival -- living without the disease progressing -- but the details of how the patients are responding are more important than the top-line data.
Autologous stem cell transplants are basically the last chance at a cure for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma. If patients fail the transplant, the subsequent treatments -- including Adcetris, which is currently approved for patients that failed a transplant -- can extend survival, but don't typically cure the patient. If using Adcetris directly after a transplant can increase the transplant's cure rate, use of Adcetris should go up substantially.
: The biotech stock that has my interest this month is Gilead Sciences . Even though shares have already risen by 52% this year, Gilead still offers tremendous value at current levels for a number of reasons.
First off, we have the company's next-generation hepatitis C treatment, Harvoni. With about 40% of patients eligible to receive the shorter treatment duration with this fixed combination pill (eight weeks compared to 12 weeks) and most patient sub-types reporting 99% functional cure rates in clinical trials, this drug looks like it has what it takes to dominate the hepatitis C market. The only serious risk to Harvoni's utter domination is if AbbVie prices its hepatitis C offering in a manner that allows it to gain favor on the formulary. Even then, AbbVie's experimental treatment will still need to be deemed "clinically equivalent" in order to displace Harvoni on the formulary.
Gilead, though, has a lot more to offer than AbbVie. For example, the company is in the process of launching its new blood cancer drug Zydelig, and its HIV medicine, Stribild, has seen sales more than double in the past year. All positive signs for Gilead's future.
Todd Campbell : Avanir already sells one commercial drug, Nuedexta, but it hopes to win FDA approval for a second treatment on Nov. 26, when the FDA is slated to issue its decision on AVP-825 as a treatment for migraines.
If Avanir wins the FDA go-ahead for AVP-825 it could win away share from oral sumatriptan tablets, which are the most commonly prescribed medicine for acute migraines. Prior to losing patent protection, sumatriptan, sold as Imitrex by GlaxoSmithKline , had sales of more than $1 billion annually.
AVP-825 is a new low-dose formulation of sumatriptan that is taken intra-nasally, rather than swallowed. During clinical trials, AVP-825 and outperformed oral sumatriptan with AVP-825 patients reporting greater pain relief within 30 minutes than patients taking sumatriptan tablets.
The CDC estimates there are 37 million migraine sufferers in the U.S. and Avanir reports that roughly 13 million scripts are written for triptan medicines every year; about half of which are for sumatriptan. As many as 66% of migraine sufferers remain dissatisfied with their treatment options, so they may find a willing audience. Industry watchers project AVP-825's peak sales could be between $125 million and $200 million and while that wouldn't move the needle for a big drugmaker, it should go a long way toward turning Avanir profitable while also providing cash for the company's promising Alzheimer drug trials.
This coming blockbuster will make every biotech jealous
The best biotech investors consistently reap gigantic profits by recognizing true potential earlier and more accurately than anyone else. Let me cut right to the chase. There is a product in development that will revolutionize not just how we treat a common chronic illness, but potentially the entire health industry. Analysts are already licking their chops at the sales potential. In order to outsmart Wall Street and realize multi-bagger returns you will need The Motley Fool's new free report on the dream-team responsible for this game-changing blockbuster. CLICK HERE NOW .
The article 3 Biotech Stocks to Watch in November originally appeared on Fool.com.
Brian Orelli has no position in any stocks mentioned. George Budwell has no position in any stocks mentioned. Todd Campbell owns shares of Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool recommends Gilead Sciences and Seattle Genetics. The Motley Fool owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | The only serious risk to Harvoni's utter domination is if AbbVie prices its hepatitis C offering in a manner that allows it to gain favor on the formulary. Even then, AbbVie's experimental treatment will still need to be deemed "clinically equivalent" in order to displace Harvoni on the formulary. Gilead, though, has a lot more to offer than AbbVie. | The only serious risk to Harvoni's utter domination is if AbbVie prices its hepatitis C offering in a manner that allows it to gain favor on the formulary. Even then, AbbVie's experimental treatment will still need to be deemed "clinically equivalent" in order to displace Harvoni on the formulary. Gilead, though, has a lot more to offer than AbbVie. | The only serious risk to Harvoni's utter domination is if AbbVie prices its hepatitis C offering in a manner that allows it to gain favor on the formulary. Even then, AbbVie's experimental treatment will still need to be deemed "clinically equivalent" in order to displace Harvoni on the formulary. Gilead, though, has a lot more to offer than AbbVie. | The only serious risk to Harvoni's utter domination is if AbbVie prices its hepatitis C offering in a manner that allows it to gain favor on the formulary. Even then, AbbVie's experimental treatment will still need to be deemed "clinically equivalent" in order to displace Harvoni on the formulary. Gilead, though, has a lot more to offer than AbbVie. | bfe26555-c055-44bd-8c12-2fa3a71e3c33 |
27276.0 | 2014-11-07 00:00:00 UTC | Noteworthy ETF Inflows: IWF, AMGN, ABBV, MMM | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/noteworthy-etf-inflows-iwf-amgn-abbv-mmm-2014-11-07 | nan | nan | Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel , one standout is the iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (Symbol: IWF) where we have detected an approximate $118.1 million dollar inflow -- that's a 0.5% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 275,150,000 to 276,400,000). Among the largest underlying components of IWF, in trading today Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is down about 1%, AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is down about 1.4%, and 3M Co (Symbol: MMM) is lower by about 0.3%. The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWF, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, IWF's low point in its 52 week range is $80.82 per share, with $94.56 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $94.19. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average » .
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Click here to find out which 9 other ETFs had notable inflows »
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Among the largest underlying components of IWF, in trading today Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is down about 1%, AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is down about 1.4%, and 3M Co (Symbol: MMM) is lower by about 0.3%. The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWF, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IWF's low point in its 52 week range is $80.82 per share, with $94.56 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $94.19. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. | Among the largest underlying components of IWF, in trading today Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is down about 1%, AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is down about 1.4%, and 3M Co (Symbol: MMM) is lower by about 0.3%. The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWF, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IWF's low point in its 52 week range is $80.82 per share, with $94.56 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $94.19. Click here to find out which 9 other ETFs had notable inflows » The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Among the largest underlying components of IWF, in trading today Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is down about 1%, AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is down about 1.4%, and 3M Co (Symbol: MMM) is lower by about 0.3%. Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel , one standout is the iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (Symbol: IWF) where we have detected an approximate $118.1 million dollar inflow -- that's a 0.5% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 275,150,000 to 276,400,000). The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWF, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, IWF's low point in its 52 week range is $80.82 per share, with $94.56 as the 52 week high point - that compares with a last trade of $94.19. | Among the largest underlying components of IWF, in trading today Amgen Inc (Symbol: AMGN) is down about 1%, AbbVie Inc. (Symbol: ABBV) is down about 1.4%, and 3M Co (Symbol: MMM) is lower by about 0.3%. Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel , one standout is the iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (Symbol: IWF) where we have detected an approximate $118.1 million dollar inflow -- that's a 0.5% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 275,150,000 to 276,400,000). These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. | e2395f0a-58d6-41be-9f5f-81ad0743f797 |
27277.0 | 2014-11-07 00:00:00 UTC | SurModics Beats on Q4 Earnings, Issues Fiscal 2015 Outlook - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/surmodics-beats-on-q4-earnings-issues-fiscal-2015-outlook-analyst-blog-2014-11-07 | nan | nan | SurModics, Inc. 's ( SRDX ) fourth-quarter fiscal 2014 (ended Sep 30, 2014) adjusted earnings of 26 cents per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. The fourth quarter fiscal 2014 earnings increased 8% from the year-ago period.
Revenues in the reported quarter increased 7% to $15.3 million, roughly in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $15 million.
For fiscal 2014, SurModics reported earnings of 96 cents per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2 cents. Fiscal 2014 earnings were approximately 13% higher than the fiscal 2013 figure. Revenues in fiscal 2014 climbed 2.3% to $57.4 million. Revenues were broadly in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Quarterly Highlights
SurModics reports revenues from two segments - In Vitro Diagnostics and Medical Device. Revenues from In Vitro Diagnostics climbed 3% to $4.1 million. SurModics' revenues from the Medical Devices segment came in at approximately $11.2 million, up 8.9%. The bulk of segmental revenues came from hydrophilic coatings royalties, which increased 7% to $7.9 million. Revenues from the coronary sub-group increased 2% in the reported quarter.
Apart from releasing earnings results, SurModics also announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the buyback of outstanding common stock of up to $30 million. The company did not provide any timeline for the repurchase.
Fiscal 2015 Guidance
SurModics expects fiscal 2015 revenues in the range of $57 million to $60 million (flat to up 4% as compared to the fiscal 2014 figure). The Zacks Consensus Estimate of $62 million is above the guidance range. SurModics expects fiscal 2015 earnings per share in the range of 85 cents to 95 cents compared with 96 cents in fiscal 2014. The company expects research and development expenses to increase by approximately 5% to 7% in fiscal 2015 over the previous fiscal year primarily driven by the advancement of paclitaxel drug coated balloon program.
Our Take
We are impressed by the fiscal fourth quarter 2014 results. The company beat on both revenues and earnings. We are positive on strong hydrophilic coatings royalties and the coronary sub-group returning to profit. We are also pleased with the company's repurchase program. However, we remain concerned about the increase in expenses as the paclitaxel drug coated balloon program advances.
SurModics currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). All carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABAXIS INC (ABAX): Free Stock Analysis Report SURMODICS (SRDX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. SurModics, Inc. 's ( SRDX ) fourth-quarter fiscal 2014 (ended Sep 30, 2014) adjusted earnings of 26 cents per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABAXIS INC (ABAX): Free Stock Analysis Report SURMODICS (SRDX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). For fiscal 2014, SurModics reported earnings of 96 cents per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2 cents. | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABAXIS INC (ABAX): Free Stock Analysis Report SURMODICS (SRDX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Revenues in the reported quarter increased 7% to $15.3 million, roughly in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $15 million. | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABAXIS INC (ABAX): Free Stock Analysis Report SURMODICS (SRDX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Revenues in the reported quarter increased 7% to $15.3 million, roughly in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $15 million. | f4d243ec-19f3-4124-beb3-d0da465325b5 |
27278.0 | 2014-11-07 00:00:00 UTC | Why AbbVie Inc.'s Game-Changing New Drug Could Be a Serious Threat to Gilead Sciences Inc. | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/why-abbvie-incs-game-changing-new-drug-could-be-serious-threat-gilead-sciences-inc-2014-11 | nan | nan | The patent cliff might have decimated revenues in the world of Big Pharma, but it has also led to an unprecedented level of innovation within the industry.In the coming years, for example, we should see four to five new types of drugs that are truly game changing when it comes to modifying or curing a disease.
Source: Gilead Sciences.
The next generation of so-called "terminator" hepatitis C treatments now hitting the market are the first in this revolutionary wave of revolutionary new drugs. Gilead Sciences has gained the early advantage in the race to capture market share with its breakthrough drug Sovaldi. Through the first three quarters of this year, Sovaldi has already generated a whopping $8.5 billion in sales. With its once-daily, fixed-combo pill Harvoni gaining FDA approval last month, Gilead looks like it will continue to dominate this huge market, which is estimated at 3 million to 4 million patients in the U.S. alone.
In fact, Harvoni's impressive functional cure rate of 99% in select patient types, and its eight-week (rather than 12-week) treatment regimen in about 40% of patients, led Bristol-Myers Squibb to pull its new drug application for its dual-regimen therapy in the U.S. last month . Harvoni is also expected to almost completely displace Johnson & Johnson 's relatively new hepatitis C offering, Olysio, from the market. Olysio will simply no longer be needed to boost cure rates, and the co-prescription of Sovaldi costs substantially more than Harvoni.
AbbVie believes it can challenge Harvoni's dominance
Not all Big Pharma companies, though, are conceding defeat in the hepatitis C game. AbbVie is on track before year's end to gain regulatory approval for its triple-combo therapy, co-developed with Enanta Pharmaceuticals , putting it on track to clash with Harvoni in the first quarter of 2015.
The accepted wisdom, based on current estimates on the Street , is that AbbVie's offering will be lucky to gain a 20% market share in light of Harvoni's head start, ease of use, and stellar clinical profile. Based on the early returns of Sovaldi and Olysio, this minor share would still put AbbVie's drug on track to post roughly $3 billion in annual sales. While megablockbuster numbers are nothing to sneeze at, AbbVie's management appears to believe it can make a serious dent in the hepatitis C market that will surprise onlookers. And there is good reason to AbbVie is correct.
Harvoni's "competitive advantages" might not hold up in the real world
Gilead's Harvoni appears to have two clear competitive advantages over AbbVie's triple therapy: fewer pills to take, and shorter treatment durations (eight weeks) in an estimated 40% of patient types.
AbbVie executives argued duringtheir third-quarter conference call that these two theoretical advantages could have little effect on real world commercial performance. Regarding the lower pill burden offered by Harvoni, AbbVie cited clinical trial data showing an impressive 88% adherence rate for the company's triple therapy that required patients to take two pills in the morning and one at night . Put simply, three pills doesn't appear to be much of a burden, and ease of use won't be a huge factor when it comes to formulary decisions (i.e., preferred reimbursement schemes).
Regarding the shorter treatment duration for some patients, most payers are only allowing the sickest patients to receive these new treatments due to the exorbitant cost. This could mean most patients will still receive the full 12-week regimen.
Pricing might rule the day
The real battle for market share might come down to pricing. Harvoni is priced at $1,125 a pill, or $94,500 for a 12-week course of treatment. According to the chief medical officer for pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts , Dr. Steven Miller, public programs such as Medicaid can't financially cover even $63,000 for a course of treatment.
Express Scripts has said publicly it wouldconsider giving AbbVie's therapy preference on the formulary if it significantly undercuts Harvoni's price. AbbVie hasn't responded to this plea, instead maintaining radio silence about pricing.
AbbVie's marketing expertise shouldn't be overlooked
AbbVie has a long track record via lead drug Humira in defying the naysayers. Humira's sales were supposed to fall as new competitors hit the market, but instead the drug has expanded its market share in a big way. The point is this: AbbVie's new hep C therapy might also surprise the Street due the company's know-how when it comes to capturing and growing market share for key drugs, making this a biotech worth watching.
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The article Why AbbVie Inc.'s Game-Changing New Drug Could Be a Serious Threat to Gilead Sciences Inc. originally appeared on Fool.com.
George Budwell owns shares of Enanta Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool recommends Express Scripts, Gilead Sciences, and Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool owns shares of Express Scripts, Gilead Sciences, and Johnson & Johnson. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | The accepted wisdom, based on current estimates on the Street , is that AbbVie's offering will be lucky to gain a 20% market share in light of Harvoni's head start, ease of use, and stellar clinical profile. The point is this: AbbVie's new hep C therapy might also surprise the Street due the company's know-how when it comes to capturing and growing market share for key drugs, making this a biotech worth watching. AbbVie believes it can challenge Harvoni's dominance Not all Big Pharma companies, though, are conceding defeat in the hepatitis C game. | Harvoni's "competitive advantages" might not hold up in the real world Gilead's Harvoni appears to have two clear competitive advantages over AbbVie's triple therapy: fewer pills to take, and shorter treatment durations (eight weeks) in an estimated 40% of patient types. AbbVie believes it can challenge Harvoni's dominance Not all Big Pharma companies, though, are conceding defeat in the hepatitis C game. AbbVie is on track before year's end to gain regulatory approval for its triple-combo therapy, co-developed with Enanta Pharmaceuticals , putting it on track to clash with Harvoni in the first quarter of 2015. | Harvoni's "competitive advantages" might not hold up in the real world Gilead's Harvoni appears to have two clear competitive advantages over AbbVie's triple therapy: fewer pills to take, and shorter treatment durations (eight weeks) in an estimated 40% of patient types. AbbVie's marketing expertise shouldn't be overlooked AbbVie has a long track record via lead drug Humira in defying the naysayers. AbbVie believes it can challenge Harvoni's dominance Not all Big Pharma companies, though, are conceding defeat in the hepatitis C game. | AbbVie believes it can challenge Harvoni's dominance Not all Big Pharma companies, though, are conceding defeat in the hepatitis C game. AbbVie is on track before year's end to gain regulatory approval for its triple-combo therapy, co-developed with Enanta Pharmaceuticals , putting it on track to clash with Harvoni in the first quarter of 2015. The accepted wisdom, based on current estimates on the Street , is that AbbVie's offering will be lucky to gain a 20% market share in light of Harvoni's head start, ease of use, and stellar clinical profile. | 8d5a5703-9c9e-4ada-b6aa-c7e19d1a45dc |
27279.0 | 2014-11-07 00:00:00 UTC | Novartis' (NVS) LBH589 Gets Unfavorable FDA Panel Opinion - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/novartis-nvs-lbh589-gets-unfavorable-fda-panel-opinion-analyst-blog-2014-11-07 | nan | nan | Novartis ( NVS ) received disappointing news when the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) did not recommend its pipeline candidate LBH589 (panobinostat) for the treatment of multiple myeloma in combination with Velcade and Decadron.
Although the FDA is not bound to follow the ODAC's recommendations, it generally takes it into account.
The LBH589 submission included data from the global registration phase III trial, PANORAMA-1 (PANobinostat ORAl in Multiple MyelomA) and a phase II trial in the U.S., PANORAMA-2.
In Dec 2013, results from PANORAMA-1 had showed that LBH589 plus Velcade and Decadron met the primary endpoint of extending progression-free survival (PFS) as compared to Velcade plus Decadron and placebo. In Jun 2014, results from the study showed that LBH589 in combination with Velcade and Decadron showed a 37% improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) among patients suffering from relapsed or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma as compared to treatment with the same regimen with placebo in patients. Consequently, the study met its primary endpoint.
We note that the candidate was granted priority review status by the FDA in May 2014.
The successful development of LBH589 would have boosted Novartis' portfolio to a large extent which is facing generic competition for several of its key drugs such as Gleevec, Zometa and Diovan Mono.
Novartis, a large cap pharma, currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Investors looking for better-ranked large cap pharmas may consider companies like Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ). All three carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Investors looking for better-ranked large cap pharmas may consider companies like Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ). Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Novartis ( NVS ) received disappointing news when the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) did not recommend its pipeline candidate LBH589 (panobinostat) for the treatment of multiple myeloma in combination with Velcade and Decadron. | Investors looking for better-ranked large cap pharmas may consider companies like Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ). Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. In Jun 2014, results from the study showed that LBH589 in combination with Velcade and Decadron showed a 37% improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) among patients suffering from relapsed or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma as compared to treatment with the same regimen with placebo in patients. | Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Investors looking for better-ranked large cap pharmas may consider companies like Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ). Novartis ( NVS ) received disappointing news when the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) did not recommend its pipeline candidate LBH589 (panobinostat) for the treatment of multiple myeloma in combination with Velcade and Decadron. | Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVARTIS AG-ADR (NVS): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Investors looking for better-ranked large cap pharmas may consider companies like Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ). Novartis ( NVS ) received disappointing news when the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) did not recommend its pipeline candidate LBH589 (panobinostat) for the treatment of multiple myeloma in combination with Velcade and Decadron. | 5fd08bbd-919d-486f-b907-4d1e55ba7622 |
27280.0 | 2014-11-07 00:00:00 UTC | AstraZeneca (AZN) Misses on Q3 Earnings, Raises Guidance - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/astrazeneca-azn-misses-on-q3-earnings-raises-guidance-analyst-blog-2014-11-07 | nan | nan | AstraZeneca ( AZN ) reported third-quarter 2014 core earnings of $1.05 per American Depositary Share (ADS) that missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. Earnings were down 8% (at constant exchange rates or CER) year over year due to higher expenses.
AstraZeneca's third-quarter revenues increased 5% (at CER) year over year to $6.5 billion. Revenues were above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.3 billion. Strong performance at key growth platforms (Brilinta, diabetes, respiratory and Emerging Markets) benefited revenues.
All growth rates mentioned below are on a year-on-year basis and at CER.
The Quarter in Detail
U.S. revenues were up 7% in the third quarter to $2.5 billion, reflecting improvement in diabetes revenues.
Revenues grew 0.9% in Rest of the World (RoW) to $4 billion. The increase was attributed to 13% growth in Emerging Markets, driven by strong sales in China (up 21%).
European markets were down 1% with generic erosion (loss of exclusivity of Seroquel XR and Atacand) completely offsetting the impact of the inclusion of diabetes revenues and Brilinta (EU trade name: Brilique). Established RoW revenues were down 2%. Revenues were hurt by generic competition of oncology products and inventory depletion of Seroquel IR in Japan. Revenues in Japan decreased 3%.
AstraZeneca is not expecting any Nexium generic launch this year. Nexium, which generated more than 15% of AstraZeneca's total revenues in 2013, is expected to face generic competition in 2015.
We are impressed with the performance of drugs such as Onglyza (up 139% to $220 million), Symbicort (up 15% to $967 million), Bydureon (up 247% to $112 million), Byetta (up 191% to $125 million) and Faslodex (up 11% to $187 million).
Sales from Brilinta, a key area of focus, were $127 million in the reported quarter compared with $75 million in the preceding quarter. Brilinta performed well in Canada, Australia and Emerging Markets.
Other Details
AstraZeneca's core gross margin remained flat at 82.0% in the third quarter of 2014. Core selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses increased 15% to $2.5 billion, primarily due to investments in the company's growth platforms.
During the quarter, core research and development expenses increased 18% to $1.3 billion, reflecting higher investments in pipeline.
Outlook Raised
AstraZeneca now expects revenues to increase in the low single-digit percentage range in 2014. Previously, the company had guided 2014 revenues in line with the prior year.
The company expects core earnings to decrease at 10% in 2014 (previous guidance: decline in the low double-digit percentage range). The 2014 Zacks Consensus Estimate is at $4.45 per share. The company's 2014 guidance assumes that Nexium generics will not hit the market this year.
Our Take
AstraZeneca's third-quarter results were disappointing with earnings missing our expectation. The company's near-term threat is that of Nexium going generic. Generic competition has adversely impacted AstraZeneca's revenues over the past few quarters and is expected to do so in the coming quarters too. This has put significant pressure on the company.
AstraZeneca is resorting to cost-cutting initiatives to drive the bottom line in the face of genericization. The company has announced the divesture of Myalept to Aegerion Pharmaceuticals ( AEGR ) for $325 million.
We are nonetheless encouraged by recent approvals at AstraZeneca. The U.S. approvals of Xigduo (type II diabetes) and Movantik (opioid-induced constipation) were major milestones for the company. These new product approvals will boost the top line, thereby driving growth.
AstraZeneca is also working on its pipeline to boost its product portfolio. The company currently has 121 programs in its pipeline, of which 107 are in clinic.
AstraZeneca carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some other stocks that are worth considering in the health care sector include Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). Both stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some other stocks that are worth considering in the health care sector include Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report ASTRAZENECA PLC (AZN): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AEGERION PHARMA (AEGR): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. AstraZeneca ( AZN ) reported third-quarter 2014 core earnings of $1.05 per American Depositary Share (ADS) that missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. | Click to get this free report ASTRAZENECA PLC (AZN): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AEGERION PHARMA (AEGR): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some other stocks that are worth considering in the health care sector include Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). Strong performance at key growth platforms (Brilinta, diabetes, respiratory and Emerging Markets) benefited revenues. | Click to get this free report ASTRAZENECA PLC (AZN): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AEGERION PHARMA (AEGR): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some other stocks that are worth considering in the health care sector include Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). AstraZeneca's third-quarter revenues increased 5% (at CER) year over year to $6.5 billion. | Some other stocks that are worth considering in the health care sector include Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report ASTRAZENECA PLC (AZN): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report AEGERION PHARMA (AEGR): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. AstraZeneca's third-quarter revenues increased 5% (at CER) year over year to $6.5 billion. | 6965fc3c-d76d-436f-baaf-d922ccbefac0 |
27281.0 | 2014-11-06 00:00:00 UTC | Top 2 MedTech Stocks, Poised to Gain on Earnings this Season - Earnings ESP | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/top-2-medtech-stocks-poised-to-gain-on-earnings-this-season-earnings-esp-2014-11-06 | nan | nan | Top 2 MedTech Stocks, Poised to Gain on Earnings this Season
Medical device is one of such sectors which are projected to be highly affected by the midterm election results. With the Republicans grabbing the U.S. Senate over the Democrats, this sector is expected to get rid of a number of overhangs. So far, medical device taxes have been a very unpopular part of Obama's Affordable Care Act. Republicans may now revoke this tax, much to the delight of medical devices firms.
The Backdrop
While merger & acquisition (M&A) activities are scaling a seven-year high, Obama's unprecedented entry into the scene, playing against the offshore M&A environment, has created ferment in the medical device equity market worldwide.
Estimating a loss of more than $19.5 billion in a decade, Obama has branded medical device stalwarts' attempts to offset the impact of high U.S. corporate tax rate by shifting their tax base overseas (known as inversion), as an "unpatriotic tax loophole".
Accordingly, in September, the Treasury Department announced its first steps to reduce tax benefits associated with corporate inversions underlining a set of new rules effective immediately. As said by Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew, this reform should help eliminate certain techniques which inverted companies currently exploit to gain tax-free access to the deferred earnings of a foreign subsidiary.
Amid such financial turmoil, some healthcare companies are abandoning cross border acquisition deals like AbbVie Inc . ( ABBV ) that had earlier planned to buy Shire plc ( SHPG ). On the other hand, giants like Medtronic Inc. ( MDT ) and Walgreen Co . ( WAG ) are moving ahead with their overseas opportunities. Nevertheless, this tax reform has induced Medtronic to change its financing plan in acquiring its Irish rival Covidien plc ( COV ). The company revealed that it will no longer utilize cash from its foreign subsidiaries, as previously planned, but will instead use an external debt to finance part of Covidien deal.
Walgreen is continuing with the second step of the acquisition of pharmaceutical giant Alliance Boots. However, much in the same league as Medtronic, it has decided to forego its earlier decision of moving their headquarters to Europe. The company's stock price witnessed a sharp decline as the company announced a subsequent reduction in the combined company's 2016 earnings outlook.
Despite the uncertainty currently looming over the medical device space, it might be a good idea to bet on a handful of stocks that are likely to beat earnings estimates this quarter. An earnings beat will naturally translate into rapid price appreciation for these stocks. This, in turn, will promise above-average returns because, as investors, you would be these stocks at a relatively cheaper price owing to the overall negative sentiment presently prevailing in the sector.
How to Choose the Best of the Lot?
Betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings in their upcoming release is a profitable strategy, as earnings beat generally translates into stock price appreciation.
With the existence of a number of industry players, finding the right stocks that have the potential to beat earnings estimates could pose a difficult task. Our proprietary methodology, however, makes it fairly simple for you. You could narrow down the list of choices by looking at stocks that have the combination of a favorable Zacks Rank - Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) - and a positive Earnings ESP .
Earnings ESP is our proprietary methodology for determining which stocks have the best chance to surprise with their next earnings announcement. It shows the percentage difference between the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Our research shows that for stocks with this combination, the chance of a positive earnings surprise is as high as 70%.
2 Stocks Set to Beat Earnings
Unilife Corporation ( UNIS ) is a leading provider of injectable drug delivery system globally. According to the company, its broad portfolio of proprietary product platforms is highly differentiated from its competitors' products.
The company has seen its shares soar nearly 39% since it signed a worldwide 'Master Services and Commercial Supply Agreement' with Sanofi in Oct 2014. Per the deal, Unilife has been chosen as the sole provider of cartridge based wearable injectors for all of Sanofi's applicable large dose volume drugs, excluding insulins, for a minimum of 15 years. The company's expanded product range has accelerated its position in the fast-growing market for wearable injectors, which is expected to generate $8 billion in sales by 2025.
The stock presently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and has an earnings ESP of +17.65%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the first quarter of fiscal 2015 is pegged at a loss of 17 cents.
Unilife will be reporting its fiscal first-quarter results on Nov 10.
Derma Sciences Inc. ( DSCI ) is yet another Zacks Rank #3 stock with an earnings ESP of +2.33%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the third quarter 2014 is pegged at a loss of 43 cents.
Derma Sciences is a tissue regeneration company focused on pharmaceutical wound care, advanced wound care and traditional wound care products.
The company has delivered positive earnings surprises in three of the trailing four quarters with an average beat of 2.06%.
Derma Sciences currently focuses on the development of DSC127, the company's angiotensin analog pharmaceutical compound with an initial indication for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. According to the company, with about 900,000 foot ulcer cases alone in the U.S. (14% to 24% of them require amputation and there is a 45% five-year mortality rate post-amputation), the addressable market is large and rapidly growing. In addition, the company's existing line of novel advanced wound care products has also shown continuing signs of strength.
Derma Science will be reporting its third-quarter 2014 financial results on Nov 10.
The Bottom Line
Apart from measures like mergers and acquisitions to curb the high corporate tax rate, Med Tech sector participants are also undertaking various long-term initiatives like change in business models and cost structures with newer innovations, and restructuring and expansion in emerging markets. They are also trying to divest their non-profitable operations in order to weather the tax burden. Nevertheless, for the time being, you can safely rely on the industry outperformers that still possess significant earnings strength.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Amid such financial turmoil, some healthcare companies are abandoning cross border acquisition deals like AbbVie Inc . ( ABBV ) that had earlier planned to buy Shire plc ( SHPG ). Click to get this free report UNILIFE CORP (UNIS): Free Stock Analysis Report DERMA SCIENCES (DSCI): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report MEDTRONIC (MDT): Free Stock Analysis Report WALGREEN CO (WAG): Free Stock Analysis Report COVIDIEN PLC (COV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Click to get this free report UNILIFE CORP (UNIS): Free Stock Analysis Report DERMA SCIENCES (DSCI): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report MEDTRONIC (MDT): Free Stock Analysis Report WALGREEN CO (WAG): Free Stock Analysis Report COVIDIEN PLC (COV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Amid such financial turmoil, some healthcare companies are abandoning cross border acquisition deals like AbbVie Inc . ( ABBV ) that had earlier planned to buy Shire plc ( SHPG ). | Click to get this free report UNILIFE CORP (UNIS): Free Stock Analysis Report DERMA SCIENCES (DSCI): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report MEDTRONIC (MDT): Free Stock Analysis Report WALGREEN CO (WAG): Free Stock Analysis Report COVIDIEN PLC (COV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Amid such financial turmoil, some healthcare companies are abandoning cross border acquisition deals like AbbVie Inc . ( ABBV ) that had earlier planned to buy Shire plc ( SHPG ). | Amid such financial turmoil, some healthcare companies are abandoning cross border acquisition deals like AbbVie Inc . ( ABBV ) that had earlier planned to buy Shire plc ( SHPG ). Click to get this free report UNILIFE CORP (UNIS): Free Stock Analysis Report DERMA SCIENCES (DSCI): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report MEDTRONIC (MDT): Free Stock Analysis Report WALGREEN CO (WAG): Free Stock Analysis Report COVIDIEN PLC (COV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | 1c73d294-6ae6-4fd2-87b0-92736e13bce2 |
27282.0 | 2014-11-06 00:00:00 UTC | Perrigo Misses on Earnings and Sales, Maintains Guidance - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/perrigo-misses-on-earnings-and-sales-maintains-guidance-analyst-blog-2014-11-06 | nan | nan | Perrigo Company 's ( PRGO ) first-quarter fiscal 2015 (ended Sep 27, 2014) earnings of $1.40 per share missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.45. Reported quarter earnings were 8% below the year-ago figure.
Net sales in the quarter increased 2% to $951.5 million. Revenues increased $92 million due to the contribution from Elan Corporation (acquired in Dec 2013). Newly launched products boosted revenues by $24 million. Revenues were however below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1 billion. Lower year-over-year seasonal sales volume and contract sales in the Consumer Healthcare (CHC) segment, pricing programs and disappointing sales in the Nutritional segment affected revenues negatively.
The First Quarter in Detail
Perrigo reports revenues primarily from the following segments: CHC, Nutritionals, Rx Pharmaceuticals, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) and Specialty Sciences. The Specialty Sciences unit came into existence following the Elan Corporation acquisition.
Consumer Healthcare: Perrigo reported CHC revenues of $493.3 million in the quarter, down 8%. Revenues of certain existing products in the cough/cold, contract manufacturing and analgesics categories were hurt by higher seasonal purchases in last year's cough/cold and flu season, lower contract manufacturing sales and lack of guaifenesin 600mg ER sales. The company announced that it has initiated the shipment of guaifenesin, along with the fiscal first quarter results.
Nutritional: Perrigo reported revenues of $125.3 million, down 3% year over year. Below par sales of products in the infant/toddler food and VMS units hurt segmental sales.
Rx Pharmaceuticals: The Rx Pharmaceuticals segment performed disappointingly during the quarter with net sales falling 4% to $194.5 million. Absence of revenues from discontinued products offset the revenues from new and acquired products. Additionally, charges associated with pricing programs also hampered net sales. The pricing programs are expected to benefit the company from the fiscal second quarter.
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients: The company reported API sales of $24.8 million, down 43% from the prior-year quarter. Results were hurt by lower sales of existing products due to increased competition.
Specialty Sciences: Segmental revenues came in at $91.9 million due to royalties received by Perrigo on multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri from Biogen Idec ( BIIB ).
Others accounted for the remaining revenues.
Fiscal 2015 View Reiterated
Perrigo reiterated its guidance for fiscal 2015. The company continues to expect adjusted earnings per share in the range of $7.20 to $7.50, up 13% to 17% over fiscal 2014 levels. The Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.41 per share is on the higher end of the guidance range.
Along with the fiscal first quarter results, Perrigo also announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Omega Pharma, a leading over-the-counter health care company in Europe, in a transaction valued at €3.6 billion ($4.5 billion), which includes the assumption of €1.1 billion in debt. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of calendar year 2015.
Our Take
We are disappointed with Perrigo missing on both sales and earnings estimates. We believe that investors will negatively react to the fiscal first quarter results. Most of the company's segments did not perform well this quarter.
However, the company is expected to benefit from the price programs from the fiscal second quarter. We are positive on the Omega Pharma acquisition, which is in line with Perrigo's strategy to expand internationally.
Perrigo holds a Zacks Rank #3 (Sell). Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Both carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report PERRIGO CO PLC (PRGO): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Perrigo Company 's ( PRGO ) first-quarter fiscal 2015 (ended Sep 27, 2014) earnings of $1.40 per share missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.45. | Click to get this free report PERRIGO CO PLC (PRGO): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Lower year-over-year seasonal sales volume and contract sales in the Consumer Healthcare (CHC) segment, pricing programs and disappointing sales in the Nutritional segment affected revenues negatively. | Click to get this free report PERRIGO CO PLC (PRGO): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Lower year-over-year seasonal sales volume and contract sales in the Consumer Healthcare (CHC) segment, pricing programs and disappointing sales in the Nutritional segment affected revenues negatively. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report PERRIGO CO PLC (PRGO): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report BIOGEN IDEC INC (BIIB): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Revenues were however below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1 billion. | c1c06490-4103-4406-b850-37127170d325 |
27283.0 | 2014-11-06 00:00:00 UTC | Endo International Beats on Q3 Earnings & Sales, View Up - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/endo-international-beats-on-q3-earnings-sales-view-up-analyst-blog-2014-11-06 | nan | nan | Endo International 's ( ENDP ) third-quarter 2014 earnings of $1.15 per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 99 cents but decreased 14% from the year-ago period. The year-over-year decline in earnings was primarily due to generic competition for branded Lidoderm. Revenues came in at $763.9 million in the third quarter of 2014, up 16%. Revenues were well ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $718 million.
Endo Health Solutions Inc - Earnings Surprise | FindTheBest
Following the completion of the Paladin Labs acquisition earlier this year, the company has started reporting results through four segments - Branded Pharmaceuticals (U.S.), Generic Pharmaceuticals (U.S.), Devices and International Pharmaceuticals - from the first quarter of 2014.
The Third Quarter in Details
Revenues were hurt by lower sales of Endo's painkillers, Lidoderm (down 72%) and Opana ER (down 17%). Reduced sales of the drugs were primarily responsible for a 34% decline in quarterly Branded Pharmaceutical revenues to $240.9 million. Lidoderm sales were hurt by generic competition.
Endo reported generic product net sales of $319.4 million in the quarter, up 74%. The addition of the erstwhile Boca Pharmacal's (acquisition completed in Feb 2014) and DAVA Pharmaceuticals' (acquisition completed in Aug 2014) products contributed to higher segmental sales. Endo launched an authorized generic version of Lidoderm in May 2014 through its generic unit. The move also led to higher segmental sales.
Revenues from the Devices segment came in at $109.8 million in the reported quarter, down 1% year over year. While sales from the prostatic hyperplasia therapy sub-group increased 8%, the other two sub units - women's health (down 10%) and men's health (down 2%) - performed disappointingly.
The newly formed International Pharmaceuticals division contributed $93.8 million to total revenues in the third quarter compared with $72 million in the preceding quarter. In a bid to expand further, Endo acquired Mexico-based private company Grupo Farmaceutico Somar in Jul 2014.
2014 Outlook Raised
Following the release of better-than-expected third-quarter results, Endo increased its guidance for 2014. The company now expects earnings per share for 2014 in the range of $4.10 to $4.25 (old guidance: $4.00-$4.20). The company now expects revenues in the range of $2.80 billion to $2.88 billion (old guidance: $2.78 billion to $2.86 billion). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2014 is earnings of $4.10 per share on revenues of approximately $2.8 billion.
Our Take
We are impressed by Endo's performance in the third quarter. Strong generic revenues contributed to the top-line beat. We are also impressed by Endo increasing its guidance further. However, we remain concerned about rebates on generic products which could impact the company's generic business.
We remind investors that Endo is set to acquire Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( AUXL ). The deal is expected to boost the company's sales and earnings growth from 2015 (read more: Endo to Buy Auxilium for $2.6B, Diversify Portfolio ).
Endo carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Other well-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Both carry the same rank as Endo.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Other well-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report ENDO INTL PLC (ENDP): Free Stock Analysis Report AUXILIUM PHARMA (AUXL): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Endo International 's ( ENDP ) third-quarter 2014 earnings of $1.15 per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 99 cents but decreased 14% from the year-ago period. | Click to get this free report ENDO INTL PLC (ENDP): Free Stock Analysis Report AUXILIUM PHARMA (AUXL): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Other well-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Endo International 's ( ENDP ) third-quarter 2014 earnings of $1.15 per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 99 cents but decreased 14% from the year-ago period. | Click to get this free report ENDO INTL PLC (ENDP): Free Stock Analysis Report AUXILIUM PHARMA (AUXL): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Other well-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Endo Health Solutions Inc - Earnings Surprise | FindTheBest Following the completion of the Paladin Labs acquisition earlier this year, the company has started reporting results through four segments - Branded Pharmaceuticals (U.S.), Generic Pharmaceuticals (U.S.), Devices and International Pharmaceuticals - from the first quarter of 2014. | Other well-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report ENDO INTL PLC (ENDP): Free Stock Analysis Report AUXILIUM PHARMA (AUXL): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Endo reported generic product net sales of $319.4 million in the quarter, up 74%. | 7e3ce50b-01ce-4e30-9f40-3b1be421fe30 |
27284.0 | 2014-11-06 00:00:00 UTC | 5 Things AbbVie Inc.'s Management Wants You to Know | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/5-things-abbvie-incs-management-wants-you-know-2014-11-06 | nan | nan | Another quarter for AbbVie , another blow-out. The company announced strong third-quarter results last Friday. AbbVie's storyline behind those earnings, though, is probably more important than the numbers themselves. Here are five things the company's management wants investors to know (quotes courtesy of our friends at Thomson Reuters StreetEvents ).
ABBV Total Return Price data by YCharts
Both companies have performed well, but AbbVie's performance has been simply astonishing. The stock's price soared 80% since the beginning of 2013. AbbVie has also consistently paid out a solid dividend, with a yield at or above 3% during much of the past two years.
2. Humira's momentum isn't fading
AbbVie's top-selling drug, Humira, continues to rack up huge sales. During the third quarter, Humira generated revenue of $3.255 billion, a year-over-year jump of almost 18%. The even better news, according to AbbVie's management team, is that the momentum shows no signs of slowing down.
Rick Gonzalez says that "Humira's broad label and new indications are a competitive advantage." He's right -- and that competitive advantage could get a boost. AbbVie announced great results in October from a late-stage study of Humira in treating moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa, or HS. HS is a chronic skin disease that affects around 1% of adults globally. The condition currently has no approved treatment options.
What about the threat of biosimilars for Humira in the years ahead? Gonzalez says that "obviously that is something we have looked at" and that AbbVie has "had now a number of years to put a strategy in place" to deal with the threat. He expressed confidence that the company's strategy will be successful.
3. Ready for hep-C
AbbVie's highly anticipated interferon-free hepatitis-C virus therapy is "on the cusp of approval," according to Gonzalez. The company stated last month that it doesn't think an FDA advisory panel will be needed as a prerequisite for ultimate approval. Gonzalez reiterated that assumption in his earnings call comments.
He said that the company is ready to launch the hep-C combo in the U.S. by the end of this year pending approval. Gonzalez also indicated confidence that AbbVie will receive European regulatory approval in early 2015. He noted that "we've built the appropriate infrastructure and are fully prepared for our launch."
There are some questions about how effectively AbbVie's hep-C regimen will be able to compete against Gilead Sciences ' Sovaldi and Harvoni, which have had spectacular success thus far. Rick Gonzalez's response is that "we still don't believe that minor differences in pill count or shorter duration of therapy in certain patients will significantly change the competitive dynamics in this marketplace." He said, "We feel very good about our ability to compete in this market and create meaningful share for our product."
4. Pipeline is promising
It's not all about Humira and hep-C. AbbVie also boasts several other promising drugs in its pipeline. The company counts over 40 clinical development programs in progress, with 12 drugs either in regulatory review or in late-stage clinical studies.
Gonzalez highlighted several of these drugs in his comments to investors. Veliparib stood out as one of the cancer drugs that AbbVie is excited about. AbbVie initiated four late-stage studies of the drug in 2014, including trials targeting breast cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.
He also gave a special shout out to multiple sclerosis drug daclizumab. Gonzalez noted that although MS has seen several advances, daclizumab "has the potential to be an important therapy in this large and growing market." AbbVie expects to complete regulatory filings in the first half of 2015.
5. More good news on the way
Last, but certainly not least, AbbVie's management projected a rosy outlook for the future. The company bumped up its full-year 2014 earnings guidance. Rick Gonzalez said, "We have a high level of confidence that we can continue to drive strong growth over the long term."
So far, there's no reason to question that confidence. As Gonzalez pointed out, AbbVie has delivered superior returns for investors. Humira's sales keep chugging along. The pipeline is strong, particularly with the expected approval of the company's hep-C therapy.
AbbVie's stock has climbed over 20% so far in 2014. If the company's management is right, that success should spill over into next year also.
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The article 5 Things AbbVie Inc.'s Management Wants You to Know originally appeared on Fool.com.
Keith Speights owns shares of Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool recommends Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool owns shares of Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | AbbVie announced great results in October from a late-stage study of Humira in treating moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa, or HS. There are some questions about how effectively AbbVie's hep-C regimen will be able to compete against Gilead Sciences ' Sovaldi and Harvoni, which have had spectacular success thus far. Another quarter for AbbVie , another blow-out. | Humira's momentum isn't fading AbbVie's top-selling drug, Humira, continues to rack up huge sales. Another quarter for AbbVie , another blow-out. AbbVie's storyline behind those earnings, though, is probably more important than the numbers themselves. | Humira's momentum isn't fading AbbVie's top-selling drug, Humira, continues to rack up huge sales. Ready for hep-C AbbVie's highly anticipated interferon-free hepatitis-C virus therapy is "on the cusp of approval," according to Gonzalez. Gonzalez also indicated confidence that AbbVie will receive European regulatory approval in early 2015. | Another quarter for AbbVie , another blow-out. AbbVie's storyline behind those earnings, though, is probably more important than the numbers themselves. ABBV Total Return Price data by YCharts Both companies have performed well, but AbbVie's performance has been simply astonishing. | 13646ff3-85bc-4cb1-9e68-bee85ae6c727 |
27285.0 | 2014-11-06 00:00:00 UTC | Hospira Beats on Earnings & Sales in Q3, Narrows Guidance - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/hospira-beats-on-earnings-sales-in-q3-narrows-guidance-analyst-blog-2014-11-06 | nan | nan | Hospira 's ( HSP ) third-quarter 2014 adjusted earnings of 74 cents per share easily beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 53 cents. Third-quarter 2014 earnings were above the year-ago figure by 45.1%, aided by higher revenues.
Hospira, Inc - Earnings Surprise | FindTheBest
Including one-time items, the company posted earnings of 92 cents per share in the third quarter of 2014 compared with the year-ago figure of a penny.
Third-quarter net sales climbed 14.1% year over year to $1.15 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.08 billion. Strong sales of drugs in the company's Specialty Injectable Pharmaceuticals (SIP) division benefited the top line.
The Third Quarter in Detail
The SIP segment, the biggest contributor to Hospira's revenues, performed well in the reported quarter. Favorable pricing and continued supply recovery boosted segmental sales, which climbed 13.9% (up 14% at constant currency) to $780.3 million.
The Medication Management (MM) segment performed disappointingly during the reported quarter with segmental sales falling 1.1% (down 0.2% at constant currency) to $207.5 million. The segment has been going through a rough patch. In Feb 2013, the FDA expanded the import ban on certain Hospira products issued in 2012.
Sales in the Other Pharma division improved 43.6% (up 42.9% at constant currency) to $162.8 million.
Geographically, the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa and the Asia-Pacific markets contributed $939 million (up 17.2% at constant currency), $135.1 million (up 8.3% at constant currency) and $76.5 million (down 5.2% at constant currency), respectively, to total revenues in the third quarter of 2014.
2014 Outlook Narrowed
The company has narrowed its 2014 guidance based on its year-to-date performance and the impact of genericization of Precedex. The company now projects adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.40 to $2.50 (old guidance: $2.30 to $2.50 per share). The Zacks Consensus Estimate (pre earnings) stood at $2.37 per share. We expect it to be revised upwards following the fresh outlook issued by the company.
Hospira now expects top-line growth in the range of 8.5% to 9.5% on a constant currency basis (old guidance: 6% to 9%). Foreign currency movements will have a minimal impact on the top line.
Our Take
We are positive on Hospira beating both revenues and earnings estimates in the reported quarter. Hospira's impressive top-line growth in the third quarter, driven by its SIP segment, is encouraging. However, the MM segment is still under pressure. We believe segmental revenues will remain soft until regulatory issues are resolved.
Even though we expect Hospira to continue facing headwinds in the form of manufacturing issues and the entry of generic versions of Precedex, we believe that the SIP segment will continue to perform well.
Hospira carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Buy). Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). All carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Click to get this free report HOSPIRA INC (HSP): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABAXIS INC (ABAX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Strong sales of drugs in the company's Specialty Injectable Pharmaceuticals (SIP) division benefited the top line. | Click to get this free report HOSPIRA INC (HSP): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABAXIS INC (ABAX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). Hospira 's ( HSP ) third-quarter 2014 adjusted earnings of 74 cents per share easily beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 53 cents. | Click to get this free report HOSPIRA INC (HSP): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABAXIS INC (ABAX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). The Medication Management (MM) segment performed disappointingly during the reported quarter with segmental sales falling 1.1% (down 0.2% at constant currency) to $207.5 million. | Click to get this free report HOSPIRA INC (HSP): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABAXIS INC (ABAX): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Allergan ( AGN ), Abaxis Inc. ( ABAX ) and AbbVie ( ABBV ). The Third Quarter in Detail The SIP segment, the biggest contributor to Hospira's revenues, performed well in the reported quarter. | f1cbefef-11bb-481e-b5c7-56e464424b5f |
27286.0 | 2014-11-05 00:00:00 UTC | Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Pushes Forward | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/momenta-pharmaceuticals-inc-pushes-forward-2014-11-05 | nan | nan | At this point, earnings calls for Momenta Pharmaceuticals are more an opportunity to update investors than to report revenue and earnings. Because, let's face it... sales of Momenta's and Novartis ' enoxaparin, a generic version of Sanofi 's Lovenox, are pretty pitiful.
Net sales of the drug were $48 million in the third quarter compared to $58 million in the year-ago quarter. The lower year-over-year sales came from both lower volume due to competition from other generics, and lower prices as a result of the aforementioned competition.
Momenta's share of the sales came to just $4.7 million in the third quarter. The company had almost as much revenue ($4.6 million) from its partners reimbursing research and development costs as it did from sales of its approved product.
The company's net loss for the third quarter was $29 million, up slightly from the $25 million loss in the year-ago quarter.
Looking forward
The key to kicking revenue into high gear comes from M356, Momenta's and Novartis' generic version of Teva Pharmaceuticals ' multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone. The drug is still under review by the Food and Drug Administration -- the application was filed in 2008! -- but the company is hopeful it will get approved soon.
The sooner the better -- and not just because Momenta could use the revenue. Teva is actively switching patients to its version of Copaxone that only has to be injected three times per week. It's hard to know if patients will be willing to switch back to daily injections just to take advantage of the cheaper generic. Switching from the daily version to the generic version is a no-brainer and should be an automatic decision by the pharmacist. The longer the approval takes, the fewer of those patients there will be.
Momenta and Novartis have a generic version of the three-times-a-week version; but it was only submitted to the FDA in August, so who knows when it will get approved. Hopefully, because it's essentially the same drug, it won't take six-plus years to review the application.
Further back in the revenue-generating timeline, Momenta has a partnership with Baxter to develop biosimilar drugs, which are generic versions of biologics. The protein-based drugs aren't exact copies -- thus the "biosimilar" nomenclature -- and will require more rigorous clinical trials than typical small-molecule generics.
Momenta's lead product M923, a biosimilar version of AbbVie 's megablockbuster Humira, is ready to go into clinical trials. Once the clinical trial application is accepted, Momenta will get two milestone payments totaling $12 million. Development of M834, the second-most advanced molecule -- there are eight total -- is also progressing well, garnering the company a $7 million milestone payment in the fourth quarter.
Momenta ended the third quarter with $176.5 million, and plans to burn through about $26 million in the fourth quarter. At that rate, the company's nest egg isn't going to last too long. Fortunately the impending $19 million in milestone payments will help offset the cash burn. If M356 can ever get approved, it will bring in much needed revenue to help fund the biosimilar program and its novel drugs that are still in early development.
This coming blockbuster will make every biotech jealous
The best biotech investors consistently reap gigantic profits by recognizing true potential earlier and more accurately than anyone else. Let me cut right to the chase. There is a product in development that will revolutionize not just how we treat a common chronic illness, but potentially the entire health industry. Analysts are already licking their chops at the sales potential. In order to outsmart Wall Street and realize multi-bagger returns you will need The Motley Fool's new free report on the dream-team responsible for this game-changing blockbuster. CLICK HERE NOW .
The article Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Pushes Forward originally appeared on Fool.com.
Brian Orelli has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Baxter International, Momenta Pharmaceuticals, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Momenta's lead product M923, a biosimilar version of AbbVie 's megablockbuster Humira, is ready to go into clinical trials. Looking forward The key to kicking revenue into high gear comes from M356, Momenta's and Novartis' generic version of Teva Pharmaceuticals ' multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone. The protein-based drugs aren't exact copies -- thus the "biosimilar" nomenclature -- and will require more rigorous clinical trials than typical small-molecule generics. | Momenta's lead product M923, a biosimilar version of AbbVie 's megablockbuster Humira, is ready to go into clinical trials. Looking forward The key to kicking revenue into high gear comes from M356, Momenta's and Novartis' generic version of Teva Pharmaceuticals ' multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone. Once the clinical trial application is accepted, Momenta will get two milestone payments totaling $12 million. | Momenta's lead product M923, a biosimilar version of AbbVie 's megablockbuster Humira, is ready to go into clinical trials. Net sales of the drug were $48 million in the third quarter compared to $58 million in the year-ago quarter. Looking forward The key to kicking revenue into high gear comes from M356, Momenta's and Novartis' generic version of Teva Pharmaceuticals ' multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone. | Momenta's lead product M923, a biosimilar version of AbbVie 's megablockbuster Humira, is ready to go into clinical trials. Momenta's share of the sales came to just $4.7 million in the third quarter. The company had almost as much revenue ($4.6 million) from its partners reimbursing research and development costs as it did from sales of its approved product. | 2a950f13-9bfa-4e53-a1f2-61d31e17c2ff |
27287.0 | 2014-11-05 00:00:00 UTC | 3 Biotech Stocks for Earnings Beats this Season - Earnings ESP | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/3-biotech-stocks-for-earnings-beats-this-season-earnings-esp-2014-11-05-0 | nan | nan | 3 Biotech Stocks for Earnings Beats this Season
Even a quarter back, tax inversion deals were quite a rage among most of the U.S. based biotech firms. However, these tax dodging strategies have fallen apart ever since the U.S. Department of Treasury issued a notice related to tax inversion deals. We have seen AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) calling off its planned acquisition of Shire ( SHPG ) following the notice. Also, Auxilium Pharma ( AUXL ) chose Endo International's ( ENDP ) acquisition offer over its QLT Inc. ( QLTI ) merger deal on the same ground.
Meanwhile, licencing agreements and partnership deals continue to be a common strategy for several biotech companies like MannKind Corp. ( MNKD ). In a smart move, MannKind chose Sanofi ( SNY ) as its partner for its only approved product Afrezza. Sanofi is not only a suitable partner for Afrezza given its global reach and experience in the diabetes market, the Sanofi deal will also provide ample funds to MannKind.
Tax inversion deals aside, acquisitions will remain a part of the biotech story with large pharma companies pursuing their biotech counterparts. We have seen InterMune getting acquired by Roche ( RHHBY ) in an $8.3 billion deal with the main attraction being InterMune's Esbriet. Esbriet was initially approved in the EU for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and InterMune emerged as an attractive takeover candidate with the company delivering impressive data on the drug in the U.S.
However, pipeline setbacks also remain a part of the risk involved in investing in biotech stocks. We saw Sunesis Pharmaceuticals ( SNSS ) tumbling 78% after its phase III study on Qinprezo and cytarabine failed to achieve the primary endpoint.
Despite the challenges, many biotech stocks are exploring their own ways to emerge as winners. Thus, it would be a good idea to zero in on a handful of biotech stocks that are poised to beat earnings estimates this quarter. An earnings beat should help these stocks gain investor confidence and show price improvement.
How to Pick?
Given a large number of industry participants, pinpointing stocks that have the potential to beat estimates could appear to be a daunting task. But our proprietary methodology makes it fairly simple. One way to narrow down the list of choices this earnings season is by looking at stocks that have the combination of a favorable Zacks Rank - Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), #2 (Buy) or #3 (Hold) - and a positive Zacks Earnings ESP .
Earnings ESP is our proprietary methodology for identifying stocks that have high chances of surprising in their next earnings announcement. It shows the percentage difference between the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Our research shows that for stocks with this combination, the chance of a positive earnings surprise is as high as 70%.
Below are three biotech stocks we believe are best positioned to stand out as we round off the third quarter earnings season.
XOMA Corporation ( XOMA ), based in California, is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock with an Earnings ESP of +11.11%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the third quarter 2014 is a loss of 18 cents. The company has registered positive earnings surprises in two of the last four quarters.
The company is expected to post a narrower-than-expected loss in the third quarter as it did in the second. Although operating expenses are expected to go up during the quarter, the company's higher licensing and collaborative revenues will help it to narrow the loss.
XOMA is set to report its third quarter results after market close on Nov 6.
Another stock to look out this earnings season is Medivation, Inc. ( MDVN ), sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). This San Francisco-based company focuses on the development of novel treatments for serious diseases with limited treatment options. The company has an Earnings ESP of +7.34%.
Medivation delivered positive earnings surprises in three of the last four quarters. The company posted earnings of 60 cents per share in the second quarter, easily beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 28 cents. Medivation is expected to continue its solid performance in the third quarter as well. This will largely be fuelled by its sole marketed product, Xtandi, which should continue its impressive run on label expansions especially given the approval for use in chemo-naïve patients.
Medivation is set to report its third-quarter earnings after market close on Nov 6.
A Zacks Rank #2 stock, Dendreon Corp. ( DNDN ), can also be a good choice for investors this season. This Seattle, WA based biotech company primarily focuses on oncology treatments. The company has an Earnings ESP of +38.89%.
Dendreon delivered positive earnings surprises in two of the last four quarters with an average beat of 33.31%. The company is expected to post a narrower loss during the third quarter like it did in the second quarter. Dendreon's revenues are expected to rise in the third quarter on the back of its lead product, Provenge, which is expected to continue to grow.
Dendreon is expected to report its third quarter results on Nov 11.
Bottom Line
While several companies have successfully developed and commercialized their key pipeline candidates, many are still awaiting regulatory decisions. Meanwhile, catalysts in the biotech sector remain in the form of licencing agreements, partnership deals and restructuring initiatives. This sneak peek at the space for some outperformers, backed by a solid Zacks Rank and a positive Zacks Earnings ESP, could be a great idea for investors to gain from this earnings season.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | We have seen AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) calling off its planned acquisition of Shire ( SHPG ) following the notice. Click to get this free report XOMA CORP (XOMA): Free Stock Analysis Report MEDIVATION INC (MDVN): Free Stock Analysis Report DENDREON CORP (DNDN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report AUXILIUM PHARMA (AUXL): Free Stock Analysis Report ENDO INTL PLC (ENDP): Free Stock Analysis Report MANNKIND CORP (MNKD): Free Stock Analysis Report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report SUNESIS PHARMA (SNSS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Also, Auxilium Pharma ( AUXL ) chose Endo International's ( ENDP ) acquisition offer over its QLT Inc. ( QLTI ) merger deal on the same ground. | Click to get this free report XOMA CORP (XOMA): Free Stock Analysis Report MEDIVATION INC (MDVN): Free Stock Analysis Report DENDREON CORP (DNDN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report AUXILIUM PHARMA (AUXL): Free Stock Analysis Report ENDO INTL PLC (ENDP): Free Stock Analysis Report MANNKIND CORP (MNKD): Free Stock Analysis Report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report SUNESIS PHARMA (SNSS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. We have seen AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) calling off its planned acquisition of Shire ( SHPG ) following the notice. 3 Biotech Stocks for Earnings Beats this Season Even a quarter back, tax inversion deals were quite a rage among most of the U.S. based biotech firms. | Click to get this free report XOMA CORP (XOMA): Free Stock Analysis Report MEDIVATION INC (MDVN): Free Stock Analysis Report DENDREON CORP (DNDN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report AUXILIUM PHARMA (AUXL): Free Stock Analysis Report ENDO INTL PLC (ENDP): Free Stock Analysis Report MANNKIND CORP (MNKD): Free Stock Analysis Report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report SUNESIS PHARMA (SNSS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. We have seen AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) calling off its planned acquisition of Shire ( SHPG ) following the notice. 3 Biotech Stocks for Earnings Beats this Season Even a quarter back, tax inversion deals were quite a rage among most of the U.S. based biotech firms. | We have seen AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) calling off its planned acquisition of Shire ( SHPG ) following the notice. Click to get this free report XOMA CORP (XOMA): Free Stock Analysis Report MEDIVATION INC (MDVN): Free Stock Analysis Report DENDREON CORP (DNDN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report AUXILIUM PHARMA (AUXL): Free Stock Analysis Report ENDO INTL PLC (ENDP): Free Stock Analysis Report MANNKIND CORP (MNKD): Free Stock Analysis Report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report ROCHE HLDG LTD (RHHBY): Free Stock Analysis Report SUNESIS PHARMA (SNSS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. 3 Biotech Stocks for Earnings Beats this Season Even a quarter back, tax inversion deals were quite a rage among most of the U.S. based biotech firms. | b60547b9-b0ca-42cc-a5b9-2340244962f0 |
27288.0 | 2014-11-04 00:00:00 UTC | AbbVie (ABBV) Shares March Higher, Can It Continue? - Tale of the Tape | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/abbvie-abbv-shares-march-higher-can-it-continue-tale-of-the-tape-2014-11-04 | nan | nan | As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor in AbbVie Inc ( ABBV ) . The stock has moved higher by 7.9% in the past month, while it is also above its 20 Day SMA too. This combination of strong price performance and favorable technical, could suggest that the stock may be on the right path.
We certainly think that this might be the case, particularly if you consider ABBV's recent earnings estimate revision activity. From this look, the company's future is quite favorable; as ABBV has earned itself a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), meaning that its recent run may continue for a bit longer, and that this isn't the top for the in-focus company.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | We certainly think that this might be the case, particularly if you consider ABBV's recent earnings estimate revision activity. From this look, the company's future is quite favorable; as ABBV has earned itself a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), meaning that its recent run may continue for a bit longer, and that this isn't the top for the in-focus company. As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor in AbbVie Inc ( ABBV ) . | Click to get this free report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor in AbbVie Inc ( ABBV ) . We certainly think that this might be the case, particularly if you consider ABBV's recent earnings estimate revision activity. | From this look, the company's future is quite favorable; as ABBV has earned itself a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), meaning that its recent run may continue for a bit longer, and that this isn't the top for the in-focus company. Click to get this free report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor in AbbVie Inc ( ABBV ) . | As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor in AbbVie Inc ( ABBV ) . We certainly think that this might be the case, particularly if you consider ABBV's recent earnings estimate revision activity. From this look, the company's future is quite favorable; as ABBV has earned itself a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), meaning that its recent run may continue for a bit longer, and that this isn't the top for the in-focus company. | fffde5a9-b6a1-4438-84c2-dfec36b75221 |
27289.0 | 2014-11-04 00:00:00 UTC | Bristol-Myers Signs Option Deal to Acquire Galecto Biotech - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/bristol-myers-signs-option-deal-to-acquire-galecto-biotech-analyst-blog-2014-11-04 | nan | nan | Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ) and Denmark-based Galecto Biotech AB announced that both companies have entered into an agreement whereby Bristol-Myers Squibb will have an exclusive option to acquire Galecto Biotech AB for a potential $444 million.
The acquisition of Galecto Biotech AB will allow Bristol-Myers Squibb to obtain worldwide rights to the former's lead candidate, TD139.
TD139, currently in phase I, is being evaluated for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other pulmonary fibrotic conditions.
As per the terms of the agreement, Bristol-Myers Squibb can exercise its option to acquire Galecto at any time following the execution of the transaction agreement. However, the acquisition cannot be delayed by more than 60 days following the completion of the phase Ib trial. Both companies have agreed on pre-clinical studies and a phase I development plan which will be executed by Galecto AB during the option period.
We note that Bristol-Myers is developing an early-stage fibrosis portfolio. The company already has a pipeline candidate, BMS-986020 - a lysophosphatidic acid 1 (LPA1) receptor antagonist in development for the treatment of IPF.
We are impressed by the company's efforts to develop its pipeline as generic threats loom large over some of its key drugs.
Bristol-Myers' hepatitis B virus drug, Baraclude is now facing generic competition as Teva Pharmaceuticals ( TEVA ) launched its generic version of the drug in Sep 2014. Moreover, the genericization of Plavix and Avapro in 2012 in the U.S. has resulted in a significant loss of revenues.
Hence, the successful development of the pipeline holds the key and we expect investor focus on updates from the same.
Bristol-Myers carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Other well-placed stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Allergan ( AGN ). Both carry a Zacks Rank #2.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Other well-placed stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Allergan ( AGN ). Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report TEVA PHARM ADR (TEVA): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. The acquisition of Galecto Biotech AB will allow Bristol-Myers Squibb to obtain worldwide rights to the former's lead candidate, TD139. | Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report TEVA PHARM ADR (TEVA): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Other well-placed stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Allergan ( AGN ). Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ) and Denmark-based Galecto Biotech AB announced that both companies have entered into an agreement whereby Bristol-Myers Squibb will have an exclusive option to acquire Galecto Biotech AB for a potential $444 million. | Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report TEVA PHARM ADR (TEVA): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Other well-placed stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Allergan ( AGN ). Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ) and Denmark-based Galecto Biotech AB announced that both companies have entered into an agreement whereby Bristol-Myers Squibb will have an exclusive option to acquire Galecto Biotech AB for a potential $444 million. | Other well-placed stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Allergan ( AGN ). Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report TEVA PHARM ADR (TEVA): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. The acquisition of Galecto Biotech AB will allow Bristol-Myers Squibb to obtain worldwide rights to the former's lead candidate, TD139. | fbf733b2-1dbb-4490-aa32-1cb807d2a36d |
27290.0 | 2014-11-04 00:00:00 UTC | Why AbbVie Inc. Stock Vaulted Higher By 11% in October | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/why-abbvie-inc-stock-vaulted-higher-11-october-2014-11-04 | nan | nan | ABBV data by YCharts
What: Pharmaceutical juggernaut AbbVie found its wings in October and leaped higher by 11%, according to data from S&P Capital IQ , following better than expected third-quarter earnings and the termination of a megamerger which led to more immediate benefits for current AbbVie shareholders.
So what: if AbbVie was trying to save the best for last it certainly did an excellent job with the company blowing past Wall Street's third-quarter earnings expectations early Friday morning.
For the quarter AbbVie produced revenue of $5.02 billion, up nearly 8% from the year-ago period, fueled by Humira's remarkable 17.5% increase in sales. Through nine months Humira now has $9.18 billion in sales and could rival Lipitor's record of $12.6 billion for highest annual sales ever. In addition to Humira, Synthroid, Creon, Synagis and Duodopa all saw sales increase by double-digit percentages.
Profit per share came in at $0.89, up 8.5% over the prior-year period and well above the company's previous forecast which had called for $0.77-$0.79 in EPS. Furthermore, AbbVie significantly boosted its full-year EPS guidance to a fresh range of $3.25-$3.27 from prior guidance of $3.06-$3.16. Comparatively speaking, Wall Street had expected AbbVie to report $4.83 billion in sales and EPS of just $0.77.
Morgan Stanley Healthcare Conference presentation slide. Source: AbbVie.
Therein lies the conundrum with AbbVie: it's eventually going to lose Humira, but profitability and sales for the company and Humira are expected to increase substantially through 2017. With that said, I could see modest upside in AbbVie shares in the coming year or two as long as it continues to dominate in the anti-inflammatory market, but would bet on some degree of weakness if the company doesn't deliver a blockbuster pipeline drug or acquire one of its peers prior to 2017.
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The article Why AbbVie Inc. Stock Vaulted Higher By 11% in October originally appeared on Fool.com.
Sean Williams has no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen nameTMFUltraLong, track every pick he makes under the screen nameTrackUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle@TMFUltraLong.The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy .
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | So what: if AbbVie was trying to save the best for last it certainly did an excellent job with the company blowing past Wall Street's third-quarter earnings expectations early Friday morning. For the quarter AbbVie produced revenue of $5.02 billion, up nearly 8% from the year-ago period, fueled by Humira's remarkable 17.5% increase in sales. With that said, I could see modest upside in AbbVie shares in the coming year or two as long as it continues to dominate in the anti-inflammatory market, but would bet on some degree of weakness if the company doesn't deliver a blockbuster pipeline drug or acquire one of its peers prior to 2017. | So what: if AbbVie was trying to save the best for last it certainly did an excellent job with the company blowing past Wall Street's third-quarter earnings expectations early Friday morning. Comparatively speaking, Wall Street had expected AbbVie to report $4.83 billion in sales and EPS of just $0.77. ABBV data by YCharts What: Pharmaceutical juggernaut AbbVie found its wings in October and leaped higher by 11%, according to data from S&P Capital IQ , following better than expected third-quarter earnings and the termination of a megamerger which led to more immediate benefits for current AbbVie shareholders. | ABBV data by YCharts What: Pharmaceutical juggernaut AbbVie found its wings in October and leaped higher by 11%, according to data from S&P Capital IQ , following better than expected third-quarter earnings and the termination of a megamerger which led to more immediate benefits for current AbbVie shareholders. Comparatively speaking, Wall Street had expected AbbVie to report $4.83 billion in sales and EPS of just $0.77. Therein lies the conundrum with AbbVie: it's eventually going to lose Humira, but profitability and sales for the company and Humira are expected to increase substantially through 2017. | Comparatively speaking, Wall Street had expected AbbVie to report $4.83 billion in sales and EPS of just $0.77. Therein lies the conundrum with AbbVie: it's eventually going to lose Humira, but profitability and sales for the company and Humira are expected to increase substantially through 2017. ABBV data by YCharts What: Pharmaceutical juggernaut AbbVie found its wings in October and leaped higher by 11%, according to data from S&P Capital IQ , following better than expected third-quarter earnings and the termination of a megamerger which led to more immediate benefits for current AbbVie shareholders. | eb2b4ace-8e06-4d72-9023-02ed1cc4d7a9 |
27291.0 | 2014-11-03 00:00:00 UTC | Novo Nordisk's Earnings Rise in Q3, 2014 Outlook Narrowed - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/novo-nordisks-earnings-rise-in-q3-2014-outlook-narrowed-analyst-blog-2014-11-03 | nan | nan | Novo Nordisk 's ( NVO ) shares fell 2.2% although the company reported third-quarter 2014 earnings of 44 cents per American Depository Receipt (ADR), higher than the year-ago earnings of 42 cents. The lowering of the annual guidance disappointed investors leading to a fall in share prices. In the reported quarter, revenues increased 8.7% to $4 billion year over year. The top-line was mainly driven by strong sales of Victoza and modern insulin including Levemir.
All growth rates mentioned below are on a year-over-year and local currency basis.
The Quarter in Detail
Total revenue grew 10% in local currency driven by sales growth in North America (up 15%), international operations (up 16%) and China (8%).
Novo Nordisk's diabetes care segment recorded sales growth of 12%. Modern insulin generated strong revenues (up 15%) driven by NovoRapid (up 11%), NovoMix (up 5%) and Levemir (28%). Novo Nordisk's key drug, Victoza, witnessed sales growth of 21%, primarily due to higher demand in North America.
Sales in the biopharmaceuticals segment increased 2%. Norditropin's sales were up 20%, partially offset by a 14% decline in NovoSeven's sales. Other products witnessed 24% sales growth.
Research and development (R&D) expenses increased 32% due to diabetes pipeline development. Administration costs were up 10% due to increased back-office infrastructure costs. Sales and distribution costs increased 8% year over year.
Pipeline Update
Novo Nordisk is working on strengthening its pipeline. In Sep 2014, Xultophy received marketing authorization for the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus in the Europe.
Currently, the company is enrolling patients in the cardiovascular outcomes study (DEVOTE) on Tresiba. Data supporting a pre-specified interim analysis of the study is expected in early 2015. Based on interim data, the company will decide whether to submit the result of this interim analysis to the FDA or to wait for the completion of the study. The study should be completed by 2016-2017 timeframe.
Additionally, Novo Nordisk is conducting a 30-week long, open-label, phase IIIa study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of monotherapy with once-weekly semaglutide in comparison with once-daily sitagliptin for the treatment of type II diabetes in Japanese patients.
Meanwhile, Saxenda (liraglutide 3 mg) received a favorable (14-1) vote and is under FDA review for chronic weight management. A response from the FDA is expected shortly.
2014 Revenue Outlook Narrowed
Novo Nordisk has narrowed its 2014 revenue outlook and now expects sales growth in the range of 7%−9% (previously expected in the range of 7%−10%). This revision reflects expectations towards lower NovoSeven sales and a lower market growth in China. However, the company continues to expect strong performance from Victoza, modern insulin with modest sales of Tresiba, which will be partly offset by generic competition for Prandin in the U.S., increased competition for diabetes and biopharmaceuticals products in international operations and adverse effects of rebate and contracts in the U.S.
Novo Nordisk maintained its guidance for operating profit growth around 10% in local currencies.
Our Take
Although Victoza and Levemir performed satisfactorily, the company faced a tough time sustaining revenue growth owing to generic competition for Prandin and challenging rebate and contract environment in the U.S. The narrowing of annual guidance due to lower market growth rate in China was disappointing. We expect investor focus to remain on updates on Saxenda.
Novo Nordisk carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Gilead Sciences Inc. ( GILD ). All these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Gilead Sciences Inc. ( GILD ). Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVO-NORDISK AS (NVO): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. The Quarter in Detail Total revenue grew 10% in local currency driven by sales growth in North America (up 15%), international operations (up 16%) and China (8%). | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVO-NORDISK AS (NVO): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Gilead Sciences Inc. ( GILD ). 2014 Revenue Outlook Narrowed Novo Nordisk has narrowed its 2014 revenue outlook and now expects sales growth in the range of 7%−9% (previously expected in the range of 7%−10%). | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVO-NORDISK AS (NVO): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Gilead Sciences Inc. ( GILD ). 2014 Revenue Outlook Narrowed Novo Nordisk has narrowed its 2014 revenue outlook and now expects sales growth in the range of 7%−9% (previously expected in the range of 7%−10%). | Click to get this free report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report GILEAD SCIENCES (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVO-NORDISK AS (NVO): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Gilead Sciences Inc. ( GILD ). Novo Nordisk's diabetes care segment recorded sales growth of 12%. | 84874de3-f231-447d-8e3e-9353a0ab2aa2 |
27292.0 | 2014-11-03 00:00:00 UTC | Stock Market News for November 03, 2014 - Market News | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/stock-market-news-for-november-03-2014-market-news-2014-11-03 | nan | nan | Bank of Japan's unanticipated expansion in monetary stimulus helped benchmarks to finish at record highs on Friday. Moreover, encouraging earnings results also boosted investor's confidence. The Dow reached a record intraday level and witnessed its biggest weekly gain in around two years. The Nasdaq also touched its highest point since Mar 2000. The S&P 500 also finished at record level on Friday.
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The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) rose 1.1%, or 195.10 points, to close at 17,390.52. The Standard & Poor 500 (S&P 500) gained 1.2% to close at 2,018.05. The tech-laden Nasdaq Composite Index closed at 4,630.74; rising 1.4%. The fear-gauge CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) declined 3.4% to settle at 14.03. A total of 8.3 billion shares were traded on Friday, higher than month-to-date average of 7.8 billion. Advancers outpaced declining stocks on the NYSE. For 75% stocks that advanced, 23% declined.
Markets received a boost on Friday following Bank of Japan's (BOJ) announcement that it will expand its assets purchasing program to deal with weak economic growth and low inflation. On Friday, BOJ decided to increase its bond purchasing volume to around 80 trillion yen ($727 billion) in a year. This is an increase of 30 trillion yen from its earlier program of bond purchases. The bank added that it would also boost ETF and REIT purchases to nearly three times its present volume.
The bank mentioned that recent falls in inflation rate and discouraging economic growth were the main reason for this decision. BOJ said: "on the price front, somewhat weak developments in demand following the [April 1] consumption-tax hike and a substantial decline in crude- oil prices have been exerting downward pressure recently." Speaking at a news conference, BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said: "We decided to expand the quantitative and qualitative easing to ensure the early achievement of our price target."
On earnings front, shares of Chevron Corporation ( CVX ) gained 2.4% after posting strong third quarter earnings on improved downstream results that saw refining margins climb on lower input costs. Earnings per share came in at $2.95, well above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.54 and also improved from the year-ago profit of $2.57 per share. However, the company's quarterly revenue decreased 6.5% year over year to $54,679 million and underperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $56,665 million amid a decline in crude oil prices.
Exxon Mobil Corporation's ( XOM ) shares rose 2.4% after reporting third quarter 2014 earnings of $1.89 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.75. The bottom line also increased from $1.79 in the year-ago quarter. The upside came from higher margins and improved operations in the Downstream and Chemical businesses.
Impressive earnings results helped the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) to gain 2% on Friday. The sector was the biggest gainer among the S&P 500 sectors. Key energy stocks including Halliburton Company ( HAL ), Chesapeake Energy Corporation ( CHK ), EOG Resources, Inc. ( EOG ) and Schlumberger Limited ( SLB ) rose 2.3%, 3.9%, 3.1% and 1.1%, respectively.
Additionally, shares of AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) increased 3.7% after announcing third quarter 2014 earnings of 89 cents per share, up 8.5% from the year-ago earnings and higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 78 cents. Revenues also increased 7.8% to $5.019 billion in the third quarter of 2014, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.828 billion.
However, the U.S. Department of Commerce reported that consumer spending declined 0.2% in September, compared to the consensus estimate of 0.1% rise. Moreover, the labor department reported that the labor cost index gained 0.7% in the second quarter. This was the second straight increase for the index, following an increase in the first quarter.
Separately, the University of Michigan/Thomson Reuters consumer-sentiment index increased to 86.9 in October, beating the consensus estimate of 86.2. This was the highest reading for the index since Jul 2007.
All the major benchmarks witnessed gains in the week. The Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq rose 3.5%, 2.7% and 3.3% respectively.
Markets were boosted by encouraging earnings results and impressive economic data over the week. However, benchmarks slipped into the red zone on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve ended its quantitative easing program.
Earnings reports from companies including Merck & Co. Inc. ( MRK ), Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. ( VRX ), Cummins Inc. ( CMI ), Visa Inc. ( V ) and MasterCard Incorporated ( MA ) came in positive. Impressive economic data, including third quarter GDP estimate and consumer confidence helped benchmarks to gain.
On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve announced it will end its bond-buying stimulus program this month after purchasing the final $15 billion worth of bonds. Meanwhile, the Fed pledged to keep federal funds rate low for a "considerable time" after the end of the monthly asset-purchasing program.
Over the month, the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq gained 2%, 2.3% and 3.1%, respectively.
Impressive earnings results and upbeat economic data helped markets offset some of the losses registered in the first half of the month to end in the green in October. Encouraging economic news from the Eurozone and China which include October's positive Chinese flash HSBC /Markit manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) and China's impressive factory output data lifted benchmarks in the later half of the month. Moreover, the prospect of the European Central Bank buying corporate bonds also boosted markets.
Positive earnings results from companies including Caterpillar Inc. ( CAT ), Yahoo! Inc. ( YHOO ), Apple Inc. ( AAPL ), The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. ( GS ), JPMorgan Chase & Co. ( JPM ) and Wells Fargo & Company ( WFC ) also boosted investor sentiments.
However, concerns about global growth particularly that of the Eurozone's and concerns over outbreak of Ebola virus dented investor sentiment. Moreover, declining oil prices also had a negative impact on markets over the month.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Additionally, shares of AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) increased 3.7% after announcing third quarter 2014 earnings of 89 cents per share, up 8.5% from the year-ago earnings and higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 78 cents. Click to get this free report CHEVRON CORP (CVX): Free Stock Analysis Report EXXON MOBIL CRP (XOM): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report HALLIBURTON CO (HAL): Free Stock Analysis Report CHESAPEAKE ENGY (CHK): Free Stock Analysis Report EOG RES INC (EOG): Free Stock Analysis Report SCHLUMBERGER LT (SLB): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report VALEANT PHARMA (VRX): Free Stock Analysis Report CUMMINS INC (CMI): Free Stock Analysis Report VISA INC-A (V): Free Stock Analysis Report MASTERCARD INC (MA): Free Stock Analysis Report YAHOO! For a look at the issues currently facing the markets, make sure to read today's Ahead of Wall Street article The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) rose 1.1%, or 195.10 points, to close at 17,390.52. | Click to get this free report CHEVRON CORP (CVX): Free Stock Analysis Report EXXON MOBIL CRP (XOM): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report HALLIBURTON CO (HAL): Free Stock Analysis Report CHESAPEAKE ENGY (CHK): Free Stock Analysis Report EOG RES INC (EOG): Free Stock Analysis Report SCHLUMBERGER LT (SLB): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report VALEANT PHARMA (VRX): Free Stock Analysis Report CUMMINS INC (CMI): Free Stock Analysis Report VISA INC-A (V): Free Stock Analysis Report MASTERCARD INC (MA): Free Stock Analysis Report YAHOO! Additionally, shares of AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) increased 3.7% after announcing third quarter 2014 earnings of 89 cents per share, up 8.5% from the year-ago earnings and higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 78 cents. Key energy stocks including Halliburton Company ( HAL ), Chesapeake Energy Corporation ( CHK ), EOG Resources, Inc. ( EOG ) and Schlumberger Limited ( SLB ) rose 2.3%, 3.9%, 3.1% and 1.1%, respectively. | Additionally, shares of AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) increased 3.7% after announcing third quarter 2014 earnings of 89 cents per share, up 8.5% from the year-ago earnings and higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 78 cents. Click to get this free report CHEVRON CORP (CVX): Free Stock Analysis Report EXXON MOBIL CRP (XOM): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report HALLIBURTON CO (HAL): Free Stock Analysis Report CHESAPEAKE ENGY (CHK): Free Stock Analysis Report EOG RES INC (EOG): Free Stock Analysis Report SCHLUMBERGER LT (SLB): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report VALEANT PHARMA (VRX): Free Stock Analysis Report CUMMINS INC (CMI): Free Stock Analysis Report VISA INC-A (V): Free Stock Analysis Report MASTERCARD INC (MA): Free Stock Analysis Report YAHOO! INC (YHOO): Free Stock Analysis Report APPLE INC (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report CATERPILLAR INC (CAT): Free Stock Analysis Report GOLDMAN SACHS (GS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Additionally, shares of AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) increased 3.7% after announcing third quarter 2014 earnings of 89 cents per share, up 8.5% from the year-ago earnings and higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 78 cents. Click to get this free report CHEVRON CORP (CVX): Free Stock Analysis Report EXXON MOBIL CRP (XOM): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report HALLIBURTON CO (HAL): Free Stock Analysis Report CHESAPEAKE ENGY (CHK): Free Stock Analysis Report EOG RES INC (EOG): Free Stock Analysis Report SCHLUMBERGER LT (SLB): Free Stock Analysis Report MERCK & CO INC (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report VALEANT PHARMA (VRX): Free Stock Analysis Report CUMMINS INC (CMI): Free Stock Analysis Report VISA INC-A (V): Free Stock Analysis Report MASTERCARD INC (MA): Free Stock Analysis Report YAHOO! Markets received a boost on Friday following Bank of Japan's (BOJ) announcement that it will expand its assets purchasing program to deal with weak economic growth and low inflation. | 025de9f8-c6d8-4a48-b809-4e686c074756 |
27293.0 | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC | AbbVie Q3 Earnings Top on Humira Sales, Boosts Outlook - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/abbvie-q3-earnings-top-humira-sales-boosts-outlook-analyst-blog-2014-10-31 | nan | nan | AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) reported third quarter 2014 earnings of 89 cents per share, up 8.5% from the year-ago earnings and surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 78 cents.
Revenues increased 7.8% to $5.019 billion in the third quarter of 2014, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.828 billion. Results were boosted by Humira's strong performance.
Abbvie Inc - Earnings Surprise | FindTheBest
Including one-time items, third quarter 2014 earnings came in at 31 cents per share, down 48.3%. This includes charges related to the cancelled Shire ( SHPG ) deal.
Humira Remains the Growth Driver
Key drug Humira recorded growth of 17.5% with revenues coming in at $3.255 billion. U.S. sales increased 25.3% ($1.739 billion). Ex-U.S. sales increased 9.7% to $1.516 billion. Growing awareness, favorable clinical data, additional indications and expansion into new markets should help the product to continue contributing significantly to the top-line.
Other products that performed well include Synthroid (up 24.3% to $200 million), Creon (up 47.6% to $148 million), Kaletra (up 8.4% to $256 million), Synagis (up 11.9% to $109 million) and Duodopa (up 20.2% to $56 million).
Dyslipidemia franchise (comprising products like TriCor/TriLipix and Niaspan) revenues fell 76.9% to $63 million.
AbbVie said that adjusted SG&A increased 9.1% in the third quarter -- this reflects the company's investment in its growth brands as well as preparations for the potential launch of its hepatitis C virus (HCV) combination therapy. SG&A spend will most likely increase significantly on a sequential basis in the fourth due to the potential HCV product launch.
AbbVie is currently seeking U.S. and EU approval for its HCV treatment. Approval would allow the company to launch the product in the U.S. later this year and the EU early next year.
Adjusted R&D increased 14.4% from the year-ago period, reflecting the company's investment in its mid- and late-stage pipeline as well as its efforts to expand Humira's label.
AbbVie's pipeline represents significant potential -- the company's late-stage pipeline includes several compounds or indications in phase III development targeting therapeutic areas like HCV, immunology and endometriosis.
Raises Outlook
AbbVie raised its outlook for 2014 and now expects earnings in the range of $3.25 to $3.27 per share (old guidance: $3.06 to $3.16 per share). The guidance does not include the impact of the potential launch of the HCV therapy in the U.S. The Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.17 is below the guidance range.
Our Take
AbbVie's third quarter results were strong with the company beating on the top-and bottom-line thanks to strong Humira sales. The company also guided above expectations. The launch of the HCV combination therapy, potentially later this year, would be a major boost for AbbVie. The company has presented impressive data on the candidate - high rates of response and tolerability coupled with low discontinuation rates are encouraging.
AbbVie is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock. Other well-ranked stocks in the health care sector include Allergan ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb ( BMY ). Both are Zacks Rank #2 stocks.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | AbbVie said that adjusted SG&A increased 9.1% in the third quarter -- this reflects the company's investment in its growth brands as well as preparations for the potential launch of its hepatitis C virus (HCV) combination therapy. AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) reported third quarter 2014 earnings of 89 cents per share, up 8.5% from the year-ago earnings and surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 78 cents. Abbvie Inc - Earnings Surprise | FindTheBest Including one-time items, third quarter 2014 earnings came in at 31 cents per share, down 48.3%. | AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) reported third quarter 2014 earnings of 89 cents per share, up 8.5% from the year-ago earnings and surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 78 cents. AbbVie's pipeline represents significant potential -- the company's late-stage pipeline includes several compounds or indications in phase III development targeting therapeutic areas like HCV, immunology and endometriosis. Click to get this free report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) reported third quarter 2014 earnings of 89 cents per share, up 8.5% from the year-ago earnings and surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 78 cents. AbbVie said that adjusted SG&A increased 9.1% in the third quarter -- this reflects the company's investment in its growth brands as well as preparations for the potential launch of its hepatitis C virus (HCV) combination therapy. Click to get this free report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIRE PLC-ADR (SHPG): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Raises Outlook AbbVie raised its outlook for 2014 and now expects earnings in the range of $3.25 to $3.27 per share (old guidance: $3.06 to $3.16 per share). The launch of the HCV combination therapy, potentially later this year, would be a major boost for AbbVie. AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) reported third quarter 2014 earnings of 89 cents per share, up 8.5% from the year-ago earnings and surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 78 cents. | 185cd666-d8b4-4d98-b600-c5726d63b088 |
27294.0 | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC | How AbbVie Inc. Excelled in Third Quarter | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/how-abbvie-inc-excelled-third-quarter-2014-10-31 | nan | nan | Make it three in a row.
AbbVie beat earnings expectations for the third time this year. The drugmaker announced third-quarter results before the market opened on Friday. Here are the highlights -- and how AbbVie excelled yet again.
Source: AbbVie
By the numbers
Revenue increased 7.8% year-over-year for the third quarter to $5.019 billion. The consensus top-line estimate of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial Network was $4.82 billion.
AbbVie reported third-quarter GAAP earnings per share of $0.31. Non-GAAP earnings came in at $0.89 per share. That topped the average analyst estimate of $0.77 per share and easily blew away the company's previous guidance of $0.77 to $0.79 per share.
This good earnings news came despite significant increases in spending during the third quarter. AbbVie's total operating expense grew nearly 16% compared to the same quarter last year to $3.809 billion. Selling, general and administrative costs rose to $1.595 billion from $1.262 billion in third quarter of 2013. Research and development costs shot up to $812 million from $714 million last year, while acquired in-process research and development cost climbed to $308 million versus $220 million in the same quarter last year.
Behind the numbers
There's no surprise reason behind AbbVie's strong third-quarter results. Humira continues to fire on all cylinders. The blockbuster drug saw sales for the quarter jump 17.5% year-over-year to $3.255 billion. Humira's sales were down a little compared against the $3.288 billion posted in second quarter 2014, though.
AbbVie counted three other drugs with strong year-over-year sales growth. Creon generated sales of $148 million -- 47.6% higher compared to the same quarter last year. Sales for Synthroid jumped 24.3% year-over-year to $200 million for the third quarter. Duodopa sales climbed 20.2% higher to $56 million.
The biggest negative for AbbVie came from its lipid franchise, which includes TriCor/Trilipix, Niaspan, Simcor and Advicor. Combined sales for these lipid drugs fell 76.9% year-over-year to $63 million due to loss of exclusivity. Of course, this small amount of bad news was easily outweighed by Humira's dominating quarter.
Even the increased costs for third quarter could be viewed positively. Higher SG&A costs largely reflect continued investment in growing AbbVie brands and preparation for the expected launch of a promising hepatitis-C drug. Increased R&D spending stems from supporting a pipeline that includes several new drugs and expanded indications for Humira.
Looking ahead
AbbVie raised its full-year 2014 earnings guidance to $3.25 to $3.27 per share. The company previously projected full-year earnings between $3.06 and $3.16 per share. The consensus analyst estimate called for full-year earnings of $3.16 per share.
Shares climbed 4% higher in pre-market trading on Friday. That optimism appears warranted after AbbVie's third-quarter blowout.
Humira continues to hum. Other drugs are coming along nicely. A potential blockbuster hep-C drug stands a good chance of FDA approval in the near future. And don't forget the attractive 3.2% dividend yield (per S&P Capital IQ ). AbbVie certainly is on a roll -- one that investors can smile about.
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The article How AbbVie Inc. Excelled in Third Quarter originally appeared on Fool.com.
Keith Speights has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Higher SG&A costs largely reflect continued investment in growing AbbVie brands and preparation for the expected launch of a promising hepatitis-C drug. AbbVie beat earnings expectations for the third time this year. Here are the highlights -- and how AbbVie excelled yet again. | AbbVie beat earnings expectations for the third time this year. Here are the highlights -- and how AbbVie excelled yet again. Source: AbbVie By the numbers Revenue increased 7.8% year-over-year for the third quarter to $5.019 billion. | Source: AbbVie By the numbers Revenue increased 7.8% year-over-year for the third quarter to $5.019 billion. AbbVie reported third-quarter GAAP earnings per share of $0.31. AbbVie beat earnings expectations for the third time this year. | AbbVie reported third-quarter GAAP earnings per share of $0.31. AbbVie beat earnings expectations for the third time this year. Here are the highlights -- and how AbbVie excelled yet again. | 5a0b308c-faaf-4f55-82ff-7e3680845d00 |
27295.0 | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC | Sector Update: Health Stocks Higher Pre-Bell | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/sector-update-health-stocks-higher-pre-bell-2014-10-31 | nan | nan | Top Health-care stocks:
JNJ: +0.85
PFE: +0.74%
ABT: +1.17%
MRK: +0.89%
AMGN: +1.16%
Health-care shares were higher in pre-market trade Friday.
In health-care stocks news, AbbVie ( ABBV ) shares traded up in recent pre-market trade after reporting Q3 earnings and sales that exceeded analysts' estimates and as it raised its guidance for FY 2014.
The pharmaceutical company said adjusted earnings rose 8.5% to $0.89 per share, exceeding the company's own guidance range between $0.77 and $0.79 as well as the $0.77 average estimate from analysts polled by Capital IQ. Revenue rose 7.8% to $5.02 billion compared to the $4.8 billion consensus.
Shares in the company were trading 4.28% higher at $63.80 during Friday's pre-market trading session. This exceeds the company's previous 52-week range, which had been trading between $45.50 and $61.43.
Meanwhile coverage of healthcare real estate investment trust Sabra Healthcare REIT, Inc. ( SBRA ) has been initiated by analysts at Wells Fargo & Co. with a market perform rating. Price target information was not available.
Shares in the company were trading 0.04% higher at $28.05 during pre-market trading on Friday. Over the past 52 weeks, the company has traded between $24.01 and $31.07.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Copyright (C) 2016 MTNewswires.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | In health-care stocks news, AbbVie ( ABBV ) shares traded up in recent pre-market trade after reporting Q3 earnings and sales that exceeded analysts' estimates and as it raised its guidance for FY 2014. The pharmaceutical company said adjusted earnings rose 8.5% to $0.89 per share, exceeding the company's own guidance range between $0.77 and $0.79 as well as the $0.77 average estimate from analysts polled by Capital IQ. Meanwhile coverage of healthcare real estate investment trust Sabra Healthcare REIT, Inc. ( SBRA ) has been initiated by analysts at Wells Fargo & Co. with a market perform rating. | In health-care stocks news, AbbVie ( ABBV ) shares traded up in recent pre-market trade after reporting Q3 earnings and sales that exceeded analysts' estimates and as it raised its guidance for FY 2014. Health-care shares were higher in pre-market trade Friday. The pharmaceutical company said adjusted earnings rose 8.5% to $0.89 per share, exceeding the company's own guidance range between $0.77 and $0.79 as well as the $0.77 average estimate from analysts polled by Capital IQ. | In health-care stocks news, AbbVie ( ABBV ) shares traded up in recent pre-market trade after reporting Q3 earnings and sales that exceeded analysts' estimates and as it raised its guidance for FY 2014. Shares in the company were trading 4.28% higher at $63.80 during Friday's pre-market trading session. Shares in the company were trading 0.04% higher at $28.05 during pre-market trading on Friday. | In health-care stocks news, AbbVie ( ABBV ) shares traded up in recent pre-market trade after reporting Q3 earnings and sales that exceeded analysts' estimates and as it raised its guidance for FY 2014. Shares in the company were trading 4.28% higher at $63.80 during Friday's pre-market trading session. Shares in the company were trading 0.04% higher at $28.05 during pre-market trading on Friday. | 30d50b97-6a0b-4f59-a4e6-16a0cd56e567 |
27296.0 | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC | Sector Update: Health Care | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/sector-update-health-care-2014-10-31-1 | nan | nan | Health-care shares were higher in pre-market trade Friday.
In health-care stocks news, AbbVie ( ABBV ) shares traded up in recent pre-market trade after reporting Q3 earnings and sales that exceeded analysts' estimates and as it raised its guidance for FY 2014.
The pharmaceutical company said adjusted earnings rose 8.5% to $0.89 per share, exceeding the company's own guidance range between $0.77 and $0.79 as well as the $0.77 average estimate from analysts polled by Capital IQ. Revenue rose 7.8% to $5.02 billion compared to the $4.8 billion consensus.
Shares in the company were trading 4.28% higher at $63.80 during Friday's pre-market trading session. This exceeds the company's previous 52-week range, which had been trading between $45.50 and $61.43.
Meanwhile coverage of healthcare real estate investment trust Sabra Healthcare REIT, Inc. ( SBRA ) has been initiated by analysts at Wells Fargo & Co. with a market perform rating. Price target information was not available.
Shares in the company were trading 0.04% higher at $28.05 during pre-market trading on Friday. Over the past 52 weeks, the company has traded between $24.01 and $31.07.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Copyright (C) 2016 MTNewswires.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | In health-care stocks news, AbbVie ( ABBV ) shares traded up in recent pre-market trade after reporting Q3 earnings and sales that exceeded analysts' estimates and as it raised its guidance for FY 2014. The pharmaceutical company said adjusted earnings rose 8.5% to $0.89 per share, exceeding the company's own guidance range between $0.77 and $0.79 as well as the $0.77 average estimate from analysts polled by Capital IQ. Meanwhile coverage of healthcare real estate investment trust Sabra Healthcare REIT, Inc. ( SBRA ) has been initiated by analysts at Wells Fargo & Co. with a market perform rating. | In health-care stocks news, AbbVie ( ABBV ) shares traded up in recent pre-market trade after reporting Q3 earnings and sales that exceeded analysts' estimates and as it raised its guidance for FY 2014. Health-care shares were higher in pre-market trade Friday. The pharmaceutical company said adjusted earnings rose 8.5% to $0.89 per share, exceeding the company's own guidance range between $0.77 and $0.79 as well as the $0.77 average estimate from analysts polled by Capital IQ. | In health-care stocks news, AbbVie ( ABBV ) shares traded up in recent pre-market trade after reporting Q3 earnings and sales that exceeded analysts' estimates and as it raised its guidance for FY 2014. Shares in the company were trading 4.28% higher at $63.80 during Friday's pre-market trading session. Shares in the company were trading 0.04% higher at $28.05 during pre-market trading on Friday. | In health-care stocks news, AbbVie ( ABBV ) shares traded up in recent pre-market trade after reporting Q3 earnings and sales that exceeded analysts' estimates and as it raised its guidance for FY 2014. Shares in the company were trading 4.28% higher at $63.80 during Friday's pre-market trading session. Shares in the company were trading 0.04% higher at $28.05 during pre-market trading on Friday. | 7fe872ca-3527-47ef-bfb7-1154793af659 |
27297.0 | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC | Friday's ETF with Unusual Volume: NOBL | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/fridays-etf-unusual-volume-nobl-2014-10-31 | nan | nan | The Proshares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF ( NOBL ) is seeing unusually high volume in afternoon trading Friday, with over 534,000 shares traded versus three month average volume of about 60,000. Shares of NOBL were up about 0.9% on the day.
Components of that ETF with the highest volume on Friday were AT&T ( T ), trading up about 0.6% with over 4.8 million shares changing hands so far this session, and AbbVie ( ABBV ), up about 3% on volume of over 4.2 million shares. Consolidated Edison ( ED ) is lagging other components of the Proshares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF Friday, trading lower by about 0.5%.
VIDEO: Friday's ETF with Unusual Volume: NOBL
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Components of that ETF with the highest volume on Friday were AT&T ( T ), trading up about 0.6% with over 4.8 million shares changing hands so far this session, and AbbVie ( ABBV ), up about 3% on volume of over 4.2 million shares. The Proshares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF ( NOBL ) is seeing unusually high volume in afternoon trading Friday, with over 534,000 shares traded versus three month average volume of about 60,000. Consolidated Edison ( ED ) is lagging other components of the Proshares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF Friday, trading lower by about 0.5%. | Components of that ETF with the highest volume on Friday were AT&T ( T ), trading up about 0.6% with over 4.8 million shares changing hands so far this session, and AbbVie ( ABBV ), up about 3% on volume of over 4.2 million shares. The Proshares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF ( NOBL ) is seeing unusually high volume in afternoon trading Friday, with over 534,000 shares traded versus three month average volume of about 60,000. Consolidated Edison ( ED ) is lagging other components of the Proshares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF Friday, trading lower by about 0.5%. | Components of that ETF with the highest volume on Friday were AT&T ( T ), trading up about 0.6% with over 4.8 million shares changing hands so far this session, and AbbVie ( ABBV ), up about 3% on volume of over 4.2 million shares. The Proshares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF ( NOBL ) is seeing unusually high volume in afternoon trading Friday, with over 534,000 shares traded versus three month average volume of about 60,000. VIDEO: Friday's ETF with Unusual Volume: NOBL The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Components of that ETF with the highest volume on Friday were AT&T ( T ), trading up about 0.6% with over 4.8 million shares changing hands so far this session, and AbbVie ( ABBV ), up about 3% on volume of over 4.2 million shares. The Proshares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF ( NOBL ) is seeing unusually high volume in afternoon trading Friday, with over 534,000 shares traded versus three month average volume of about 60,000. Shares of NOBL were up about 0.9% on the day. | b04eb960-ca00-4adb-aa63-ceb1702451d8 |
27298.0 | 2014-10-30 00:00:00 UTC | Charles River (CRL) Beats on Q3 Earnings, Guidance Upped - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/charles-river-crl-beats-on-q3-earnings-guidance-upped-analyst-blog-2014-10-30 | nan | nan | Charles River Laboratories ( CRL ) reported third-quarter 2014 earnings (excluding special items) of 86 cents per share, easily beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 80 cents and up from 79 cents in the year-ago quarter.
Charles River Laboratories International, Inc - Earnings Surprise | FindTheBest
Earnings benefitted from higher sales, a lower tax rate and the benefit of stock repurchases.
Charles River's net revenues increased 12.1% year over year to $327.6 million in the third quarter, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $326 million. Foreign currency movements positively impacted revenues by 0.4% in the third quarter of 2014.
Quarter in Detail
We remind investors that in Mar 2014, Charles River had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the contract research organization (CRO) services division of Galapagos NV.
The CRO division of Galapagos NV includes the businesses of Argenta and BioFocus. The acquisitions were completed in Apr 2014. Located in the UK and Netherlands, both these businesses specialize in integrated drug discovery services from target discovery through the delivery of clinic-ready candidates to a broad range of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
The acquisitions of Argenta and BioFocus contributed 8% to the top line in the third quarter of 2014. Following the acquisitions, Charles River revised its reporting segments to ensure better alignment with the modified business. Charles River now operates through three segments - Research Models & Services (RMS), Discovery and Safety Assessment (DSA) and Manufacturing Support (Manufacturing).
Revenues from the RMS segment were $124 million in the third quarter of 2014, roughly flat from the year-ago quarter as increased sales in North America were offset by lower sales in Europe and Japan.
Revenues from the DSA segment were $140.9 million in the third quarter, up 25.1% year over year driven by the acquisition of Argenta and BioFocus. The growth in revenues was also driven by strong demand for the company's safety assessment services from mid-tier clients.
Revenues from the Manufacturing segment were $62.7 million, up 13.4% year over year.
During the third quarter of 2014, Charles River repurchased 380,300 shares for $20.4 million, subsequent to which the company has $28.5 million remaining under its $1.0 billion repurchase program.
ChanTest Acquisition
On Oct 29, 2014, Charles River acquired ion channel testing services provider, ChanTest Corporation, for $52 million in cash along with milestone payments of $2 million.
The acquisition is not likely to affect the top and bottom line in 2014. It is, however, expected to add approximately 1% to the top line and be moderately accretive to the bottom line in 2015.
2014 Guidance Updated
Charles River now expects sales growth of 10%-11% in 2014 (old guidance: 9%-11%). Charles River now expects adjusted earnings per share in the range of $3.33-$3.38, up from the earlier estimate of $3.25-$3.35. The current Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.32 per share falls short of the company's increased guidance range.
Our Take
We are encouraged by the third-quarter beat driven by higher revenues.The integration of Argenta and BioFocus is on track and the recent acquisition of ChanTest will further boost results. We are positive on the company's annual guidance and expect a strong performance in the remainder of 2014.
Currently, Charles River carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Other stocks that are well placed in the broader health care sector include Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ). All three carry a Zacks Rank #2.
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Zacks Investment Research
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Other stocks that are well placed in the broader health care sector include Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ). Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report CHARLES RVR LAB (CRL): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Quarter in Detail We remind investors that in Mar 2014, Charles River had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the contract research organization (CRO) services division of Galapagos NV. | Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report CHARLES RVR LAB (CRL): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Other stocks that are well placed in the broader health care sector include Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ). Charles River Laboratories ( CRL ) reported third-quarter 2014 earnings (excluding special items) of 86 cents per share, easily beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 80 cents and up from 79 cents in the year-ago quarter. | Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report CHARLES RVR LAB (CRL): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Other stocks that are well placed in the broader health care sector include Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ). Charles River Laboratories ( CRL ) reported third-quarter 2014 earnings (excluding special items) of 86 cents per share, easily beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 80 cents and up from 79 cents in the year-ago quarter. | Click to get this free report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report CHARLES RVR LAB (CRL): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Other stocks that are well placed in the broader health care sector include Allergan ( AGN ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ). Charles River's net revenues increased 12.1% year over year to $327.6 million in the third quarter, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $326 million. | c430827f-903e-45cd-bb28-5dbd994d883e |
27299.0 | 2014-10-30 00:00:00 UTC | Eli Lilly/Boehringer Ingelheim Restructure Diabetes Deal - Analyst Blog | ABBV | https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/eli-lilly-boehringer-ingelheim-restructure-diabetes-deal-analyst-blog-2014-10-30 | nan | nan | Eli Lilly and Company ( LLY ) and partner Boehringer Ingelheim recently amended the operational and financial structure of their diabetes collaboration in certain countries.
As per the revised agreement, the companies will continue to co-promote products in 17 countries, which represent more than 90% of the collaboration's anticipated market opportunity. In all other countries, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly will exclusively commercialize the respective molecules they brought to the collaboration.
The amendments will come into effect starting Jan 1, 2015.
We remind investors that Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim's association goes back to 2011 when the companies had entered into a global agreement for the development and commercialization of a portfolio of diabetes compounds.
Currently, the collaboration includes diabetes drugs like Trajenta, Jardiance and Jentadueto. Moreover, Basaglar (insulin glargine injection) gained tentative FDA approval and is already approved in the EU.
As a result of these amendments, Eli Lilly now expects other income in the range of $300 million to $350 million (old guidance: $200 million to $250 million).
Eli Lilly expects to record a gain of roughly $90 million in the fourth quarter of 2014 related to the transfer of its license rights to co-promote Trajenta and Jardiance in particular countries. Additionally, a charge of approximately $55 million related to the transfer of Boehringer Ingelheim's rights to co-promote Basaglar in countries where it is not yet approved, will be recognized.
Eli Lilly is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. ( BMY ). All three carry a Zacks Ranks #2 (Buy).
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LILLY ELI & CO (LLY): Free Stock Analysis Report
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ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report
ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report
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Zacks Investment Research
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. ( BMY ). Click to get this free report LILLY ELI & CO (LLY): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Eli Lilly and Company ( LLY ) and partner Boehringer Ingelheim recently amended the operational and financial structure of their diabetes collaboration in certain countries. | Click to get this free report LILLY ELI & CO (LLY): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. ( BMY ). Additionally, a charge of approximately $55 million related to the transfer of Boehringer Ingelheim's rights to co-promote Basaglar in countries where it is not yet approved, will be recognized. | Click to get this free report LILLY ELI & CO (LLY): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. ( BMY ). Eli Lilly and Company ( LLY ) and partner Boehringer Ingelheim recently amended the operational and financial structure of their diabetes collaboration in certain countries. | Some better-ranked stocks in the health care sector include AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ), Allergan Inc. ( AGN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. ( BMY ). Click to get this free report LILLY ELI & CO (LLY): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report ALLERGAN INC (AGN): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBVIE INC (ABBV): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Eli Lilly and Company ( LLY ) and partner Boehringer Ingelheim recently amended the operational and financial structure of their diabetes collaboration in certain countries. | c26c8f7c-df87-4992-bceb-b68a7e5aad1f |
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