Gilead announces data on Trodelvy plus Keytruda
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
8 hours ago
- Business Insider
Why Pfizer's (PFE) Oncology Gamble is Finally Paying Off
Pfizer (PFE) may finally be turning the corner on its post-pandemic revenue challenges. The company recently reported breakthrough survival data in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) from the Phase 2 EV-303/KEYNOTE-905 trial—an encouraging validation of its oncology investments. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. That said, Pfizer still faces a difficult road ahead, with lingering post-pandemic uncertainty and looming patent expirations on major blockbusters like ELIQUIS and IBRANCE. Even so, the promising bladder cancer results, coupled with the stock's conservative valuation, attractive dividend yield, and approach toward a key resistance level, create an appealing setup. For these reasons, I remain cautiously Bullish as we near the three-quarter mark for the year. Facing a Massive Revenue Cliff Pfizer has become a prime example of the post-pandemic hangover in the stock market—similar to how Zoom (ZM), once synonymous with 'meetings,' has yet to regain its former glory. Pfizer's windfall came through its COVID products, COMIRNATY and PAXLOVID, which generated more than $55 billion in 2022. But with demand for both collapsing, the company now faces a massive revenue gap and an urgent question about its next growth engine. Adding to the pressure, Pfizer is staring down patent expirations on blockbuster drugs like ELIQUIS, IBRANCE, and XTANDI, putting billions in annual sales at risk. Still, it's not all doom and gloom. Pfizer remains profitable and continues to channel significant resources into R&D—investments aimed at fueling the next wave of blockbuster therapies. Like many of its peers, Pfizer has turned to acquisitions to strengthen its pipeline—with the $43 billion Seagen deal standing out as its most significant recent bet on oncology. A Pivotal Win Validates a Pricey Bet Which brings us to the present. Pfizer recently unveiled Phase 3 results for PADCEV (enfortumab vedotin), its antibody-drug conjugate acquired through Seagen, in combination with Merck's (MRK) KEYTRUDA. The regimen achieved the trial's primary endpoints, showing statistically significant improvements in both event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) among patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who were ineligible for cisplatin. Cisplatin remains a standard first-line therapy in MIBC, but its toxicity restricts use to patients who meet strict eligibility criteria. Roughly half of all MIBC patients do not qualify, leaving them with limited treatment options. With these results, PADCEV—Pfizer's prized Seagen asset—paired with KEYTRUDA is now positioned to emerge as a first-line therapy for thousands of cisplatin-ineligible MIBC patients. The Numbers Behind the Narrative In Pfizer's latest earnings report, the Oncology segment stood out, with sales climbing 11% to $4.39 billion. PADCEV, already FDA-approved for urothelial cancer, delivered powerful momentum—up 38% year-over-year to $542 million. This kind of growth is exactly what investors want to see as Pfizer leans deeper into oncology. A 38% surge ahead of a potential label expansion from the new MIBC data underscores PADCEV's blockbuster potential. On the flip side, an 8% YoY decline in IBRANCE sales (down to $1.05 billion) highlights why the MIBC data is so critical to Pfizer's future growth trajectory. PFE Stock Stands at a Technical Crossroads From a technical perspective, Pfizer's stock (weekly candles) is nearing its 50-day moving average—a level that has consistently acted as resistance since the pandemic. If PFE can break above its 50-day moving average and establish support, the stock could be setting up for brighter days ahead—particularly if fundamentals such as trial data and earnings continue to improve. In the meantime, investors still have reasons to stay interested: a hefty 6.8% dividend yield and a stock trading at a conservative valuation. At just 13.4x earnings—nearly a 50% discount to the Health Care sector average—much of the downside risk already appears baked into the price. Don't Ignore the Headwinds On the other hand, several headwinds could weigh on Pfizer's stock. Chief among them is the looming patent cliff between 2026 and 2028, which will demand outsized growth from its newer portfolio to offset. In addition, while Pfizer's Oncology segment has shown promising momentum, it operates in a fiercely competitive landscape with heavyweight rivals like Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) and Roche (RHHBY). Emerging next-generation therapies could also challenge the PADCEV/KEYTRUDA combo in MIBC, underscoring the risks ahead. Is Pfizer a Buy, Hold, or Sell? On Wall Street, PFE earns a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on six Buy, 12 Hold, and zero Sell ratings in the past three months. PFE's average stock price target of $28.50 implies an upside potential of 13.7% over the next twelve months. Pfizer's Oncology Bet Needs Time to Prosper In conclusion, Pfizer's oncology strategy is starting to deliver results at a pivotal moment. For the past two years, the company has been defined by cost-cutting and strategic repositioning amid a steep post-COVID revenue drop and looming patent cliffs. Now, the breakthrough survival data from the PADCEV/KEYTRUDA combo in bladder cancer provides meaningful validation of its turnaround efforts. Expanding PADCEV into indications like MIBC is essential to offset expected losses from blockbusters such as ELIQUIS and IBRANCE. Most importantly, Pfizer is executing on its oncology roadmap—a cornerstone for future growth. This progress has the potential to rekindle broader investor interest beyond its 'value' and 'dividend' profile, leaving me cautiously bullish despite the risks.
CBS News
9 hours ago
- CBS News
Chicago rock climber undergoes brain surgery by doctor who's a rock climber too
A Chicago rock climber was grounded by a scary medical issue — a cyst in her brain. But a friendly face in the operating room helped Sophie Lin get to the gym again. Lin is a geologist who loves to analyze rocks — and around seven years ago, she became enamored with navigating and climbing them too. She could regularly be found practicing in gyms like First Ascent in the Loop multiple times a week. Her strength, strategy, and skills were all on the rise, until a strange feeling of weakness crept in. "If I reached for a right, like handhold, I would just miss," Lin said. "I would like circle it, fall." Lin noticed a problem with her grip too. "My right hand, after like maybe five, 10 seconds would just like, unfurl," Lin said, "even though, in my head, I'm telling my hand to like stay there." Then came seizure-like symptoms, which prompted her to get an MRI. It revealed a cyst in her brain — likely caused by a procedure she had as a child. Northwestern Medicine neurosurgeon Dr. Matthew Potts took the case. It turned out Dr. Potts was a rock climber too. "Funny little small world," Lin said. "From the first day we met, like, I think we had that connection and that bond," Potts said. More than anyone, Dr. Potts understood the difficulties his patient was describing. "The symptoms she was having wasn't necessarily preventing her from working, but it was absolutely preventing her from doing this hobby that she loves," said Potts. The treatment they settled on was brain surgery. The operation had to be done while Lin was awake. "Doing a surgery in this part of the brain can be dangerous. We worry that any injury to the brain can permanently affect language or movement," Potts said. "By having her awake, we could ask her to read some words." The 27-year-old Lin was clamoring to climb again, and waited only two weeks after surgery to hit the gym — where she ran right into Dr. Potts. "Oh, wait I know this face. Like, oh no. Like I shouldn't, he shouldn't see me here." But Potts said while it may have been a little early, "If anything, it was great to see her doing so well." Lin's seizures are now under control, and the right side of her body is back in action. "Like a superhero movie moment," she said. "I felt like, oh, I have my strength back."
Harvard Business Review
19 hours ago
- Harvard Business Review
AI in Life Sciences
Download the Report The life sciences industry needs a shot of adrenaline. An aging population and a rise in chronic diseases are fueling the demand for highly accurate medical imaging and diagnostic tools. Pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers are under growing pressure to keep pace with supply and demand for critical medications and medical devices, respectively. Patients, meanwhile, are increasingly demanding personalized health care experiences that cater to their unique needs.
