GSK's Specialty Medicines Unit on a Strong Footing: Here's Why
The company is witnessing increased sales growth of its Specialty Medicines unit, particularly reflecting successful new launches in Oncology and long-acting HIV medicines. Sales are rising in all areas, HIV, Immunology/Respiratory as well as Oncology. Sales of the Specialty Medicines unit rose 17% in the first quarter of 2025.
In the segment, while products like Nucala and Dovato are key top-line drivers, new long-acting HIV medicines, Cabenuva and Apretude, as well as new oncology drugs Jemperli and Ojjaara, are also witnessing strong patient demand and contributing to top-line growth.
GSK is also increasing R&D investment in promising new long-acting and specialty medicines in Respiratory, Immunology & Inflammation, Oncology and HIV areas. Blujepa/gepotidacin for treating uncomplicated urinary tract infection ('UTI') was approved in the United States in the first quarter of 2025. Its blockbuster drug Nucala was approved for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, its fifth indication, in May 2025.
Regulatory applications seeking approval of the Blenrep combination for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma and depemokimab for two indications (chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps or CRSwNP and asthma with type II inflammation) are under review in the United States and some other countries. FDA decisions on all these filings are expected in 2025. Blenrep combinations were approved in the United Kingdom and Japan in April/May 2025.
Backed by its existing portfolio of medicines as well as new drugs, GSK expects sales in the Specialty Medicines segment to rise in a low double-digit percentage at CER in 2025, despite the impact from the Inflation Reduction Act or IRA. Specialty Medicines, which now accounts for around 40% of GSK's sales, is expected to be more than 50% of GSK's total revenues by 2031.
Competition for GSK's Specialty Medicines
In the Specialty Medicines segment, most of GSK's products are up against significant competition from small as well as large pharmaceutical companies like AstraZeneca AZN, Merck MRK, Sanofi SNY, Gilead, Pfizer, J&J and Novartis, among others.
In the respiratory market, Advair is facing stiff competition in the COPD and asthma markets from AstraZeneca and Merck's respiratory disease drugs. The launch of AstraZeneca's Fasenra and Sanofi's Dupixent has raised competitive pressure for Nucala. Continued competitive and pricing pressure is hurting sales of GSK's ICS/LABA class of medicines. In HIV, GSK's medicines face competition from Gilead and MRK's drugs. AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Merck and Lilly are GSK's key competitors in the oncology space.
GSK's Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
GSK stock has risen 16.3% year to date compared with an increase of 0.3% for the industry.
GSK's stock is trading at an attractive valuation relative to the industry. Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company's shares currently trade at 8.34 on a forward 12-month basis, lower than 14.93 for the industry. The stock also trades below its 5-year mean of 10.21.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings has risen from $4.38 to $4.41 per share for 2025 but declined from $4.82 to $4.81 per share for 2026 over the past 60 days.
GSK has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Benz Mining Corp. (TSXV: BZ) (ASX: BNZ) (Benz or the Company) is pleased to advise that, further to its announcement dated August 12, 2025 in relation to the private placement for 30,456,853 new fully paid CHESS Depositary Interests (CDIs) in the Company at an issue price of A$0.985 (C$0.8846) per CDI to raise approximately A$30,000,000 (C$26,943,000) (before costs) (Placement), it has successfully completed Tranche 1 of the Placement. Each CDI represents one underlying common share in the Company on a one for one basis. Tranche 1 of the Placement consisted of 30,406,091 CDIs at a price of A$0.985 per CDI to raise A$29,950,000 (C$26,898,095) (before costs) (Tranche 1 Placement). 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Pursuant to the terms of a corporate advisory engagement letter (Corporate Advisory Engagement) and a capital raising engagement letter (Capital Raising Engagement), each dated as of August 12, 2025, between Euroz Hartleys Limited (Euroz) and the Company, Euroz acted as Lead Manager to the Placement and provided certain capital raising and corporate advisory services, respectively, to the Company in respect thereof. In accordance with the terms of the Capital Raising Engagement, Euroz was paid a commission equal to 3% of the gross proceeds raised under the Tranche 1 Placement, in the aggregate amount of A$898,500 (C$806,943) (plus GST) (Capital Raising Fee), of which Euroz will pay a sum equal to A$100,000 (C$89,810) to each of Tamesis Partners LLP and Argonaut Limited for services rendered by each to the Company for the Tranche 1 Placement. Under the terms of the Corporate Advisory Engagement, the Company paid Euroz a total fee equal to A$900,000 (C$808,290), representing a fee equal to 3% of the total gross proceeds to be raised under the Placement. The Placement remains subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The CDIs and underlying common shares issued in connection with the Tranche 1 Placement are subject to a statutory hold period in Canada of four months and one day from the date of issuance. Australian dollar amounts disclosed above were converted into Canadian dollars using the Bank of Canada's exchange rate posted on August 12, 2025 of A$1 = C$0.8981. This announcement has been approved for release by the Board. For more information please contact: Mark Lynch-Staunton Chief Executive Officer Benz Mining Corp. E: mstaunton@ T: +61 8 6143 6702 About Benz Mining Corp. Benz Mining Corp. (TSXV: BZ) (ASX: BNZ) is a pure-play gold exploration company dual-listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and Australian Securities Exchange. The Company owns the Eastmain Gold Project in Quebec, and the recently acquired Glenburgh and Mt Egerton Gold Projects in Western Australia. Benz's key point of difference lies in its team's deep geological expertise and the use of advanced geological techniques, particularly in high-metamorphic terrane exploration. The Company aims to rapidly grow its global resource base and solidify its position as a leading gold explorer across two of the world's most prolific gold regions. The Glenburgh Gold Project features a Historical (for the purposes of NI 43-101) Mineral Resource Estimate of 16.3Mt at 1.0 g/t Au (510,100 ounces of contained gold) 1. A technical report prepared under NI 43-101- Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Glenburgh - Egerton Gold Project, Western Australia" with an effective date of 16 December 2024 has been filed with the TSX Venture Exchange and is available under the Company's profile at The Eastmain Gold Project in Quebec hosts a Mineral Resource Estimate dated effective May 24, 2023 and prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and JORC (2012) of 1,005,000 ounces at 6.1g/t Au 2, also available under the Company's profile at showcasing Benz's focus on high-grade, high-margin assets in premier mining jurisdictions. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: For more information, please visit: Qualified Person's Statement (NI 43-101) The disclosure of scientific or technical information in this news release is based on, and fairly represents, information compiled by Mr Mark Lynch-Staunton, who is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and a Member of Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) (Membership ID: 6918). Mr Lynch-Staunton has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release. Mr Lynch-Staunton owns securities in Benz Mining Corp. Historical Mineral Resource Estimates All mineral resource estimates in respect of the Glenburgh Gold Project in this news release are considered to be "historical estimates" as defined under NI 43-101. These historical estimates are not considered to be current and are not being treated as such. These estimates have been prepared in accordance with the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves prepared by the Joint Ore Reserves Committee of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Australian Institute of Geoscientists and Minerals Council of Australia (JORC Code) and have not been reported in accordance with NI 43-101. A qualified person (as defined in NI 43-101) (Qualified Person) has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current mineral resources. A Qualified Person would need to review and verify the scientific information and conduct an analysis and reconciliation of historical data in order to verify the historical estimates as current mineral resources. 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