Latest news with #Beqvez
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Create a Portfolio of Passive Income: 3 High-Yielding Dividend Stocks That Pay More Than 5%
These stocks all pay more than 5% in dividends, and their payouts look safe. These companies have strong fundamentals, which can make them ideal investments to hold for the long term. 10 stocks we like better than Pfizer › Dividend income offers a great way to strengthen your overall financial position. It can potentially make you less dependent on the income you earn from a job, maybe even allowing you to work less or retire earlier than planned. Money doesn't buy happiness, but being less dependent on work to fund your lifestyle could be a contributor to a happier, less stressful life. A great way to build up dividend income is to invest in high-yielding dividend stocks that also happen to be lower-risk investments. Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), Realty Income (NYSE: O), and Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE: BNS) are three attractive investments that you'll want to consider if you want to create a strong portfolio of income-generating stocks. If you're looking for a high-yielding stock to hold for the long term, Pfizer is one you'll want to strongly consider. At 7.4%, its yield right now is more than five times what you'd get with the average stock on the S&P 500, which pays about 1.3%. Pfizer's stock is trading down more than 10% this year (as of the end of last week), as it can't seem to catch a break. While its valuation is modest -- it trades at 17 times its trailing earnings -- concerns about healthcare reform and the company's future growth prospects have made investors uneasy about the business and investing in it. But the healthcare company is still doing well and is on track to hit its guidance, which calls for revenue between $61 billion and $64 billion this year (comparable to how it did last year). It is also slashing costs to improve its bottom line. And it has been less than two years since it acquired oncology company Seagen, which may unlock more long-term growth for Pfizer in the future. Last year, the company also obtained approval from regulators for its first gene therapy in the U.S. -- Beqvez, a treatment for a genetic bleeding disorder. There's some uncertainty and risk with Pfizer, but there are opportunities as well. And at such a modest valuation, now can be an excellent time to add it to your portfolio. Pfizer has been a big name in healthcare for decades, and I don't think that's likely to change anytime soon. One dividend stock I think all income investors should consider owning is Realty Income. This is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that not only offers a high yield of 5.8%, but it also pays a dividend every month. There's no need to wait around for multiple months, as is the case with other dividend stocks; with Realty Income, you're getting a much more regular stream of cash flow. The REIT has a diverse mix of tenants, which makes it an ideal option for long-term investors. It's diversified across industries and geographies, with more than 1,500 clients across 91 industries. The dividend remains well supported -- the REIT reported funds from operations (FFO) per share of $1.05 during the first three months of the year (versus $0.94 a year ago). That averages out to $0.35 per share per month, which is higher than the rate of its monthly dividend of $0.2685. REITs use FFO to assess how much they can afford to pay in dividends, and with Realty Income's financials looking solid, there aren't any significant risks with its payout. Share prices of Realty Income are up 5% this year, and this can be a great income-generating investment to add to your portfolio for the long haul. Rounding out this list of high-yielding dividend stocks is Canada-based Bank of Nova Scotia, also known as Scotiabank. At around 6%, that's a high payout for a top bank stock that is known for long-term stability. It declared its first dividend back in 1833 and has continued making regular payments since then. The bank increased its provision for credit losses in its most recent quarter, in a sign of growing concern about macroeconomic conditions. Scotiabank's net income totaled over $2 billion Canadian dollars for the period ending April 30, which was nearly identical to its bottom line in the prior-year period. There are concerns about how the Canadian economy may perform in the near future due to tariffs, but in the grand scheme of things, that may prove to be a short-term concern for investors who are willing to hang on for years. Scotiabank's impressive track record and resilience over the years should inspire some confidence in the business. The bank stock has increased its dividend by more than 22% in four years and can be an excellent option to hang on to for the long term. Not only can you collect a high yield today, but the dividend income you get from this investment can rise over the years. Before you buy stock in Pfizer, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Pfizer wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $649,102!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $882,344!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 996% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 174% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025 David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Pfizer and Realty Income. The Motley Fool recommends Bank Of Nova Scotia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Create a Portfolio of Passive Income: 3 High-Yielding Dividend Stocks That Pay More Than 5% was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Medscape
12-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Hemophilia B: Post-Beqvez, What's Next for Gene Therapy?
In the spring of 2024, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved fidanacogene elaparvovec (Beqvez), only the second gene therapy product for hemophilia B. Just a few months later, the Pfizer treatment — expected to cost $3.5 million for a one-time dose — got a boost from a phase 3 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine that found annualized bleeding rates fell by 71% in 45 treated men, although 21% resumed prophylaxis. Then, in April 2025, a follow-up analysis of patients from a phase 1-2a study appeared in NEJM . It tracked 14 patients for at least 3 years and reported none had serious treatment-related adverse events after year 1. The newer findings were good news, but they came too late to matter. Pfizer had killed off Beqvez 2 months earlier. 'The company said the discontinuation was due to several reasons,' Reuters news service reported, 'including limited interest in gene therapies for the bleeding disorder.' (Pfizer had earlier dumped a gene therapy for hemophilia A, also blaming a lack of interest.) In fact, it appears that Beqvez was never administered outside clinical research. What does the loss of this treatment mean for the estimated 7250 patients with hemophilia B in the United States and the hematologists who treat them? Here are some questions and answers about the state of gene therapy in hemophilia B. How Does Gene Therapy for Hemophilia Work? Gene therapy, which is now FDA-approved for hemophilia A and hemophilia B, deliver genes for factor VIII or IX via adeno-associated viruses. The liver then begins producing factor, potentially allowing patients to stop or reduce their use of prophylactic therapy. 'In the best-case scenario, [gene therapy] will provide factor levels in the normal range and essentially normal hemostasis without having to give yourself medication for many years,' explained pediatric hematologist Benjamin Jacob Samelson-Jones, MD, PhD, of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, both in Philadelphia, in an interview for a January 2025 Medscape Medical News article. What Made Beqvez Unique? Not a lot compared with its sole competitor. The FDA approved etranacogene dezaparvovec (Hemgenix), the first gene therapy for hemophilia B, in November 2022. It remains available. Beqvez required a smaller dose, and this was thought to be a potential benefit, said hemophilia specialist Steven Pipe, MD, professor of pediatrics and pathology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, in an interview. 'There was a hypothesis that lower dosing could provide a theoretical safety advantage — less vector-related toxicity that may manifest with liver toxicity or the overall number of DNA integration events.' (In gene therapy, 'potential integration of therapeutic transgene into host cell genomes is a serious risk' that can lead to mutations and the creation of tumors, according to a 2023 report.) Safety data have not shown a 'clear signal' of a difference in liver toxicity between the therapies, Pipe said. 'Still, we had hoped that clinicians could have a choice to put before patients.' Were There Other Differences Between Beqvez and Hemgenix? According to Pipe, 'the patient eligibility is reduced compared to Hemgenix since it requires patients to have neutralizing antibody (Nab) titers < 1:5 against the SPK100 vector. Best estimates are that 60% of those screened would be eligible. Nab positivity was not an exclusion for Hemgenix.' The costs for the treatments were both around $3.5 million. Why Didn't Beqvez Catch On? 'There are probably multiple reasons for this, including high cost, logistical challenges for centers wanting to offer gene therapy, caution on the part of patients about long-term safety, and the availability of other good treatment options,' said Adam Cuker, MD, professor of medicine in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and chief of the Section of Hematology at the University of Pennsylvania, in an interview. He led the 2024 NEJM phase 3 study of Beqvez. In an interview, Samelson-Jones said it's a shame that Beqvez left the market. 'Worldwide, having two safe and very effective gene therapies for hemophilia B would have decreased costs and increased patient access in the long run. To me, this is why this is a loss to the community.' How Do Competing, Non-Gene Therapy Treatments Fit Into the Picture? The FDA recently approved several new subcutaneous treatments as therapies for both hemophilia A and hemophilia B: Marstacimab (Hympavzi), fitusiran (Qfitlia), and concizumab (Alhemo). 'These drugs add to the growing list of treatment options for patients with hemophilia B,' Cuker said. 'It would not be surprising if some patients who otherwise would have been interested in gene therapy choose one of these subcutaneous treatments instead.' Subcutaneous therapy 'may decrease treatment burden enough that a one-and-done treatment like gene therapy is less attractive,' Samelson-Jones said. 'Hympavzi and other new nonfactor therapies may be a bridge that patients want to try before committing to gene therapy. However, nothing prevents bleeding like factor IX, which is what gene therapy provides.' What Should Hematologists Know About Gene Therapy in Hemophilia B? 'The data for gene therapy in hemophilia B are robust,' Cuker said. 'They show impressive efficacy with a durable response in most patients and a favorable safety profile. For my patients who have received gene therapy, the results have been nothing short of life-changing.' He added: 'Patients with hemophilia B deserve to hear about gene therapy as a treatment option from their hemophilia provider. If a patient is potentially eligible for and interested in gene therapy and it is not offered at their home institution, they should be referred to a center with expertise and experience in gene therapy.' What's Next for Gene Therapy in Hemophilia B? Regeneron is exploring second-generation factor IX gene therapy that relies on gene editing, Pipe said. 'This protocol is looking to establish durable, stable expression. If safe and effective, it has the potential to treat pediatric patients.' An ongoing trial seeks to enroll 120 patients and to conclude by April 2026. Meanwhile, another therapy under investigation 'harvests the patient's own B cells by apheresis,' Pipe said. 'The cells are gene edited at a manufacturing facility so that they express factor IX, then the cells are differentiated to long-lasting plasma cells and given back to the same patient. No immunosuppression required since this is autologous cellular therapy.' This therapy 'as the potential for repeat treatment if expression declines over years and can also be dose-titrated to desired expression level,' Pipe said. Be Biopharma has begun a trial of this therapy.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stock Market Crash: 3 Absurdly Cheap Stocks to Load Up on for the Long Haul
The markets are down this year amid concerns about the economy and tariffs. Many solid stocks are struggling and could make for excellent buys right now. The stocks listed here are trading at attractive earnings multiples and have promising futures ahead. Entering trading on Monday, the S&P 500 has declined around 6% since the start of the year. And that's after recovering recently -- it was down much more than that in early April when global tariffs were first announced. But make no mistake, the risk isn't gone, and while a full-blown crash has taken a pause lately, that doesn't mean more of a sell-off isn't coming. The good news, however, is that if you're a long-term investor, a crash in the markets can open up some great buying opportunities. Three stocks that are down over 10% this year and trading at low earnings multiples are Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL), and Builders FirstSource (NYSE: BLDR). Here's why they may be worth loading up on right now. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Investors haven't been all that bullish on Pfizer this year -- it's down 13% thus far in 2025. But it's hard to blame the market for the lack of excitement as the business is struggling to grow these days, as Pfizer expects its top line this year to be nearly unchanged from the previous year, and at worst, it could decline. For long-term investors, this presents a great chance to load up on the healthcare stock. It trades at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of less than 8 (based on analyst expectations), and the company has been gearing up for more growth ahead. CEO Albert Bourla has acknowledged that the company will face adversity because of generics, which could result in it losing as much as $18 billion in revenue from its top line by the end of the decade. But at the same time, through in-house development and acquisitions, it plans to add $25 billion. It has acquired multiple businesses in recent years, including oncology company Seagen, in an effort to bolster its long-term prospects. Management expects Seagen could contribute up to $10 billion in revenue by the end of the decade (up from over $3 billion last year). Pfizer is also optimistic about its mRNA pipeline, projecting that business to bring in between $10 billion and $15 billion by 2030. Last year, it also obtained approval for a gene therapy treatment, Beqvez, to treat adults with moderate to severe hemophilia B (a rare bleeding disorder). The gene therapy market is in its early stages but it has the potential to be a huge opportunity for pharma giants like Pfizer. Overall, the company has a wealth of assets in its pipeline with currently more than 100 drug candidates in clinical trials. It'll require some patience, but investing in Pfizer can be a good move for the long term, especially when you consider that it also offers a mouthwatering dividend yield of over 7% right now. Fintech stock PayPal is another deeply discounted option to load up on today. According to analysts, it's trading at only 13 times its future earnings. The stock is down more than 20% this year, and concerns about the global economy aren't helping; a slowdown would mean less spending and travel, which would hurt PayPal's near-term growth prospects. However, PayPal is still in an excellent position to benefit in the long run. The economy has and likely always will recover from a downturn. And provided that you're willing to hold for the long term, PayPal can be a top stock to hold. Not only is it cheap, but it's still a top payment option for consumers. Despite the growing number of options out there, PayPal still accounts for nearly half (45%) of the global payments market. The company is also trying to be a bigger player in the crypto market, using that to its advantage with the launch of a stablecoin, PayPal USD. And the company recently introduced an attractive 3.7% yield on the coin to entice investors. The caveat -- the rewards can be used within PayPal's ecosystem, which could drive more transactions and revenue growth. By leveraging the excitement in the crypto world, PayPal may unlock more opportunities. And it's also a sign of the company's forward-thinking management; this isn't just a stale payment processor to invest in. Last year, the company's payment volume rose by 10%, and while the near term may be a concern for PayPal, in the long run, this can make for an excellent investment to buy and hold. Another cheap stock to buy today is Builders FirstSource, which trades at a forward P/E of less than 13. It plays a crucial role in homebuilding, providing workers with building materials, products, and services. It stands to benefit significantly from the housing market's long-term growth. While sentiment is down these days due to concerns about the economy and the company's slowing growth in recent years (its sales declined by 4% in 2024 to $16.4 billion), the business is likely to recover in the future. Between a growing population and a high cost of living, it's crucial for new homes to be built -- and Builders FirstSource is in a prime position to benefit from that. The company has come a long way from where it was five years ago; in 2020, Builders generated $8.6 billion in sales. But through a red-hot housing market and the pursuit of acquisitions, which remain a key part of its growth strategy, the business has become much bigger today. Builders deployed $352 million across 13 acquisitions last year, in an effort to expand its reach. It's now in 43 states, with around 590 locations. And with an increasingly diverse mix of products and services, it's better equipped to meet the needs of homebuilders. This year, the company projects that the acquisitions it completed with the last 12 months will generate between 4% and 4.5% net sales growth. With nearly $1.5 billion in free cash flow generated last year, Builders is still in good shape to continue pursuing acquisitions to further enhance its growth prospects. Though the stock is down 15% this year because of recent performance and a poor short-term outlook, it's still a great long-term investment. Before you buy stock in Pfizer, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Pfizer wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $598,818!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $666,416!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 872% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 160% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of April 28, 2025 David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends PayPal and Pfizer. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2027 $42.50 calls on PayPal and short June 2025 $77.50 calls on PayPal. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Stock Market Crash: 3 Absurdly Cheap Stocks to Load Up on for the Long Haul was originally published by The Motley Fool
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pfizer's bet on gene therapies in haemophilia has been a bust
Pfizer has ended the global commercialisation of its haemophilia B (factor IX deficiency) gene therapy Beqvez, citing soft demand for gene therapies among haemophilia patients and physicians. This announcement comes after other news that Pfizer ended its partnership with Sangamo Therapeutics for the haemophilia A (factor XIII deficiency) gene therapy giroctocogen fitelparvovec in December 2024. The therapy had received positive Phase III results and was likely to receive US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. However, Pfizer determined that the cost of launching and commercialising the drug would exceed its anticipated sales. Both Biomarin, which markets the haemophilia A gene therapy Roctavian, and CSL Behring, which markets the haemophilia B gene therapy Hemgenix, have announced that the uptake and sales for their respective therapies have been below expectations. The commercial failure of these adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy programmes has come as a surprise to those who were familiar with the opinions of patients and key opinion leaders during clinical trials, as they were generally very positive. However, opinions changed when longer-term efficacy and safety data was published, as many patients who received haemophilia A gene therapies eventually returned to prophylactic treatment as expression of factor XIII reduced over time. Even if patients are interested in these therapies, they may be ineligible. Patients who receive Roctavian must test negative for the AAV serotype used in the gene therapy. Patients with factor inhibitors or certain liver conditions were also excluded from haemophilia gene therapy trials. Even if the patient is eligible, the high list price has discouraged payers from reimbursing the therapies, limiting uptake. Patients may decide to wait for a potential future generation of gene therapies with better safety and efficacy, especially considering the fact that the current prophylaxis treatments have a lower disease burden than previous options. Roche's Hemlibra can be dosed subcutaneously once per month, which is a significant improvement over the multiple infusions per week that were common when these gene therapy programmes started. Pfizer has not abandoned the haemophilia market completely. Instead, it has shifted its focus to Hympavzi, an antibody that received FDA approval for the treatment of haemophilia A and B without factor inhibitors, which is dosed subcutaneously once per week. However, both Pfizer and Roche will closely be watching Sanofi's fitusiran, a small interfering ribonucleic acid therapy that is currently in preregistration for haemophilia A and B with or without inhibitors, and which can be dosed as infrequently as once every two months, significantly reducing the treatment burden on patients. Pfizer's exit from the gene therapy space has reduced the competition for eligible interested patients. Leading data and analytics company GlobalData's analyst consensus forecast predicts that sales for Roctavian will reach $337m in 2030 while Hympavzi will reach sales of $251m in the same year. It is possible that innovative reimbursement strategies such as outcome-based agreements could speed up their slow start in sales. It remains to be seen whether or not Pfizer's strategy is the correct one. "Pfizer's bet on gene therapies in haemophilia has been a bust" was originally created and published by Pharmaceutical Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pfizer Discontinues Hemophilia Gene Therapy Beqvez As Interest Wanes
According to multiple media reports on Thursday, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) has terminated the global development and commercialization of its hemophilia B gene therapy, Beqvez. In April 2024, the FDA approved Beqvez for moderate to severe hemophilia B in adult patients who currently use factor IX prophylaxis therapy or have current or historical life-threatening hemorrhage, or have repeated, serious spontaneous bleeding episodes, and do not have neutralizing antibodies to adeno-associated virus serotype Rh74var capsid. Also Read: In a statement to Nikkei Asia, Pfizer said the decision was due to "the limited interest patients and their doctors have demonstrated in hemophilia gene therapies.' The U.S. drugmaker said it would focus on different treatment for the disorder, citing low interest. In December 2024, Pfizer walked away from its hemophilia A co-development pact with Sangamo Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:SGMO) giroctocogene fitelparvovec, an investigational gene therapy product candidate. According to a Reuters report, Pfizer will continue to invest resources in Hympavzi (marstacimab-hncq), which is approved for routine prophylaxis to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes in adults and pediatric patients with hemophilia A or hemophilia B. Hympavzi is the first and only anti-tissue factor pathway inhibitor (anti-TFPI) approved in the U.S. for hemophilia A or B and the first hemophilia medicine approved in the U.S. to be administered via a pre-filled, auto-injector pen. Earlier this month, Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) announced interim results from the phase 3 FRONTIER3 trial of 70 children (aged 1-11 years old) with hemophilia A with and without inhibitors. Novo Nordisk expects Mim8 regulatory submission during 2025. Data from the ongoing phase 3 FRONTIER program will be disclosed at upcoming congresses and in publications in 2025 and 2026. In September 2024, Pfizer voluntarily withdrew all lots of Oxbryta (voxelotor) for sickle cell disease (SCD) in all markets where it is approved. Pfizer's decision is based on the totality of clinical data indicating that the overall benefit of Oxbryta no longer outweighs the risk in the approved sickle cell patient population. Price Action: PFE stock is up 0.87% at $26.13 at the last check on Friday. Read Next:Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? PFIZER (PFE): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Pfizer Discontinues Hemophilia Gene Therapy Beqvez As Interest Wanes originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Sign in to access your portfolio
