Sales & Earnings

Teva reported positive Phase III data for a long-acting version of olanzapine for schizophrenia, coinciding with its first quarter sales and earnings release.

The company initiated a rolling NDA submission for suzetrigine for acute pain, positioning the drug for a launch in 2025.

After the volatility of pandemic-related sales, investor and analyst attention turned to pharma’s core businesses. With exclusivity losses weighing on those large components of pharma, Sanofi’s reclassification may bring some unwelcome attention.

In this week's podcast edition of Five Must-Know Things: Japan’s Ono buys US oncology firm; strong growth but supply issues for Lilly; Novo and Lilly make their money work; BMS cuts jobs, costs; and Big Pharma’s support for bioventures.

Executives said during Amgen’s Q1 call that the company is “encouraged” by interim Phase II data for MariTide (AMG 133) in obesity, so it is designing Phase III trials and building manufacturing capacity. 

Novo raises its top- and bottom-line guidance as it prioritizes volume over price.

The weak yen helped push up both global revenues and costs for major Japanese firms in the fiscal year ended 31 March, while good mainstay growth benefited Daiichi Sankyo and Astellas. Chugai meanwhile had a challenging start to its calendar financial year due to lower pandemic drug stockpiling.

Pfizer’s management team addressed topics ranging from COVID-19 revenues to Medicare’s drug negotiation program and new product launches.

A material shift in China derisking discussions by big biopharma against the backdrop of the proposed US BIOSECURE Bill is seen presenting opportunities for Syngene, though the tight US biotech funding environment dampened demand for the Indian CRDMO’s R&D services in Q4.

Mounjaro revenue declined versus Q4 2023, Lilly reported, though grew 218% year-over-year. The pharma pledged significant ramp-up of manufacturing this year.

The sun shines over a sector with multi-blockbuster products in their prime. But clouds are looming, and highly innovative products that cannot replace the sales shortfalls could lead to a re-rating of the sector’s growth prospects.

With adalimumab biosimilar market share increasing in the US, AbbVie says revenue erosion is on its expected pace, driven mainly by discounts. Skyrizi, Rinvoq continue growth trajectories.

Outstanding Q1 growth in sales and profits have pleased the markets, and investors are now keen to hear more about AstraZeneca’s 2030 masterplan at its investor day next month.

CEO Daniel O’Day highlighted Gilead’s large pipeline and relative safety from patent expirations over the next few years in the company’s Q1 earnings call.

Revlimid and Eliquis beat expectations in the first quarter, but the products have dwindling exclusivity, making new drugs the main focus for Bristol. So the company will reinvest cost savings in R&D.

Some patients have already been prescribed the new drug for pulmonary arterial hypertension but Merck & Co. did not provide any sales or guidance.