ABBVIE

The launch of cheaper biosimilars for AbbVie's arthritis drug Humira may intensify scrutiny on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) by lawmakers and the federal government. Despite competition, high list prices persist, with minimal savings for insured patients. The Biden administration and lawmakers are pushing for reforms to increase transparency and reduce drug prices, targeting PBMs' role in the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Amgen Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, saw its share price rise due to the $27.8 billion acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics and strong demand for its drugs. Despite raising its 2023 revenue guidance, Amgen faces risks from declining sales of immunology products, high debt, and upcoming competition from Prolia biosimilars. The company's valuation remains unattractive, with a 'market perform' rating advised.

Generic drugmakers like Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, and Teva Pharmaceutical report reduced price erosion in the U.S., with trends expected to continue. They focus on high-margin products and new launches. The industry benefits from patent expirations, stiff competition, and patent settlements, with significant growth opportunities in biosimilars and generics.

HUMIRA® (adalimumab) is a TNF blocker used to treat various conditions but can lower immune system function, increasing infection and cancer risks. Discuss with your doctor before starting, especially if you have infections, TB, or are at risk for certain fungal infections. Monitor for serious side effects post-treatment.

Nature Reviews Drug Discovery forecasts the top 10 pharmaceutical products for 2024, each expected to surpass $10 billion in sales. Leading the list is Keytruda by Merck & Co., with a projected $27.19 billion in sales, followed by Ozempic, Dupixent, Eliquis, Biktarvy, Darzalex, Opdivo, Comirnaty, Gardasil, and Skyrizi. These drugs cover a range of treatments from cancer to diabetes, HIV, and COVID-19, highlighting significant advancements and market potentials in the pharmaceutical industry.

AbbVie acquires Cerevel Therapeutics for $8.7B, enhancing its neuroscience pipeline with drugs targeting schizophrenia, Parkinson’s, and dementia. The deal, 22% above Cerevel's stock price, reflects growing pharma interest in neuroscience. Cerevel's advanced Parkinson’s drug, tavapadon, and schizophrenia therapy, emraclidine, highlight the acquisition's potential.

Risankizumab showed non-inferiority for clinical remission at week 24 and superiority for endoscopic remission at week 48 compared to ustekinumab in treating Crohn's disease. All secondary endpoints were statistically significant, with a consistent safety profile for risankizumab.

The ALS drug development pipeline is rich with promising therapies targeting TDP-43 pathology, including Biogen’s BIIB-105, AbbVie/Calico’s ABBV-CLS-7262, Denali’s DNL-343, and QurAlis’ QRL-201. Trials range from Phase 1 to Phase 3, with completion dates extending to 2026. These therapies aim to slow ALS progression by addressing TDP-43 mislocalization and aggregation, a hallmark of ALS pathology. The article also highlights the importance of clinical trials in advancing ALS treatment and the potential for FDA approval of these therapies.

I-Mab streamlined its pipeline to focus on five key clinical assets, reducing cash burn and achieving 13 milestones in 2022. With a strong cash position of RMB3.5 billion, it plans for Phase 3 data readouts and BLA submissions by 2024. Collaborations, including with AbbVie, continue to advance global development efforts.