Core Insights - Amgen's UPLIZNA has received FDA approval as the first and only treatment for adults with Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD), addressing a significant unmet medical need in this chronic and debilitating condition [1][2][8] Company Developments - The approval of UPLIZNA is a pivotal moment for patients and healthcare providers, offering a proven treatment that targets a key driver of IgG4-RD, thereby reducing the risk of flares and reliance on long-term steroid use [2][3] - UPLIZNA's efficacy is supported by data from the MITIGATE trial, which demonstrated an 87% reduction in the risk of IgG4-RD flares compared to placebo [9] - UPLIZNA is also indicated for the treatment of AQP4-IgG+ Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) and has received Orphan Drug Designation for generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), with regulatory filings for gMG expected to be completed in H1 2025 [1][8] Clinical Trial Insights - The MITIGATE trial was the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial for IgG4-RD, showing significant reductions in disease activity and flares among patients treated with UPLIZNA [4][5] - Key findings from the trial include that 57.4% of UPLIZNA-treated participants achieved flare-free, treatment-free, and complete remission at Week 52, compared to 22.4% in the placebo group [9] - UPLIZNA-treated patients experienced a ten-fold reduction in mean total glucocorticoid use for disease control compared to those on placebo [9] Disease Background - IgG4-RD is a chronic, systemic, immune-mediated disease that can affect multiple organs and lead to fibrosis and permanent organ damage [6] - The disease is characterized by unpredictable inflammatory flares and can mimic other conditions, complicating timely diagnosis [6][7] - The prevalence of IgG4-RD is estimated at 20,000 people in the U.S., with a higher incidence in men and typical onset between ages 50 and 70 [6]

Market Overview - The Nasdaq Composite index has fallen over 11% since the beginning of the year, raising concerns about the economic outlook due to trade wars and tariffs [1] - Despite the downturn, this period may present opportunities for long-term investments [1] Investment Opportunities Amgen - Amgen's shares have increased by 17% in 2025, yet it remains a relatively inexpensive healthcare stock, trading at just under 15 times next year's estimated earnings [3] - The company reported a 19% growth in revenue last year, reaching $33.4 billion, with significant contributions from blockbuster drugs like Repatha and Prolia, which generated $6.6 billion in sales [4] - Amgen is developing a promising injectable GLP-1 treatment for weight loss, MariTide, which could enhance its stock value upon approval [5] PayPal - PayPal's growth has been modest, with a 4% increase in the last quarter of 2024, attributed to a challenging economic environment [7] - Despite a 2% year-over-year decline in earnings to $4.1 billion, the brand remains strong and trusted among consumers [7] - The stock is currently trading at 13 times its estimated future earnings and has dropped over 24% this year, presenting a potential recovery opportunity as economic conditions improve [8] Baidu - Baidu is the cheapest stock on the list, with a forward price-to-earnings ratio of just 10, and its stock price has risen by 8% this year [9] - The company is heavily investing in artificial intelligence, with its AI chatbot Ernie Bot reaching 200 million users and plans to release an updated model this year [10] - Despite a 1% decline in sales to $18.2 billion in 2024, Baidu's AI cloud business is growing at 24%, indicating strong future growth potential [10][11]

Core Viewpoint - Gilead Sciences (GILD) is currently viewed as a more attractive undervalued stock option compared to Amgen (AMGN) based on various financial metrics and earnings outlook [1][7]. Valuation Metrics - GILD has a forward P/E ratio of 14.24, while AMGN's forward P/E is 15.10, indicating GILD may be undervalued relative to AMGN [5]. - The PEG ratio for GILD is 0.73, suggesting a favorable valuation when considering expected earnings growth, compared to AMGN's PEG ratio of 2.60 [5]. - GILD's P/B ratio stands at 7.26, significantly lower than AMGN's P/B ratio of 28.50, further supporting GILD's valuation as more attractive [6]. Earnings Outlook - GILD is experiencing an improving earnings outlook, which enhances its position in the Zacks Rank model, indicating a positive trend in earnings estimates [3][7].

I am not an investment advisor. This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute as financial advice. Readers are encouraged and expected to perform due diligence and draw their own conclusions prior to making any investment decisions. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seek ...

Core Viewpoint - Amgen has outperformed Merck in 2025, with a year-to-date return of 21%, while Merck's shares have declined by 8% [1] Valuation Comparison - The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is a key metric for assessing stock valuation, with a lower P/E indicating a cheaper stock relative to earnings [2] - Amgen's projected P/E ratio for 2025 is 15, while Merck's is 10, making Merck appear cheaper [3] - Merck also offers a larger dividend yield of 3.4% compared to Amgen's 2.9% [3] Growth Potential - Amgen is experiencing stronger growth, with a 19% year-over-year revenue increase in 2024, significantly higher than Merck's 7% [5] - Amgen's portfolio includes multiple best-in-class products, and there is anticipation for its experimental obesity drug, MariTide, which is entering phase 3 trials [5] Challenges Facing Merck - Merck is facing challenges such as disappointing sales for its Gardasil vaccine and uncertainty regarding the loss of patent exclusivity for its Keytruda cancer drug, which are negatively impacting its stock price [6]

Group 1 - Proactive provides fast, accessible, informative, and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience [2] - The company focuses on medium and small-cap markets while also covering blue-chip companies, commodities, and broader investment stories [3] - Proactive's news team delivers insights across various sectors including biotech, pharma, mining, natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto, and emerging technologies [3] Group 2 - Proactive is committed to adopting technology to enhance workflows and improve content production [4] - The company utilizes automation and software tools, including generative AI, while ensuring all content is edited and authored by humans [5]

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - **Industry**: Biopharma in North America - **Market Analysis**: Comprehensive analysis of the US drug market conducted by IQVIA Rx Key Market Metrics - **Total Prescription Year-over-Year (YoY) Growth**: - Latest weekly growth (week ending March 14, 2025) was +4.0%, up from +3.0% the previous week and +2.3% over the past 12 weeks [1][2] - For the week ended March 14, the total market weekly TRx YoY change was +4.0% compared to +1.2% a year ago [2] - Rolling 4-week TRx YoY was +3.1% and rolling 12-week TRx YoY was +2.3% [2] - Extended unit (EUTRx) weekly YoY growth was +2.2%, which is below the TRx YoY growth [2] Company-Specific Insights - **Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY)**: - Cobenfy, approved for schizophrenia on September 26, 2024, had approximately 1,340 scripts for the week, an increase from ~1,300 the previous week [3] - To meet 2025 consensus expectations, Cobenfy TRx needs to track at ~2-3x the volumes from recent schizophrenia launches, with an estimated requirement of ~125K TRx to reach consensus estimates of $160 million [3] - **Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX)**: - Journavx, approved for acute pain on January 30, 2025, recorded ~1,150 scripts for the week, up from ~610 the previous week [4] - To achieve a sales estimate of $87 million, approximately 229K and 441K total scripts are needed for 14-day and 7-day script durations, respectively [4] Competitive Landscape - **Biosimilars**: - Updates on biosimilar launches including Amgen's Wezlana and Teva's Selarsdi, with respective launch dates of January 17, 2025, and February 21, 2025 [5] - **Seasonal Vaccines**: - RSV vaccine volumes are tracking ~65% below last year's levels, while COVID vaccine volumes are also down year-over-year [9] Notable Drug Performance - **Eli Lilly (LLY)**: - Mounjaro and Zepbound launches are being tracked, with Mounjaro showing significant growth [10] - **AbbVie**: - Humira is experiencing a decline of -41% YoY, while Rinvoq and Skyrizi are showing growth rates of 43% and 49% respectively [22][23] Additional Insights - **Market Dynamics**: - The analysis indicates that extended unit data trends were more positive than prescription trends, suggesting a shift towards longer-duration prescriptions [33] - **Sales Trends**: - The IQVIA databases differentiate between prescription and sales trends, with TRx representing total prescriptions dispensed including refills [29] This summary encapsulates the critical insights from the conference call, highlighting the current state of the biopharma industry, specific company performances, and market dynamics.

Group 1 - Amgen's stock closed at $314.38, showing a decrease of -0.53% from the previous day, while the S&P 500 gained 1.77% [1] - Over the past month, Amgen's shares increased by 4.3%, outperforming the Medical sector's decline of -1.17% and the S&P 500's drop of -5.73% [1] Group 2 - Amgen's upcoming earnings report is expected to show earnings per share (EPS) of $4.18, a 5.56% increase year-over-year, with projected quarterly revenue of $8.01 billion, up 7.52% from the previous year [2] - For the entire year, Zacks Consensus Estimates forecast earnings of $20.63 per share and revenue of $35 billion, reflecting increases of +3.98% and +4.72% respectively compared to the previous year [3] Group 3 - Recent analyst estimate revisions for Amgen indicate a positive outlook for the company's business trends [4] - The Zacks Rank system, which incorporates estimate changes, currently ranks Amgen at 3 (Hold), with a Forward P/E ratio of 15.32, lower than the industry average of 18.52 [6] Group 4 - Amgen has a PEG ratio of 2.63, compared to the industry average PEG ratio of 1.51, indicating a higher valuation relative to projected earnings growth [7] - The Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, which includes Amgen, holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 74, placing it in the top 30% of over 250 industries [7][8]

Core Viewpoint - Amgen's stock has outperformed the industry, rising 21.7% this year compared to a 7% increase for the industry, driven by strong sales from key drugs and a robust pipeline [1][4]. Financial Performance - Amgen's total revenues increased by 19% in 2024, reaching $33.4 billion, with expectations for continued growth in 2025 from key drugs and biosimilars [4][23]. - Sales from biosimilars reached $2.2 billion in 2024, marking a 16% year-over-year increase [13]. Key Drugs and Pipeline - Key drugs driving revenue include Repatha, Evenity, Tezspire, and rare disease drugs from the Horizon acquisition, while older products like Prolia and Xgeva are expected to decline due to biosimilar competition [4][6][17]. - Amgen is evaluating several drugs for additional indications, with regulatory applications planned for Uplizna in 2025 [7]. - The company is developing MariTide, a GIPR/GLP-1 receptor, with promising phase II data showing up to 20% weight loss over 52 weeks [9][16]. Challenges and Setbacks - Amgen faces pricing headwinds and competitive pressures affecting sales of key brands like Otezla and Lumakras [5][6]. - Recent setbacks in the obesity pipeline include a clinical hold on AMG 513 and lower-than-expected weight loss results from MariTide [15][16]. Valuation and Estimates - Amgen's shares trade at a price/earnings ratio of 15.26, slightly below the industry average of 16.85, and above its five-year mean of 13.83 [18]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings per share for 2025 has increased from $20.36 to $20.63 over the past 60 days [25].

Group 1: Amgen - Amgen is positioned for growth with key products like Tezspire for asthma and Tepezza for thyroid eye disease, with ongoing clinical trials and international launches [3][4] - The company reported a 19% year-over-year revenue increase to $33.4 billion, with a solid 7% organic growth [4] - Amgen's pipeline includes promising candidates like MariTide for weight loss and rocatinlimab for eczema, indicating strong long-term performance potential [5] - The company offers a forward dividend yield of about 3%, significantly higher than the S&P 500 average of 1.3%, and has increased its payouts by 201% over the past decade [6] Group 2: Intuitive Surgical - Intuitive Surgical leads in robotic-assisted surgery with its da Vinci surgical system, recently launching the fifth generation of this device, which has seen strong demand [7][9] - The da Vinci 5 features improvements such as greater precision and efficiency, and a Force Feedback technology that enhances surgical accuracy [8] - The company experienced a 25% year-over-year revenue increase to $2.41 billion, with adjusted earnings per share rising from $1.60 to $2.21 [9] - Intuitive Surgical has treated 16 million patients with its systems, with a compound annual growth rate of 17% in procedure volume over the past five years, indicating sustained growth potential [10][11]