U.S. President Donald Trump speaks, on the day he signs energy-related executive orders at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 8, 2025. Leah Millis | ReutersA version of this article first appeared in CNBC's Healthy Returns newsletter, which brings the latest health-care news straight to your inbox. Subscribe here to receive future editions.President Donald Trump doubled down on plans to soon impose "major" tariffs on pharmaceuticals imported into the U.S. It comes after drugmakers breathed a t ...

Core Insights - U.S. pharmaceutical imports reached nearly $213 billion in 2024, significantly increasing from a decade ago [1] - The U.S. administration plans to impose tariffs on pharmaceuticals to encourage domestic manufacturing, a move already being pursued by companies like Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson [2][3] - Concerns have been raised about the feasibility and cost of reshoring production, which could disrupt supply chains and increase drug prices for patients [4][5] Industry Trends - The pharmaceutical industry has seen a dramatic decline in domestic manufacturing, with production moving to countries like China and India due to lower costs [2] - Analysts suggest that tariffs may not effectively shift manufacturing back to the U.S., as companies already have established operations domestically [5] - A group of House Democrats is advocating for the protection of medical supply chains, warning of potential negative impacts on U.S. patients due to trade tensions [6][7] Company Responses - Eli Lilly has invested $27 billion in U.S. manufacturing but expressed concerns about the impact of tariffs on research and development [8] - Johnson & Johnson announced a $55 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing and R&D over the next four years, but has not publicly commented on the tariffs [9]

As everyone who follows equity markets knows, stocks are feeling the heat from President Donald Trump's macroeconomic policies. On April 3, the president announced sweeping tariffs on goods imported into the U.S. from basically every country on planet Earth. Some industries have escaped these moves by the administration, at least for now. One of them is the pharmaceutical industry. However, some major executives in the sector are not optimistic, including Eli Lilly's (LLY -3.11%) CEO, David Ricks. Let's see ...

【环球时报驻美国特约记者 冯亚仁 陈欣 文远】随着对美国政府滥施关税恐伤及自身的担忧越发强烈，越来越多的美国亿万富豪、企业高管甚至 特朗普的盟友站出来反对相关政策的实施。摩根大通首席执行官杰米·戴蒙7日在年度股东信中表示，近期的关税政策可能会推高通货膨胀率，并 导致许多人调升对美国经济陷入衰退的预期。此外，美国政府效率部负责人、企业家马斯克多次含蓄表达对新关税政策的不满。共和党国会议员 还提出议案，要求征税应由国会批准而非总统。美国《华盛顿邮报》称，此类批评声音是贸易战引发的经济动荡可能给特朗普留下持久政治创伤 的早期迹象，标志着特朗普的盟友在他担任总统的头两个半月里"普遍顺从"的局面发生变化。 投资人比尔·阿克曼则将批评矛头对准卢特尼克。阿克曼在社交平台上发帖称，卢特尼克对美国股市和经济崩溃漠不关心，选择这样的人做商务 部长是糟糕的主意。 " 关税就是税负，美国人正付出代价 " 就连特朗普的亿万富豪盟友埃隆·马斯克似乎也对关税不满。7日，他在社交平台上传了一段已故保守派经济学家米尔顿·弗里德曼的视频。在视频 中，弗里德曼详细分析了一支铅笔是如何由全球各地的材料和劳动力制造出来的。美媒普遍认为，这是马斯克在含 ...

Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Eli Lilly (LLY) dominate the diabetes and obesity market on the back of the tremendous success of their GLP-1 products.  Lilly markets its dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist, tirzepatide, as Mounjaro for type II diabetes and as Zepbound for obesity. Novo Nordisk markets its semaglutide drugs as Ozempic pre-filled pen and Rybelsus oral tablet for type II diabetes and as Wegovy injection for weight management.Lilly’s Cardiometabolic Health segment, which includes Mounjaro, Zepbound and ...

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - **Industry**: Biopharma in North America - **Market Analysis**: The latest weekly Total Prescription (TRx) year-over-year (YoY) growth for the week ending March 28, 2025, was +2.1%, a decrease from +2.5% the previous week and +3.1% over the past 12 weeks [1][2] Core Insights - **TRx Growth**: For the week ended March 28, the US total market weekly TRx YoY change was +2.1%, compared to +0.4% a year ago. The rolling 4-week TRx YoY was +2.9%, and the rolling 12-week TRx YoY was +3.1% [2] - **Extended Unit Growth**: Extended unit (EUTRx) weekly YoY growth was +0.7%, which is below the TRx YoY growth [2] - **Sequential Growth**: Sequential weekly TRx growth was -1.8%, compared to -1.5% the week before [2] Company-Specific Developments - **Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY)**: - Cobenfy, approved for schizophrenia on September 26, 2024, had approximately 1,570 scripts for the week, up from ~1,440 the previous week. To meet 2025 consensus expectations, Cobenfy TRx needs to track at ~2-3 times the volumes from recent schizophrenia launches [3] - The consensus estimate for Cobenfy has declined to $160 million from $196 million, implying ~125K TRx are required to meet this estimate [3] - **Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX)**: - Journavx, approved for acute pain on January 30, 2025, recorded approximately 2,230 scripts for the week, up from ~1,760 the previous week. To achieve the 2025 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**: The TRx share chart for Stelara biosimilars was added, with Amgen's Wezlana launched on January 17, 2025, and Teva/Alvotech's Selarsdi launched on February 21, 2025 [5] - **Launch Comparisons**: A comparison chart for Descovy vs. Apretude was added, with anticipation for FDA approval of GILD's Lenacapavir [8] Seasonal Trends - **Vaccine Tracking**: Seasonal respiratory vaccine tracking exhibits were added, noting that RSV vaccine volumes are tracking ~65% below last year's levels, and COVID vaccine volumes are also down year-over-year [9] Notable Drug Performance - **Key Products**: - Mounjaro and Zepbound from Eli Lilly are being tracked, with Mounjaro showing significant growth [10] - The oral psoriasis market is being monitored, particularly BMY's Sotyktu launch against AMGN's Otezla [10] Pricing and Market Dynamics - **Immunology Pricing Analysis**: Updated charts for 4Q24 show how volume from additional indications impacts price per script for various drugs [11] - **Biosimilar Adoption**: Comprehensive analysis of biosimilar adoption across various branded drugs was presented [12] Additional Insights - **Market Trends**: The IQVIA databases differentiate between prescription and sales trends, with TRx representing total prescriptions dispensed, including refills [27] - **Sales Dynamics**: The report emphasizes that IQVIA sales dollars reflect list prices and do not account for rebates or discounts, indicating a need for careful interpretation of sales data [43] This summary encapsulates the key points from the conference call, highlighting industry trends, company-specific developments, and competitive dynamics within the biopharma sector.

Needham hosted Spencer Perlman, director of Healthcare Research at Veda Partners, an investment advisory and consulting firm with extensive expertise in government policy analysis. During the conversation, analyst Gil Blum discussed several topics of interest, including trade tariffs, recent personnel changes in the FDA/HHS, 503A/503B compounding related to GLP-1s, the FTC and their potential impact on healthcare equities.At the moment, pharmaceutical companies are exempt from reciprocal tariffs. However, a ...

On Friday, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) did not finalize a provision to cover obesity drugs like Eli Lilly's (LLY) and Novo Nordisk’s (NVO) popular injections, Zepbound and Wegovy, respectively, under its Part D prescription drug coverage. In other words, Medicare will not pay for the cost of these expensive weight-loss medicines.At present, Medicare does not cover Zepbound and Wegovy if they are solely prescribed for weight loss. However, CMS may consider these proposals at a later da ...

Group 1: Eli Lilly - Eli Lilly is recognized for its innovative culture and strong market position in diabetes medicines, with significant breakthroughs over the years [3][4] - The company is expanding into the weight management market, with Zepbound leading and several promising candidates in development, including Orforglipron [5][6] - Eli Lilly has a robust network within the healthcare industry, including relationships with hospitals and payers, enhancing its competitive advantage [7] - The company has increased its dividend payouts by 200% over the past decade, positioning itself well for future growth as demand for lifesaving medicines rises [8] Group 2: Veeva Systems - Veeva Systems specializes in cloud services tailored for the life sciences industry, successfully carving out a niche in a competitive market [9][10] - The cloud computing industry is expected to continue growing, with advancements in artificial intelligence contributing to its long-term growth potential [11] - The life sciences industry is also projected to expand due to an aging population and increased demand for medical products, benefiting Veeva Systems [12] - Veeva Systems enjoys strong competitive advantages due to high switching costs for life science companies, ensuring its leadership in the niche market [13][14]

Group 1: AbbVie - AbbVie's share price has increased by a double-digit percentage in 2025, indicating strong demand for its products regardless of economic conditions [2] - The company has effectively managed the patent expiration of its top-selling drug, Humira, with successors Rinvoq and Skyrizi expected to generate more sales combined than Humira at its peak [3] - AbbVie has made significant acquisitions, adding growth drivers like Elahere, Botox, and Vraylar, and has over 90 programs in clinical development, including promising late-stage candidates [4] - AbbVie boasts a forward dividend yield of 3.25% and has a history of 53 consecutive years of dividend increases, qualifying it as a Dividend King [5] Group 2: Amgen - Amgen has faced challenges in organic revenue growth and a clinical setback with its weight management drug, MariTide, but its long-term prospects remain strong [6] - The company has strengthened its lineup through acquisitions, with growth drivers like Tepezza and Tezspire, and has over 30 candidates in phase 3 studies to ensure steady revenue and earnings growth [7][8] - Amgen has consistently raised its dividends, with a 201% increase over the past decade, and a forward yield of 3.1%, surpassing the S&P 500 average of 1.3% [8][9] Group 3: Eli Lilly - Eli Lilly's current dividend yield is less than 1%, but the company has significantly increased its dividend over the years, currently paying $1.50 per quarter, more than double the amount from five years ago [10][11] - The stock has appreciated by 480% over the past five years, with total returns including dividends reaching approximately 533%, compared to the S&P 500's 135% [12] - Eli Lilly is recognized for its growth potential with assets like Zepbound and Mounjaro, and despite a high valuation, it is considered a strong long-term investment due to its fast-growing business and robust dividend growth [13]