NEW YORK, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) between February 3, 2022 and February 3, 2025, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important April 14, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Merck securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT ...

NEW YORK, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP notifies investors in Merck & Co., Inc. ("Merck" or the "Company") (NYSE: MRK) of a class action securities lawsuit.CLASS DEFINITION: The lawsuit seeks to recover losses on behalf of Merck investors who were adversely affected by alleged securities fraud between February 3, 2022 and February 3, 2025. Follow the link below to get more information and be contacted by a member of our team:https://zlk.com/pslra-1/merck-co-inc-lawsuit-submission-form? ...

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.

NEW YORK, April 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of securities of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) between February 3, 2022 and February 3, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 14, 2025.So what: If you purchased Merck securities during the Class Period you ma ...

Core Viewpoint - The Gross Law Firm has issued a notice to shareholders of Merck & Co., Inc. regarding a class action lawsuit related to misleading statements about the company's expected revenue from Gardasil sales by 2030 [1][3]. Summary by Relevant Sections Allegations - The complaint alleges that Merck's management provided investors with optimistic forecasts, claiming expected revenue of $11 billion from Gardasil sales by 2030, driven by successful consumer activation and education efforts [3]. - The truth emerged on February 4, 2025, when Merck announced it would not achieve the projected $11 billion in sales, ceasing shipments of Gardasil to China to reduce inventory due to lower-than-expected demand [3]. - Following this announcement, Merck's stock price fell from $99.79 per share on February 3, 2025, to $90.74 per share on February 4, 2025, marking a decline of over 9% in one day [3]. Next Steps for Shareholders - Shareholders who purchased shares of MRK during the specified class period are encouraged to register for the class action by April 14, 2025, to potentially become lead plaintiffs [4]. - Registered shareholders will receive updates through a portfolio monitoring software throughout the lifecycle of the case [4]. Firm's Mission - The Gross Law Firm aims to protect investors' rights who have suffered losses due to deceit, fraud, and illegal business practices, ensuring companies adhere to responsible business practices [5].

Core Viewpoint - The Gross Law Firm has issued a notice to shareholders of Merck & Co., Inc. regarding a class action lawsuit related to misleading statements about Gardasil's expected revenue, which has led to significant stock price declines [1]. Group 1: Allegations and Impact - The lawsuit alleges that Merck provided investors with material information indicating expected revenue of $11 billion from Gardasil sales by 2030, driven by consumer activation and education efforts [1]. - On February 4, 2025, Merck announced it would not achieve the projected $11 billion in sales, ceasing shipments to China to reduce inventory due to lower-than-expected demand, resulting in a stock price drop from $99.79 to $90.74, a decline of over 9% in one day [1]. Group 2: Class Action Details - Shareholders who purchased MRK shares during the class period from February 3, 2022, to February 3, 2025, are encouraged to register for the class action, with a deadline of April 14, 2025, to seek lead plaintiff status [2]. - Registered shareholders will receive updates through portfolio monitoring software throughout the case lifecycle, with no cost or obligation to participate [2]. Group 3: Law Firm's Mission - The Gross Law Firm aims to protect investors' rights against deceit, fraud, and illegal business practices, ensuring companies adhere to responsible business practices [3].

Group 1 - Pharmaceutical stocks declined due to uncertainty surrounding proposed tariffs on imported pharmaceutical products, with a potential tariff of 25% expected to be implemented from April 2 [1][2] - Companies heavily reliant on overseas manufacturing, such as Pfizer (PFE), Merck (MRK), Eli Lilly (LLY), and AbbVie (ABBV), experienced significant stock declines of 3.2%, 2.9%, 2.5%, and 1.6% respectively [2] - Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) saw a notable drop of 7.6% after a Texas district court rejected its bankruptcy plan related to talc lawsuits [2] Group 2 - Drugmakers are increasing investments in U.S. manufacturing to counteract the shift to lower-cost markets abroad [3] - Johnson & Johnson announced plans to invest over $55 billion in the U.S. over the next four years, while Eli Lilly plans to invest $27 billion in new manufacturing sites by 2025, totaling over $50 billion in commitments since 2020 [4] - Pfizer is also considering moving some overseas manufacturing back to the U.S. in light of tariff threats [4] Group 3 - The cost of drug production in the U.S. is high, which may lead to increased drug prices for consumers and affect profit margins for drugmakers, particularly those producing generic and biosimilar products [5] - Some countries exporting drugs or active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to the U.S. may withdraw from the market, potentially causing supply shortages and disrupting the global supply chain [5] Group 4 - Biotech stocks are under pressure following the resignation of a key FDA official, Dr. Peter Marks, amid concerns regarding potential tariffs on pharmaceutical imports [6] - Companies like PFE, MRK, ABBV, LLY, and JNJ currently hold a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [7]

Group 1 - Merck has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.67, indicating a consensus between Strong Buy and Buy, based on recommendations from 24 brokerage firms, with 66.7% of these being Strong Buy [2][4] - The reliability of brokerage recommendations is questioned, as studies suggest they have little success in guiding investors towards stocks with significant price appreciation potential [4][9] - Brokerage analysts tend to exhibit a strong positive bias in their ratings due to vested interests, often issuing five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" [5][9] Group 2 - The Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock rating tool, categorizes stocks from Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank 5 (Strong Sell) and is based on earnings estimate revisions, which correlate strongly with near-term stock price movements [7][10] - The Zacks Rank is more timely and reliable than the ABR, as it reflects constant revisions of earnings estimates by brokerage analysts, while the ABR may not be up-to-date [11] - For Merck, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year remains unchanged at $9.01, leading to a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting caution despite the Buy-equivalent ABR [12][13]

Core Viewpoint - The pharmaceutical industry is facing uncertainty due to impending tariffs from the Trump administration, leading to a general market wariness and notable declines in major pharmaceutical stocks [1][2][3]. Group 1: Market Reaction - Major pharmaceutical stocks experienced significant declines, with Pfizer down 3.2%, Merck down 2.9%, and Eli Lilly down 2.7% [2]. - The market's bearish sentiment was influenced by the uncertainty surrounding the tariffs, which were speculated to be as high as 25% but lacked concrete details [3][11]. Group 2: Lobbying Efforts - The pharmaceutical industry is actively lobbying for a phased implementation of the tariffs rather than an immediate full-scale imposition [4]. - Industry lobbyists are advocating for a gradual ramp-up to the proposed 25% tariffs to mitigate the impact on the sector [4]. Group 3: Vulnerability of the Industry - The pharmaceutical industry is particularly susceptible to tariffs on foreign manufacturers due to the complex nature of drug development and production, which often relies on components sourced from lower-cost markets outside the U.S. [5]. - Even U.S.-based drug production frequently depends on foreign-made components, highlighting the industry's global supply chain vulnerabilities [5]. Group 4: Positive Developments - Despite the negative market sentiment, there were positive announcements from industry players, such as Pfizer's RSV vaccine receiving expanded approval in the EU for patients aged 18 to 59 [8]. - Eli Lilly's tirzepatide, a key ingredient in its obesity drug Zepbound, is set to be sold through telehealth specialist Hims & Hers Health, indicating new distribution opportunities [9][10]. Group 5: Future Outlook - There are indications that the Trump administration may adopt a more flexible approach to the tariffs, potentially implementing them in phases or at lower rates than initially expected [6][12]. - The uncertainty surrounding the tariffs remains a significant concern for investors, but there is cautious optimism regarding the potential for a more favorable outcome for the pharmaceutical sector [11][12].

Core Viewpoint - A class action securities lawsuit has been filed against Merck & Co., Inc. due to alleged securities fraud that affected investors between February 3, 2022, and February 3, 2025 [1][2]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit aims to recover losses for Merck investors who were impacted by misleading information regarding expected revenue of $11 billion from Gardasil sales by 2030 [2]. - Defendants expressed confidence in Merck's ability to drive demand for Gardasil through consumer education efforts, which led to optimistic forecasts for its growth in China [2]. - On February 4, 2025, Merck announced it would not meet the projected $11 billion in sales due to ceasing shipments to China, resulting in a significant stock price drop from $99.79 to $90.74, a decline of over 9% in one day [2]. Group 2: Next Steps for Investors - Investors who suffered losses during the specified timeframe have until April 14, 2025, to request appointment as lead plaintiff, although participation does not require this role [3]. - Class members may be entitled to compensation without any out-of-pocket costs or fees [3]. Group 3: Firm Background - Levi & Korsinsky has a history of securing hundreds of millions for shareholders and is recognized as one of the top securities litigation firms in the U.S. [4].