Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Group sales increased by 8%, with a 5% increase excluding COVID-19 impacts, and a significant growth of 9% in Q2 [4][11] - Core operating profit increased by 11%, leading to a core operating margin increase of almost 2 percentage points [5][42] - Core EPS grew by 9%, and operating free cash flow also grew by 9% [6][37] - IFRS net income declined by 4% in constant rates, primarily due to impairments and higher interest expenses [44][75] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Pharma sales reached CHF22.6 billion, growing at 5% at constant exchange rates and 8% excluding Ronapreve [50] - Diagnostics division sales increased by 5% to CHF7.21 billion, driven by a 9% growth in the base business [98][101] - Core operating profit for Diagnostics increased by 22% at constant exchange rates, with a margin of 22% [102] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales in Japan were impacted by a base effect of about CHF600 million and mandatory price cuts, leading to a 5% decline when excluding Ronapreve [50] - The U.S. market for Hemlibra saw a return to positive growth of 3% in Q2, while overall sales in hematology reached CHF3.8 billion with 10% growth [67] - Neurology franchise achieved CHF4.6 billion in sales for the first half, representing a 13% growth [68] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company revised its 10-year goals and clarified its strategy across five therapeutic areas [24][25] - Focus on digital health efforts, particularly in generative AI, to strengthen core business [26][27] - Continued investment in R&D with a focus on high medical value assays and technologies [25][76] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed a positive outlook for 2024, expecting continued strong growth in the base business with reduced COVID effects [34][80] - The company anticipates that the momentum will carry into 2025, confirming guidance for mid-single-digit sales growth [49][80] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining and potentially extending margins through effective resource allocation [80][81] Other Important Information - The company achieved several key regulatory approvals and positive readouts in the second quarter, including for Ocrevus and Alecensa [6][14] - The company is entering new markets, such as blood screening in serology, and launching innovative products like continuous glucose monitoring [7][21] - The company plans to file for Lunsumio subcut in the second half of 2024 and has seen positive early sales for Elevidys [63][65] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the expectations for Diagnostics margins in the second half? - Management indicated strong growth and margins in Diagnostics, with expectations to potentially exceed 20% for the year [97] Question: What is driving the growth in Evrysdi? - Growth in Evrysdi was driven by a one-time tender purchase and expansion of the patient population, particularly among adults who are currently untreated [97] Question: How is the company managing its R&D pipeline? - The company is focused on removing underperforming assets from its pipeline while investing in high-potential candidates, ensuring a robust and efficient R&D process [76][79]

The company reports under two divisions — Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. All growth rates mentioned below are on a year-over-year basis and at CER. Sales in the Pharmaceuticals Division improved 5% in the first half to CHF 22.6 billion, driven by strong growth in demand for its key drugs. Roche's shares have risen 6.4% year to date compared with the industry's growth of 20%. Sales of Ocrevus, used to treat two types of multiple sclerosis, increased 8% year over year to CHF 3.3 billion. Second-quarter reve ...

INDIANAPOLIS and CHICAGO, July 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) will showcase a laboratory of the future exhibit at the 2024 Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM) Scientific Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo, July 28 through August 1 in Chicago. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience how Roche's growing portfolio of integrated systems and data solutions optimizes resources and simplifies and streamlines operations while driving better health outcomes. "La ...

Roche said Thursday that its Wegovy rival weight loss drugs will be part of a suite of medicines aimed at combatting the effects of obesity. CEO Thomas Schinecker welcomed positive early stage trial results from the firm's two weight loss drug candidates as showing "best in disease potential." He added that they will form part of a wider portfolio aimed at differentiating the Swiss pharmaceutical giant from other competitors in the growing obesity medication market. "We have a number of things in our pipeli ...

Core Insights - Roche's strong sales growth in the first half of 2024 is attributed to high demand for innovative medicines and diagnostics, with a notable acceleration in growth momentum in the second quarter as COVID-19 sales declines no longer impacted overall sales [1] - The company has raised its earnings outlook for the full year based on robust half-year results [1] Financial Performance - Group sales reached CHF 29.8 billion, a 5% increase at constant exchange rates (CER), remaining stable in CHF [3][13] - Pharmaceuticals Division sales were CHF 22.6 billion, also up by 5% at CER, with a core operating profit increase of 11% [2][17] - Core earnings per share grew by 9% (1% in CHF), while IFRS net income decreased by 4% (-11% in CHF) due to impairments and prior year provisions [4][13] Product Performance - The eye medicine Vabysmo was a major growth driver, generating CHF 1.8 billion in sales, with significant demand in the US [5][6] - Sales in the Diagnostics Division increased by 5% to CHF 7.2 billion, with a 9% growth in the base business driven by immunodiagnostic products [8][13] - Sales growth was reported across all regions, with Latin America showing a notable 16% increase [9] Regional Sales Insights - In the US, sales grew by 5%, driven by Vabysmo and other key products, despite declines in some older medicines [6][19] - European sales surged by 10%, primarily due to Vabysmo demand [19] - Sales in Japan decreased by 28%, largely due to the previous year's COVID-19 product supply effects [7] Regulatory Developments - The FDA approved updates to Susvimo, providing a new treatment option for severe eye diseases [10] - Vabysmo received a positive recommendation for a third indication, retinal vein occlusion (RVO) [11] - The European Commission approved Ocrevus subcutaneous injection, expanding treatment options for multiple sclerosis [37] Future Outlook - Roche anticipates mid-single-digit growth in Group sales for 2024 [14] - The company plans to further increase its dividend in Swiss francs [15]

However, the two market leaders could have significant competition on the way. Roche Holding (RHHBY 0.23%) underscored this last week with a major clinical study update. Shares of Lilly and Novo Nordisk fell on the news, while Roche's shares jumped nearly 6%. Could Roche be the obesity drug stock to really watch? Patients receiving CT-996 experienced weight loss of 7.3% after four weeks of treatment. Roche stated this result was "clinically meaningful" compared to the 1.2% weight loss for patients receiving ...

This company hasn't made its debut on the weight-loss market yet, but it may. First things first. Appreciate that Roche's weight-loss pill program is currently in phase 1 clinical trials. The first two parts of the three-part trial are done, and the third hasn't started yet. It will need plenty more research and development (R&D) work before it's ready to submit to regulators for approval, assuming it ever is. Any early results may or may not be substantiated by subsequent clinical investigations. Another m ...

Notably, RHHBY stock has underperformed the broader market in each of the last 3 years. Returns for the stock were 18% in 2021, -24% in 2022, and -7% in 2023. In comparison, returns for the S&P 500 have been 27% in 2021, -19% in 2022, and 24% in 2023 — indicating that RHHBY underperformed the S&P in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Roche's revenue has declined 7.2% from $72.4 billion in 2021 to $67.2 billion in 2023. This can primarily be attributed to lower demand for its Covid-19 testing. Excluding the Covid-19 prod ...

Shares of several obesity-focused stocks dropped on Wednesday after Swiss pharma giant Roche (RHHBY) announced positive top-line results from an early-stage study on its experimental obesity drug CT-996. Both these incretin-based candidates were added to Roche's pipeline from the acquisition of privately owned Carmot Therapeutics for $2.7 billion in January. The acquisition also added CT-868, a once-daily, subcutaneously injected drug, which is being developed in a mid-stage study as a first-in-class treatm ...

Two-year Phase III data presented at ASRS 2024 show Susvimo's potential as an alternative to eye injections to treat diabetic macular edema (DME) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) Safety data were consistent with the known safety profile for Susvimo in people with DME and DR Additionally, the US FDA has accepted the filing application for Susvimo in DME and DR based on one-year Pagoda and Pavilion study data Susvimo is a unique therapeutic approach that provides continuous delivery of medicine to the eye throug ...