Core Points - Bristol Myers Squibb has announced an agreement with the U.S. government aimed at improving the affordability and access to critical medicines for Americans [1] Company Summary - The agreement signifies a commitment from Bristol Myers Squibb to enhance the accessibility of its medications, which is expected to benefit a larger segment of the American population [1] - This initiative aligns with broader industry trends focusing on healthcare affordability and patient access to essential treatments [1]

Core Points - US President Donald Trump announced agreements with nine major pharmaceutical companies to reduce drug prices for Medicaid and cash-paying consumers, aiming to align US drug costs with those in other wealthy nations [1][4] - Trump emphasized that the US was previously subsidizing global drug costs and will no longer do so [2] Group 1: Drugmakers Involved - Participating companies include Bristol Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, Novartis, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Sanofi, GSK, Merck, and Roche's US unit Genentech [3] - Additional companies like Regeneron, Johnson & Johnson, and AbbVie are expected to join after the holidays [3] Group 2: Price Reductions and Commitments - Drugmakers will reduce prices on most medicines sold to Medicaid, promising "massive savings" on widely used drugs, although specific figures were not disclosed [4] - The agreements also include commitments to cut cash prices for select medicines and to launch new drugs in the US at prices equal to those in other wealthy countries [5] Group 3: Specific Drug Pricing - Merck plans to sell diabetes drugs Januvia, Janumet, and Janumet XR at discounts of about 70% off list prices [7] - Amgen will price its migraine drug Aimovig and arthritis treatment Amjevita at $299 per month, which is nearly 60% and 80% below current US list prices, respectively [7] Group 4: Investment and Revenue Sharing - Companies pledged to invest over $150 billion in US research, development, and manufacturing, with Merck alone committing $70 billion [8] - A portion of each company's overseas revenue will be remitted to the US to help offset domestic drug costs, and several companies agreed to donate drug ingredients to the US strategic reserve [9] Group 5: Industry Reaction - Five drugmakers, including Pfizer and Eli Lilly, had already struck similar deals with the administration, and AbbVie is expected to announce its agreement soon [10]

Core Viewpoint - The pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Merck have underperformed in 2023, facing financial challenges and upcoming patent cliffs, leading to uncertainty in their medium-term outlooks. The article compares both companies to determine which presents a better investment opportunity heading into the new year. Pfizer - Pfizer's Eliquis, a leading blood thinner, is approaching patent expiration, which could exacerbate its already slow revenue and earnings growth [3] - The company has expanded its pipeline through internal efforts, acquisitions, and licensing deals, launching new products that are expected to impact financial results positively in the future [4] - Notable pipeline candidates include MET-097i, a promising weight loss drug with fewer side effects and a long-acting dosing schedule, and PF-4404, a cancer therapy that could become a standard treatment for certain cancers [5][7] - Pfizer is also implementing cost-cutting measures and has secured a deal with the White House to be exempt from tariffs for three years, which may help improve its margins and bottom line [8] Merck - Merck's sales from its HPV vaccines, Gardasil and Gardasil 9, have declined due to lower sales in China, and its best-selling cancer drug Keytruda faces a patent cliff by 2028 [9] - The company has introduced a new subcutaneous version of Keytruda, which offers a more convenient administration method and is expected to mitigate sales losses from biosimilars [10] - Merck's pipeline includes successful products like Winrevair for pulmonary arterial hypertension and Capvaxive, a pneumonia vaccine, both of which are expected to generate significant revenue [12][13] - An acquisition that adds CD388 to its pipeline could potentially transform the influenza vaccine market, indicating strong future prospects for Merck [13] Investment Comparison - Both Pfizer and Merck are considered viable long-term investment options, but Merck is viewed as the stronger choice due to better financial results and a more developed plan to address challenges [14][16] - Merck's higher profit margins and faster dividend growth over the past decade make it more attractive for dividend-seeking investors, despite Pfizer's higher forward dividend yield [17]

​Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) is one of the Best Non-US Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. On December 12, Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) announced receiving a positive opinion by the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use for a higher dosage of Wegovy. ​The positive opinion is based on improved weight loss results of around 20.7% at 72 weeks in people without diabetes. Management noted that the STEP UP and STEP UP T2D clinical trial program showed that one in three ob ...

Trump announces "Most Favored Nation" deals with nine drug companies, aiming to lower prices for US patients https://t.co/D9ylHIfi70 ...

Trump announces "Most Favored Nation" deals with nine drug companies, aiming to lower prices for US patients https://t.co/GvV1W9AhlL ...

Core Points - Merck has reached an agreement with the U.S. government aimed at expanding access to its medicines and reducing costs for American patients [1] Group 1 - The agreement is part of a broader initiative to enhance affordability and accessibility of healthcare for Americans [1] - Merck's collaboration with the government is expected to lead to significant reductions in the prices of certain medications [1] - This initiative aligns with ongoing efforts to address healthcare costs and improve patient access to essential treatments [1]

President Donald Trump signs an executive order aimed at reducing the cost of prescription drugs and pharmaceuticals by 30% to 80% during an event in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on May 12, 2025, in Washington, DC.Several of the largest U.S. and European-based drugmakers inked deals with President Donald Trump on Friday to voluntarily sell their medications for less, as his administration pushes to link the nation's drug prices to cheaper ones abroad.That includes Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb, Amgen ...

Novartis agrees to take actions aimed at meeting US Administration priorities for drug pricingAdditional Novartis medicines will be made available through direct-to-patient platforms in 2026Company remains committed to investing in markets that value innovation and implement policies that support broad and fast access to medicines Basel, December 19, 2025 – Novartis, a leading global innovative medicines company, today announced it has reached an agreement with the US government that aims to lower the price ...

The Trump administration signed deals with nine pharmaceutical companies on Friday, the latest in a series of pacts designed to lower drug prices in exchange for a reprieve from threatened tariffs on their products https://t.co/ixX5U0KWcJ ...