News of Note - February 23, 2023
BULL BEAR BRES|NAHAN
Thursday, February 23, 2023
10:26
My strategy remains purely healthcare (still in defense mode – call it neutral allocation) though my focus has been tugged at by other entities as it has been a bit sleepy in the sector to kick off the year..
Sanofi, Novartis, and UCB have made it into the portfolio (and I really *want* to own a lot of UCB for some reason) as I look to ‘normalize’ things over time..
Along these lines the biotech allocation has remained the same overall though it is now more concentrated, into a mere seven positions..
😊
Br. -john
p.s. Bill Gates into 'green bottles' X) 👇
*PRESS RELEASES*
VOLVB SS
Volvo
Volvo leads the booming market for electric trucks
Volvo Trucks have now sold more than 4,300 electric trucks globally in more than 38 countries.
In Europe, Volvo Trucks is the market leader with a 32% share of the market for heavy electric trucks, and in North America, nearly half of all heavy electric trucks registered in 2022 were Volvo trucks.
AB Volvo (publ), together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells trucks, buses, construction equipment, and marine and industrial engines in Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. -CapIQ
GSK LN | GSK, PFE, 4507 JT
GSK, Pfizer, Shionogi
12-month findings from the SOLAR study showed that the every-two-month regimen of CAB+RPV LA demonstrated non-inferior efficacy compared to continuation of daily oral BIC/FTC/TAF
90% of participants who switched from BIC/FTC/TAF to CAB+RPV LA preferred the complete long-acting regimen to daily pills
cc: GILD
ViiV Healthcare Limited delivers care and treatment for the people living with HIV/AIDS. -CapIQ
AZN LN | AZN SS | AZN
AstraZeneca
Enters license agreement with KYM Biosciences for CMG901, a Claudin-18.2 antibody drug conjugate
CMG901 expands AstraZeneca’s commitment in gastric cancer
upfront payment of $63m
additional development and sales-related milestone payments of up to $1.1bn
as well as tiered royalties up to low double digits
KYM Biosciences is a joint venture established by affiliates of Keymed Biosciences and Lepu Biopharma
cc: 2162 HK, 2291 HK
AstraZeneca PLC, a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of prescription medicines. -CapIQ
SAABB SS
Saab
Receives NLAW Order from Finland
Saab AB (publ) provides products, services, and solutions for the military defense, aerospace, and civil security markets worldwide. -CapIQ
ROG SW | RO SW | RHHBY
Roche
This is the other half of the Roche story - the side which deserves more attention in my honest opinion.. If Roche does great in the 2020's it is likely this division (diagnostics) played an outsized role..
Launches two new antibodies to identify key clinical mutations in patients with brain cancer
Recent advances in cancer genomics have deepened the medical community’s understanding of the molecular alterations in brain tumours, more precisely subclassifying patients into specific diagnoses.
Understanding a patient's brain tumour mutation status in the IDH1 and ATRX genes enables more informed clinical decisions and may improve patient outcomes.
The IDH1 R132H and ATRX antibodies are the latest additions to Roche’s neuropathology portfolio, which contains 29 biomarkers.
Roche Holding AG engages in the pharmaceuticals and diagnostics businesses in Switzerland, Germany, the United States, and internationally. -CapIQ
MRK & MRNA
Merck & Moderna
Designation based on positive data from Phase 2b KEYNOTE-942/mRNA-4157-P201 trial
Merck & Co., Inc. operates as a healthcare company worldwide. It operates through two segments, Pharmaceutical and Animal Health. -CapIQ
Moderna, Inc., a biotechnology company, discovers, develops, and commercializes messenger RNA therapeutics and vaccines for the treatment of infectious diseases, immuno-oncology, rare diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and auto-immune diseases in the United States, Europe, and internationally. -CapIQ
GMAB DC | GMAB
Genmab
Release/ Report
https://ir.genmab.com/static-files/bb6fcc28-82cf-4b21-991c-5a7ffa086d40
Presentation
https://ir.genmab.com/static-files/f8357011-fc78-4b25-9249-366110a9d641
Webcast
https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/3psohjvp
Genmab A/S develops antibody therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and other diseases primarily in Denmark. -CapIQ
NUE
Nucor
To Build New Transmission Tower Production Plant in Alabama
Nucor Corporation manufactures and sells steel and steel products. -CapIQ
4503.JT
Astellas
Data presented at the 19th Annual WORLDSymposium™ 2023
Astellas Pharma Inc. engages in the manufacture, marketing, import, and export of pharmaceuticals in the Japan, United States, and internationally.-CapIQ
RXDX
Prometheus Biosciences
Digital Oral Presentation on APOLLO-CD Phase 2a primary and secondary results to be presented on March 3rd
Oral Presentation on ARTEMIS-UC Phase 2 primary and secondary endpoint data from Cohort 1 to be presented on March 4th
Prometheus Biosciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapeutics and companion diagnostics products for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). -CapIQ
*ARTICLES, ETC.*
NEJM
Two-Year Outcomes of Valoctocogene Roxaparvovec Therapy for Hemophilia A
cc: BMRN
Gene Therapy with Etranacogene Dezaparvovec for Hemophilia B
cc: QURE & CSL AU
Hemophilia A Gene Therapy — Some Answers, More Questions
Rucaparib or Physician’s Choice in Metastatic Prostate Cancer
cc: MRK, AZN LN | AZN SS | AZN, GSK LN | GSK, PFE
Reuters
GSK's ViiV says study shows its long-acting HIV shot as effective as Gilead's daily pill
cc: GSK LN | GSK, PFE, & 4507 JT x GILD
Stat
Biotech rents hold firm as demand for lab space slumps
Life science vacancy levels across major biotech hubs increased throughout last year, from 4.8% in the first quarter of 2022 to 7.5% during the fourth quarter, according to data from JLL.
cc: ARE
Charles River suspends shipments of monkeys used in research amid federal probe
Charles River is not the only company to hit the pause button as a result of the federal investigation.
cc: CRL
Bloomberg
Bill Gates Buys Stake in Heineken for $902 Million
The Microsoft founder and philanthropist last week picked up 3.8% of Heineken Holding, according to a filing by the Dutch regulator AFM.
He bought 6.65 million shares in Heineken Holding, in his individual capacity, and another 4.18 million shares through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust.
Heineken Holding controls 50% of Heineken NV, maker of the namesake beer as well as Amstel, Moretti, and Sol among others.
cc: HEIA NA, HEIO NA
Watchfinder Cuts Prices 15% as Rolex and Patek Philippe Values Slide
Average price of £7,000 continues for watches put up for sale
Rolex remains the most popular brand in pre-owned market
Evaluate
All quiet on the deal front... or perhaps it’s just February
US deal watchdog's bark could be worse than its bite
Chills in the biopharma M&A market are frequently blamed on the FTC. But is the agency really stopping deals from happening?
Financial Times
These two stories jumping off the screen, whatever the macro narrative is - companies are most definitely taking the opportunity to clean house..
Rolls-Royce launches sweeping review in turnround bid
New chief Tufan Erginbilgic vows UK’s flagship engineering group is capable of much more
cc: RR. LN
Anglo American takes $1.7bn writedown on Yorkshire fertiliser mine
Mining group estimates it would spend $1bn a year to bring Woodsmith mine into production by 2027
cc: AAL LN
Reuters
Toyota accepts union demands for biggest wage hike in two decades
Deal sets a benchmark for Japan's auto industry - Toyota exec
Honda agrees with union to raise pay by 5%
Japan battling highest inflation in 40 years
cc: 7203 JT | TM