This year has been one to forget for these pharmaceutical giants.Pfizer (PFE +1.20%) and Merck (MRK +0.71%) are two pharmaceutical giants that have lagged broader equities this year. Both have delivered unimpressive financial results recently, and are facing a somewhat uncertain medium-term outlook as they seek ways to navigate upcoming patent cliffs.Both could make significant progress toward that goal in 2026, but which one is the better option for investors heading into the new year? Let's find out. The ...

Key Takeaways MRK faces major headwinds as Keytruda, its top revenue driver, nears the loss of exclusivity in 2028.Declining Gardasil sales due to weak China demand and lower vaccine uptake in Japan ail MRK.MRK is counting on Capvaxive, Winrevair and strategic cost savings to help counter patent/pricing headwinds.Merck (MRK) is expected to face some notable headwinds over the next few years that could affect its long-term growth outlook, the most significant being the upcoming loss of exclusivity (“LOE”) fo ...

We recently published 12 Stocks on Jim Cramer’s Radar.  Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramer's radar. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Its shares are flat year-to-date and would have been lower had it not been for a run that started on November 3rd. During this time period, Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) has benefited from several catalysts, which include optimistic data about its heart drug called Winrevair. On November 18t ...

The most talked about and market moving research calls around Wall Street are now in one place. Here are today's research calls that investors need to know, as compiled by The Fly.Top 5 Upgrades: BofA upgraded Micron (MU) to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $300, up from $250. Though there may be some volatility in AI demand, HBM is sold out again throughout calendar 2026 and customers are engaged in multi-year agreements, positioning Micron for a potentially more sustainable upcycle than in prior ...

电话会议纪要分析：Pyxis Oncology MCVO 临床数据更新 涉及的行业或公司 * 公司：Pyxis Oncology (NasdaqGS:PYXS)，一家专注于肿瘤学的生物技术公司[1] * 行业：肿瘤治疗，特别是头颈鳞状细胞癌领域[4] * 核心产品：MCVO，一种首创的靶向细胞外基质蛋白EDB+FN的抗体偶联药物[6] 核心观点和论据 1. MCVO单药疗法在头颈癌中显示出强劲疗效 * 在5.4 mg/kg剂量组的13名患者中，确认的客观缓解率为46%，疾病控制率为92%[4] * 在队列一（既往接受过铂类和PD-1治疗的患者）中，确认的客观缓解率达到60%[20] * 观察到快速且深度的肿瘤消退，包括肿瘤大小超过100毫米的患者[24] * 疗效与HPV状态无关，在HPV阳性和HPV状态不适用（非口咽部肿瘤）的患者中均观察到缓解[24] 2. MCVO与帕博利珠单抗联合疗法显示出同类最佳的潜力 * 在剂量递增阶段的7名一线和二线及以上患者中，确认的客观缓解率为71%，疾病控制率为100%[5] * 联合疗法在3.6 mg/kg和4.4 mg/kg剂量下已清除，目前正在测试5.4 mg/kg剂量[5] * 联合疗法的安全性优异，在3.6和4.4 mg/kg剂量下未观察到3级、4级或5级不良事件[39] * 疗效跨越不同的CPS状态和既往治疗方案[38] 3. MCVO具有独特的作用机制 * MCVO靶向EDB+FN，这是一种与肿瘤生长和转移相关的纤维连接蛋白剪接变体，在肿瘤中表达但在正常组织中不表达[6] * 作用机制基于三个关键方面：1) 有效载荷在肿瘤细胞外基质中裂解并直接扩散到肿瘤细胞中杀死它们；2) 触发旁观者效应；3) 通过免疫原性细胞死亡激活T细胞并帮助其浸润肿瘤[10] * 该机制允许MCVO与多种药物联合使用，特别是检查点抑制剂，以增强免疫系统的杀伤能力[11] 4. 头颈癌市场存在重大未满足需求 * 头颈癌是肿瘤学第六大市场，且相对不拥挤，为新疗法提供了空间[12] * 当前治疗选择有限，主要基于CPS状态使用化疗药物、检查点抑制剂或西妥昔单抗[13] * 随着下一代EGFR疗法进入市场，预计将出现基于CPS和HPV状态的更细分市场，但HPV阳性或CPS<1的患者在一线治疗中仍将服务不足[14] * 二线和三线治疗市场存在巨大真空，为MCVO等新机制提供了机会[15] 5. 公司已制定明确的临床开发计划 * 计划在2026年中期提供单药剂量扩展研究的成熟数据，目标是在每个队列中招募约20名患者[56] * 计划在2026年下半年提供联合剂量递增研究的额外数据，包括更稳健的头颈癌数据集[43] * 已与FDA就单药关键研究的设计达成一致，计划采用随机对照设计，对照组为西妥昔单抗、甲氨蝶呤或多西他赛[58] * 正在评估MCVO在头颈癌及其他肿瘤类型（如乳腺癌、肉瘤、肺癌、卵巢癌）中的潜在应用[89] 其他重要但可能被忽略的内容 1. 患者特征和疗效的相关性 * 在单药研究中，三分之二的患者既往接受过紫杉烷类治疗，但未观察到紫杉烷类使用带来的耐药性[23] * 所有患者均既往接受过铂类和检查点抑制剂治疗[23] * 在队列二（既往接受过PD-1和EGFR治疗的患者）中，确认的客观缓解率为25%，超过了PI驱动的20%最低疗效基准[22] * 平均而言，缓解者接受的既往治疗较少（约2.2种），而疾病控制患者接受的既往治疗较多（约4种）[25] 2. 安全性管理和剂量优化策略 * MCVO在5.4 mg/kg剂量下显示出可管理的安全性，无4级或5级事件[32] * 观察到一些3级神经病变和中性粒细胞减少症病例，以及一例眼部毒性和一例肺炎[32] * 公司正在从毫克/千克给药方式转向调整后的理想体重给药方式，以减少超重患者的不良事件风险[33] * 调整后的理想体重方法将确保体重过轻的患者获得足够的药物暴露，同时减少超重患者的过量暴露[49] * 公司正在探索剂量减少、剂量延迟和替代给药方案等策略来优化获益-风险比[32] 3. 操作进展和患者招募 * 公司已从普通一期临床试验站点转向头颈癌专家临床试验站点，这导致了患者招募的曲棍球棒效应[19] * 在单药研究中，最初的人口统计数据更偏向HPV阳性患者，但随着全球站点的扩展，预计未来将有更平衡的人口统计特征[22] * 在联合研究中，所有7名患者均为HPV阳性，但随着更多全球站点上线，预计未来将有更平衡的HPV患者入组[37] * 公司正在积极招募既往接受过Merus、Bycara和强生下一代EGFR治疗的患者进入队列二研究[21] 4. 独特的患者案例和疗效持久性信号 * 一名患者因后勤原因停止治疗后，完全缓解保持了六个月[30] * 一名患有疣状亚型鳞状细胞癌的患者是唯一出现早期疾病进展的头颈癌患者，这被认为是一个异常值[26] * 在游泳者图中观察到，一些患者在停止治疗后仍保持缓解或疾病稳定，这可能与免疫原性细胞死亡机制有关[29] * 公司计划在2026年提供初步的持久性数据[27] 5. 转化医学见解和生物标志物 * 靶点表达是必要的，但不足以产生临床反应，肿瘤微环境中的其他因素（如pH水平和细胞外蛋白酶的存在）也会影响肿瘤对MCVO的敏感性[8] * 使用AI数字病理学工具观察到，不同肿瘤类型中非细胞元素的几何结构存在差异，这会影响有效载荷的渗透[9] * 在头颈癌中，纤维连接蛋白片层组织整齐、规则且线性，允许有效载荷无阻碍地穿过细胞外基质[9] * 公司正在研究循环肿瘤DNA作为反应测量指标，并计划在未来的数据披露中提供更多见解[101] 6. 竞争格局和联合治疗潜力 * MCVO的机制与头颈癌领域的其他药物（如下一代EGFR疗法）正交，因此具有联合治疗的潜力[86] * 公司认为MCVO可以替代化疗，与其他药物（包括下一代EGFR疗法）联合使用[87] * 随着下一代EGFR疗法的进展，对HPV阴性或HPV状态不适用患者的竞争可能会缓解，为MCVO创造更多机会[82] * 公司计划在2026年提供关于剂量优化（Project Optimus）和关键研究设计的更多细节[73]

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is included among the 12 Best Dogs of the Dow to Invest in. BofA Turns More Positive on Merck (MRK) Pipeline Photo by Dan Dennis on Unsplash On December 15, BofA raised its price target on Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) to $120 from $105 and kept a Buy rating. The analyst said the stock is starting to look more appealing as the pipeline has “rounded out,” and noted that the firm is now basing its valuation on a new FY27 EPS estimate. That optimism comes against a mixed backd ...

Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) on Wednesday shared topline results from the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-B15 trial (also known as EV-304) in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who are eligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy. • Merck & Co stock is showing upward bias. What’s ahead for MRK stock?The trial showed Keytruda (pembrolizumab) plus Padcev (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv), given as neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment (before and after surgery), demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meani ...

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is included among the 15 Best Blue-Chip Stocks with Growing Dividends. Merck (MRK) Price Target Lifted at Morgan Stanley as Biopharma Outlook Improves Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash On December 12, Morgan Stanley lifted its price target on Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) to $102 from $100. The firm kept an Equal Weight rating on the stock. In its 2026 outlook for the biopharma space, the firm said many of the policy concerns that weighed on the sector this year are likely to ...

Each company has a bullish case, but three stand out as great long-term buys.The Dow Jones, formally known as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), is one of the U.S. stock market's three main indexes, alongside the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite. It tracks 30 of the largest American companies on the market, aiming to give insight into the health of the U.S. stock market.Since the Dow Jones typically tracks large, mature companies, those companies generally pay a dividend. The only exceptions are Amazon, w ...

We recently published 7 Best ASX Stocks to Buy Right Now.  Immutep Limited (NASDAQ:IMMP) is one of the best ASX stocks. Immutep Limited (NASDAQ:IMMP) is a biotechnology company developing therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. The firm’s shares underwent notable traction earlier this week after Indian firm Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd.’s subsidiary entered into an agreement with its subsidiary to develop and commercialize a drug outside countries in North America, Europe, Japan, and Greater China. ...