Peptide News Digest

#Repatha

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Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) Q2 2026 Earnings Tuesday August 4 Beat Consensus and Raised Full-Year 2026 Revenue Guidance to $38.2-39.4 Billion (Midpoint $38.8 Billion Above the $37.7 Billion Consensus) With Adjusted EPS Guidance $22.30-23.50 (Midpoint $22.90 Above the $22.35 Consensus); Growth Drivers Include Repatha (Evolocumab PCSK9 Antibody) at $953 Million (+37% YoY), EVENITY at $714 Million (+38%), TEZSPIRE at $486 Million (+42%), and UPLIZNA at $335 Million (+90%); MariTide Phase 3 Obesity Program Continues Advancing With Multiple Trials Across Weight Management, Cardiovascular Outcomes, and Heart Failure Indications Though Cantor Fitzgerald Flagged a 4% Bone Mineral Density Decline From Phase 1 Data as a Potential Safety Concern

Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) reported Q2 2026 earnings Tuesday August 4, 2026 with a beat and raised full-year 2026 revenue guidance to $38.2-39.4 billion (midpoint $38.8 billion above the $37.7 billion analyst consensus). Adjusted EPS guidance is $22.30-23.50 (midpoint $22.90 above the $22.35 consensus). Growth-portfolio product performance drove the beat: Repatha (evolocumab, PCSK9 monoclonal antibody) reached $953 million (+37% year-over-year); EVENITY (romosozumab for osteoporosis) $714 million (+38%); TEZSPIRE (tezepelumab for severe asthma) $486 million (+42%); UPLIZNA (inebilizumab for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder) $335 million (+90%). The MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide, monthly-injectable antibody-peptide conjugate targeting GLP-1 and GIPR) Phase 3 obesity program continues advancing with multiple trials across weight management, cardiovascular outcomes, and heart failure indications; earnings-call commentary described 2026 as a year of disciplined MariTide data generation. Analyst scrutiny remains on the 4% bone mineral density decline observed in Phase 1 MariTide data (per Cantor Fitzgerald analysis) as a potential regulatory hurdle and safety disadvantage versus GLP-1 receptor agonist competitors. Amgen shares closed up 3.03% on August 4.

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Merck LIPFENDRA (Enlicitide) Post-Approval Analyst Coverage: Financial Analysts Model More Than $2 Billion in Peak Annual Sales After First Few Years on the Market, RBC Capital Markets Calls the Label 'The Cleanest in the PCSK9 Class' With Zero Contraindications or Hypersensitivity Warnings (Unlike Approved Injectable Competitors Amgen Repatha, Regeneron/Sanofi Praluent, and Novartis Leqvio), and Merck Confirms the CORALreef Outcomes Cardiovascular Trial (NCT06008756) Has Completed Enrollment at More Than 14,500 Participants to Test the Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality Question

Analyst coverage of Merck's LIPFENDRA (enlicitide) FDA approval (Thursday July 16) crystallized Friday. Financial analysts projected LIPFENDRA can generate more than $2 billion in annual sales after a few years on the market. RBC Capital Markets described the label as 'the cleanest in the PCSK9 class,' noting zero contraindications or hypersensitivity warnings, unlike the currently approved injectable PCSK9 competitors (Amgen Repatha/evolocumab, Regeneron/Sanofi Praluent/alirocumab, and Novartis Leqvio/inclisiran). In supporting Phase 3 data, LIPFENDRA statistically outperformed other oral non-statin drugs (Nexletol/bempedoic acid and Zetia/ezetimibe) in adjunctive hypercholesterolemia populations. LIPFENDRA continues to be evaluated in the large cardiovascular outcomes trial CORALreef Outcomes (NCT06008756), which Merck confirmed has completed enrollment with more than 14,500 participants. It is not yet known whether LIPFENDRA reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality; the outcomes trial will address that question. Additional data on the safety profile: in CORALreef Lipids, adverse-reaction frequencies were similar between LIPFENDRA and placebo; in CORALreef HeFH the most common adverse reactions more frequent versus placebo were diarrhea (7% vs. 2%) and dizziness (9% vs. 4%), with discontinuation rates similar to placebo.