Category Archives: Immunology

Swedish Orphan Biovitrum : New research uncovers the toll rare diseases take on relationships – marketscreener.com

February 28, 2020 medical

According to a new survey from rare disease company Sobi, 28 per cent of people living with a rare condition, and their caregivers, say the disease has caused a relationship to end. 41 percent state that a rare disease has prevented them from starting a new romantic relationship.

There are approximately 6,700 rare diseases affecting fewer than 1 out of 2,000 people. Approximately 350 million people around the world are diagnosed with one or more rare diseases (1)."This is the first time we have studied how rare diseases can affect relationships. We know that close relationships are a vital part of life and we believe that is particularly relevant for people living with a rare condition," said Jennifer Cain Birkmose, Global Head of Patient Access and Community Engagement at Sobi.

28 percent of the respondents in Sobi's study said a rare disease was the reason a relationship ended. Almost half (43 percent) said the disease has been a barrier in all their relationships, either romantic or friendship. 41 percent believed the disease has prevented them from starting a new romantic relationship.

Cain Birkmose said that the study results also highlight the effect on the people closest to those living with a rare disease.

"It's important to keep in mind that broader networks of family, friends and care teams are also impacted. Rare Disease Day is a reminder to listen closely to the rare disease community to gain a deeper understanding of their needs, so we can then work together to raise awareness and improve treatment possibilities," she said.

About the study

The survey was conducted online in the USA, Italy, Germany, Spain, Sweden and the UK among patients and caregivers Patients had to have a rare medical condition from the National Organisation for Rare Disorders list(https://rarediseases.org/for-patients-and-families/information-resources/rare-disease-information/). Caregivers had to be caring for someone with a rare medical condition from the NORD list Fieldwork took place from the 5[th] until the 13[th] February and 200 interviews were conducted in total Research was conducted on behalf of Sobi by Phoenix Marketing International

For more informationRare Disease Day: http://www.rarediseaseday.orgRare diseases: https://www.rarediseaseday.org/article/what-is-a-rare-disease

About SobiSobi is a specialised international biopharmaceutical company transforming the lives of people with rare diseases. Sobi is providing sustainable access to innovative therapies in the areas of haematology, immunology and specialty indications. Today, Sobi employs approximately 1,300 people across Europe, North America, the Middle East, Russia and North Africa. In 2019, Sobi's revenues amounted to SEK 14.2 billion. Sobi's share (STO:SOBI) is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. You can find more information about Sobi at sobi.com.

For more information please contact

Paula Treutiger, Head of Communication & Investor Relations+ 46 733 666 599paula.treutiger@sobi.com

Linda Holmstrm, Corporate Communication & Investor Relations+ 46 708 734 095linda.holmstrom@sobi.com

(1)www.agrenska.se/Sallsynta-diagnoser/

Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (publ)Postal address SE-112 76 Stockholm, SwedenPhone: 46 8 697 20 00 http://www.sobi.com

https://news.cision.com/swedish-orphan-biovitrum-ab/r/new-research-uncovers-the-toll-rare-diseases-take-on-relationships,c3048426

https://mb.cision.com/Main/14266/3048426/1202450.pdf

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Swedish Orphan Biovitrum : New research uncovers the toll rare diseases take on relationships - marketscreener.com

Immunology

Allergists Offer Advice to Parents of Kids With Food Allergies – The New York Times

February 27, 2020 medical

The allergists also talked about creating thoughtful and balanced communication, having credible health information to share with children, and supporting a positive feedback loop between parents and children rather than one that builds anxiety. "Parents should be encouraged to transfer their knowledge to children, not all of their worries," one expert remarked.

"Psychosocial coping with food allergies can be understood and managed when clear communication is present between parents and children and between healthcare providers and patients," Gupta said. "It is a balance between lots of sound medical information and a good understanding of a child's risks and coping resources."

Coping is often impeded by misinformation about food allergies, the experts said, so it's important for parents to receive consistent messaging and counseling for the family, if necessary.

"You are taking care of the kids, but you are (also) managing the family unit, as you should be," one allergist said.

Brochures, apps, virtual groups and other educational materials can offer scientifically informed resources for parents and kids to manage food allergies. Gupta and colleagues are now collecting information in an online survey about the coping strategies and integrative medicine that parents and children have used.

"It's important for families to know that it's normal to be stressed about food allergy and feel overwhelmed, worried, sad or frustrated at times," said Linda Herbert, director of the Psychosocial Services Program for the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C.

"But it's equally important to know that they can get help from a professional," Herbert, who wasn't involved in the study, told Reuters Health by email. "The mental health and allergy communities are paying more and more attention to the needs of food allergy families, and we are working hard to increase the number of mental health professionals who are equipped to do so."

SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2utQCOm Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, online February 25, 2020.

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Immunology

World Flow Cytometry Industry Outlook, 2020-2027 – Featuring Company Profiles for Agilent Technologies, Thermo Fisher Scientific, BD & Co,…

February 27, 2020 medical

DUBLIN, Feb. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Flow Cytometry Market by Product and Solution (Consumables, Instrument, Software, Service), Technology (Cell-based, Bead-based), Application (Cancer, Immunology, Hematology), and End-user (Pharmaceutical, Biotech, Academia) - Global Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

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The global flow cytometry market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.2% from 2019 to 2027 to reach $6.36 billion by 2027.

The growth in the overall flow cytometry market is mainly attributed to rising global incidence and prevalence of chronic diseases, increasing adoption of flow cytometry techniques in research and academia, and growing initiatives in the field of immunology and immuno-oncology researches. In addition, evolving pipeline for stem cell research and adoption of recombinant DNA technology for antibody production will further provide significant opportunities for the various stakeholders in this market.

The overall flow cytometry market is mainly segmented by product and solution (instruments, software, accessories, services), technology (cell-based flow cytometry, bead-based flow cytometry), application (research, clinical, and industrial), end user (research and academic institutes, diagnostic laboratories, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies), and geography.

On the basis of technology, bead-based technology segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Procedural advantages offered by this technology over other cell-based technologies (such as ELISA and western blot), including its capacity to detect multiple analytes, high reproducibility, stability, and speed are expected to propel its growth.

On the basis of product and solution, the consumables and reagents segment accounted for the largest share of the overall flow cytometry market in 2019. Frequent utilization of application-specific reagents and assays by the end users is supporting the growth of this segment.

On the basis of application area, drug discovery segment held the largest share of the overall flow cytometry market in 2019. A wide variety of flow cytometry methods with the implementation of multi-parameter intracellular flow cytometric analysis have been employed at different stages of drug discovery and development. The growing demand for such advanced technologies used during drug discovery processes to simplify complicated cell analysis procedures is expected to drive the growth of this segment.

Based on end user, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies segment accounted for the largest share of this market in 2019. Increasing chronic cases leading to the development of new drugs and rise in R&D expenditure by companies is contributing to the growth of this segment.

An in-depth analysis of the geographical scenario of the flow cytometry market provides detailed qualitative and quantitative insights about the five major geographies (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa) along with the coverage of major countries in each region. North America commanded the largest share of the global flow cytometry market in 2019, followed by Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

The key players operating in the global flow cytometry market are Agilent Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.), Apogee Flow Systems Ltd. (U.K.), Sysmex Partec GmbH (Germany), Luminex Corporation (U.S.), Miltenyi Biotec GmbH (Germany), Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.), bioMerieux S.A. (France), Cytonome/ST LLC (U.S.), Beckman Coulter, Inc. (U.S.), and Becton, Dickinson and Company (U.S.) among others.

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Key Topics Covered

1. Introduction1.1. Market Definition1.2. Market Ecosystem1.3. Currency1.4. Key Stakeholders

2. Research Methodology

3. Executive Summary

4. Market Dynamics4.1. Introduction4.2. Drivers4.2.1. Rising Incidence and Prevalence of Chronic Diseases4.2.2. Growing Initiatives in the Field of Immunology and Immuno-Oncology Researches4.2.3. Adoption of Flow Cytometry Techniques in Research and Academia4.2.4. Flow Cytometry Based Technological Advancements4.3. Restraint4.3.1. Lack of Skilled Professionals4.4. Opportunities4.4.1. Growing Research Activities in Stem Cells4.4.2. Emerging Markets4.4.3. Adoption of Recombinant DNA Technology for Antibody Production4.5. Challenges4.5.1. Inadequate Research infrastructure across Emerging Countries4.5.2. Complexities Related to Reagent Development

5. Flow Cytometry Market, by Product & Solution5.1. Introduction5.2. Consumables and Reagents5.3. Instruments5.3.1. Cell Analyzers5.3.2. Cell Sorters5.4. Software5.5. Accessories5.6. Services

6. Flow Cytometry Market, by Technology6.1. Introduction6.2. Cell-Based Flow Cytometry6.3. Bead-Based Flow Cytometry

7. Flow Cytometry Market, by Application7.1. Introduction7.2. Research Applications7.2.1. Drug Discovery7.2.2. Stem Cell Research7.2.3. Immunology7.2.4. Cell Sorting7.2.5. Apoptosis7.2.6. Other Research Applications7.3. Clinical Applications7.3.1. Cancer7.3.2. Organ Transplantation7.3.3. Immunodeficiency Diseases7.3.4. Hematology7.3.5. Other Clinical Applications7.4. Industrial Applications

8. Flow Cytometry Market, by End-user8.1. Introduction8.2. Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies8.3. Diagnostic Laboratories8.4. Research & Academic institutes

9. Global Flow Cytometry Market, by Geography9.1. Introduction9.2. North America9.2.1. U.S.9.2.2. Canada9.3. Europe9.3.1. Germany9.3.2. France9.3.3. U.K.9.3.4. Italy9.3.5. Spain9.3.6. Rest of Europe9.4. Asia-Pacific9.4.1. Japan9.4.2. China9.4.3. India9.4.4. Rest of Asia-Pacific9.5. Latin America9.6. Middle East & Africa

10. Competitive Landscape10.1. Introduction10.2. Key Growth Strategies10.3. Competitive Benchmarking10.4. Market Share Analysis (2018)

11. Company Profiles(Business Overview, Financial Overview, Product Portfolio, Strategic Developments)11.1. Agilent Technologies Inc.11.2. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.11.3. Becton, Dickinson & Company11.4. bioMerieux S.A.11.5. Beckman Coulter Inc. (Subsidiary of Danaher Corporation)11.6. Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc.11.7. Luminex Corporation11.8. Cytonome/St, LLC11.9. Apogee Flow Systems Ltd.11.10. Sysmex Partec GmbH (Subsidiary of Sysmex Corporation)11.11. Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG

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Immunology

Roche To Top $66 Billion In Sales By 2020, Led By Neuroscience – Trefis

February 27, 2020 medical

Roche Holdings(OTCMKTS:RHHBY) revenue grew at a CAGR of 5.3% from $52.5 billion in 2015 to $64.4 billion in 2019, and it is estimated to top $66 billion in 2020, led by its Neuroscience drugs. The companys oncology drugs will account for 45% of the companys total sales in 2020, but Neuroscience drugs are key to the near term revenue growth, in our view.Oncology drugs are expected to be the single-biggest revenue driver with $30.1 billion in revenues (45% of Total Revenues), which is 5.7x the size of its Neuroscience drugs revenue in 2020. Neuroscience drugs revenues, which includes Ocrevus and Modopar among other drugs, will be the fastest-growing segment adding $3.7 billion over 2017-2020 (32% of $11.6 billion in incremental revenues). Oncology drugs revenues, which includes Herceptin, Perjeta, Tecentriq, and Avastin among other drugs, will add about $3.4 billion over 2017-2020 (29% of the $11.6 billion in incremental revenue). Look at our interactive dashboard analysis on Roches Revenues for more details, parts of which are highlighted below.

Roches Revenue Has Been On A Rise Over The Last Few Years

Roche Has One of The Largest Oncology Drugs Portfolio, But It Is Expected To See A Decline Going Forward.

Ocrevus Has Been The Best Drug Launch Ever For Roche, Boosting Its Neuroscience Drugs Portfolio

Other Therapeutic Drugs Could Also See Growth In The Near Term

Among Other Segments, In-Vitro Diagnostics Could Continue To Grow At A Steady Pace, While Immunology, Ophthalmology, And Virology Drugs Could See A Decline

See allTrefis Price EstimatesandDownloadTrefis Datahere

Whats behind Trefis? See How Its Powering New Collaboration and What-Ifs ForCFOs and Finance Teams|Product, R&D, and Marketing Teams

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Roche To Top $66 Billion In Sales By 2020, Led By Neuroscience - Trefis

Immunology

Research Funding Available for Preeclampsia and Related Pregnancy Disorders – P&T Community

February 27, 2020 medical

MELBOURNE, Fla., Feb. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --The Preeclampsia Foundation announced that applications are now being accepted for its 2020 Vision Grant program.

The Preeclampsia Foundation will award up to two medical research Vision Grants to study preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, up to $20,000 USD each. The Foundation's Canadian affiliate, Preeclampsia Foundation Canada, will also award up to two Vision Grants up to $20,000 CAD each, to a Canadian researcher.

Vision Grants are intended to provide initial funding for novel, innovative research by promising young investigators that will advance progress towards detection, prevention, or treatment of preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Post-doctoral, Clinical Fellows, or Early Stage Investigators only are eligible to apply. Projects with potential to alter clinical management and improve patient outcomes will receive priority, but any well-considered research proposal will be accepted for review.International applications are welcome; however,submissions must be in English.

Application deadline is May 8, 2020, with award notification in August 2020. Instructions can be found at http://www.preeclampsia.org/research/research-funding (US) or http://www.preeclampsiacanada.ca (Canada).

Since its inception, the Preeclampsia Foundation's Vision Grant annual program has invested more than $550,000 in novel research ranging from molecular biology and immunology to potential therapies, with the goal of supporting new, potentially groundbreaking concepts. These results have, in turn, generated additional funding from the National Institutes of Health, earned scientific presentations at major conferences, and inspired young investigators to challenge a medical conundrum that has baffled the medical community for more than 2,400 years.

"We look forward to receiving diverse, quality applications again this year," said Dr. Thomas Easterling, director of the Preeclampsia Foundation's Medical Advisory Board. "There has been significant progress toward understanding preeclampsia during the past two decades, but there's much more research that needs to be done. We're pleased to be able to fuel this work through our Vision Grants for young investigators."

"It's exciting to be part of research and innovation that will lead to improved maternal and infant health and someday a cure," said Violet Mateljan, President of the Preeclampsia Foundation Canada Board of Directors."Preeclampsia Foundation Canada is very proud to be able to support a junior researcher with a Vision Grant in Canada."

About the Preeclampsia Foundation Vision Grant Award program:Funds medical research pertaining to the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

About the Preeclampsia Foundation: The Preeclampsia Foundation is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2000. It is dedicated to providing patient support and education, raising public awareness, catalyzing research, and improving healthcare practices, envisioning a world where preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy no longer threaten the lives of mothers and babies.For more information, visit http://www.preeclampsia.org.

About Preeclampsia Foundation Canada: Preeclampsia Foundation Canada was incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act in May 2015. As an affiliate of the U.S. based Preeclampsia Foundation, its mission is to raise awareness and advance education and research of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. For more information, visit http://www.preeclampsiacanada.ca.

Contact: Valerie Holloway (321) 421-6957 234909@email4pr.com

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Immunology

What Happens With AbbVie If Its Allergan Buyout Is Blocked? – Motley Fool

February 26, 2020 medical

A deal isn't done until the ink dries on the paper. And for AbbVie's (NYSE:ABBV) pending acquisition of Allergan (NYSE:AGN), the ink hasn't dried yet.

AbbVie first announced plans to buy Allergan in June 2019. CEO Rick Gonzalez stated in the company's Q4 conference call earlier this month that the deal was on track to close in the first quarter of 2020.

But now there's a threat that could prevent the transaction from receiving regulatory clearance from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). What happens for AbbVie if its Allergan buyout is blocked?

Image source: Getty Images.

A coalition of consumer groups and trade unions representing over 10 millions subscribers and members oppose AbbVie's takeover of Allergan. These organizations sent a letter to the director of the FTC's Bureau of Competition on Feb. 18, stating that Allergan's sale ofbrazikumab to AstraZenecaisn't enough to address the anti-competitive impact of the acquisition.

AstraZeneca initially developedbrazikumab. The drug is currently in mid-stage clinical studies for treating Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Allergan's divestiture of the immunology drug enabled AstraZeneca to recover its full commercialization rights.

But the allied consumer groups and trade unions are concerned that AstraZeneca won't be able to compete against AbbVie's immunology juggernaut. These groups pointed out in the letter to the FTC that AstraZeneca wasn't able to bringbrazikumab to the market in the past and doesn't have the immunology infrastructure in place to be successful against AbbVie.

The consumer groups and unions are also worried that AbbVie will gain increased bargaining leverage with payers by picking up Allergan's lineup of drugs. Allergan claims current blockbuster products including Botox and a fast-rising star in antipsychotic drug Vraylar.

What would AbbVie's backup plan be if the FTC blocks its acquisition of Allergan? For one thing, the company wouldn't probably walk away from the deal without putting up a fight. It's spent too much time and money trying to make the acquisition happen to immediately throw in the towel.

If, however, the transaction does fall apart, it seems likely that AbbVie would go back to the drawing board to identify other potential transformative acquisitions. The problem is that if the FTC scuttles the Allergan buyout, it would probably be opposed to nearly any major deal that AbbVie might want to make.

One possible candidate that would be an intriguing pick for AbbVie is Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX). The only significant overlap between the two companies' pipelines and product lineups is in cystic fibrosis (CF). But AbbVie's CF drugs are only in early-stage development, while Vertex claims four FDA-approved CF drugs.

Vertex and Allergan have similar market caps. However, the price tag for AbbVie to acquire Vertex would probably have to be well above what it plans to pay for Allergan because of Vertex's strong growth prospects. It's also doubtful that Vertex would be interested in an acquisition at this point.

Another potential plan B strategy for AbbVie would be to go with the "string-of-pearls" approach and scoop up multiple smaller biotech stocks. The problem with this, though, is that AbbVie is looking for reliable revenue to reduce its dependence on Humira. A string-of-pearls shopping spree wouldn't likely achieve the big drugmaker's objective.

AbbVie could also go back to its roots and acquire a medical device maker instead of a biopharmaceutical company. Before it was a stand-alone company, AbbVie was part of Abbott Labs, which ranks as one of the biggest medical device makers in the world. The chances that AbbVie would take this course of action, though, are probably really low.

The most likely scenario of all for AbbVie is that it doesn't have to find a plan B at all. AbbVie has already obtained a green light from the European Union for its buyout of Allergan. Allergan soldZenpep in addition tobrazikumab to grease the wheels for the EU's blessing. It also sold pancreatic enzymeViokace as a sweetener to gain FTC approval.

It's still possible that the FTC could block AbbVie's acquisition of Allergan. However, any arguments that the deal will significantly boost the company's competitive position in immunology or oncology don't appear to be compelling ones. Look for the ink to dry on the $63 billion transaction sooner rather than later.

Immunology

Flow Cytometry Market, Forecast to 2027 – Growing Research Activities in Stem Cells, Adoption of Recombinant DNA Technology for Antibody Production -…

February 26, 2020 medical

Dublin, Feb. 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Flow Cytometry Market by Product and Solution (Consumables, Instrument, Software, Service), Technology (Cell-based, Bead-based), Application (Cancer, Immunology, Hematology), and End-user (Pharmaceutical, Biotech, Academia) - Global Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global flow cytometry market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.2% from 2019 to 2027 to reach $6.36 billion by 2027.

Key Topics Covered

1. Introduction1.1. Market Definition1.2. Market Ecosystem1.3. Currency1.4. Key Stakeholders

2. Research Methodology

3. Executive Summary

5. Flow Cytometry Market, by Product & Solution5.1. Introduction5.2. Consumables and Reagents5.3. Instruments5.3.1. Cell Analyzers5.3.2. Cell Sorters5.4. Software5.5. Accessories5.6. Services

6. Flow Cytometry Market, by Technology6.1. Introduction6.2. Cell-Based Flow Cytometry6.3. Bead-Based Flow Cytometry

8. Flow Cytometry Market, by End-user8.1. Introduction8.2. Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies8.3. Diagnostic Laboratories8.4. Research & Academic institutes

10. Competitive Landscape10.1. Introduction10.2. Key Growth Strategies10.3. Competitive Benchmarking10.4. Market Share Analysis (2018)

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Immunology

Is It Too Late to Buy High-Flying Galapagos? – Motley Fool

February 26, 2020 medical

Galapagos(NASDAQ:GLPG) galloped to all-time highs heading into this week. Although a pullback in the overall market has caused the biotech to give up some of its gains, Galapagos is still up close to 20% year to date and up around 150% over the past 12 months.

Some investors could view Galapagos as valued at a steep premium after its big run-up. But is it really too late to buy the high-flying biotech stock?

Image source: Getty Images.

The primary catalyst behind Galapagos' meteoric rise over the last year was its major collaboration deal signed with Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) in July last year. Gilead forked over $5.1 billion for the 10-year agreement, with a $3.95 billion upfront payment and a $1.1 billion equity investment in Galapagos.

Gilead and Galapagos were already partnering on immunology drug filgotinib. The new deal gave Gilead the rights to Galapagos' other late-stage pipeline candidate, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) drug GLPG1690. In addition, Gilead can exercise an option to license any of Galapagos' other candidates.

You can attribute Gilead's interest in Galapagos to the tremendous promise for filgotinib. The experimental drug sailed through late-stage clinical studies targeting rheumatoid arthritis with flying colors. Gilead and Galapagos filed for U.S. and European regulatory approvals for filgotinib in treating rheumatoid arthritis in 2019. Approvals are anticipated later this year in the indication.

And that could be just the start. Gilead and Galapagos are also evaluating filgotinib in other late-stage clinical studies in treating Crohn's disease, psoriatic arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. It's also in phase 2 clinical studies targetingankylosing spondylitis and other inflammatory diseases.

Just how successful filgotinib could be if it wins approval remains to be seen. But peak annual sales of close to $3 billion in treating rheumatoid arthritis and another $3 billion in treating other immunology indications could be possible. Filgotinib's safety profile and convenience (it's an oral medication instead of an injection) could boost its commercial success.

That kind of market potential might make Galapagos' current market cap of under $16 billion seem like a steal. However, it's important to remember that the biotech won't rake in all of the money that filgotinib could make.

Galapagos will market filgotinib on its own inBelgium,the NetherlandsandLuxembourg. It willsplit profits generated by filgotinib equally with Gilead in France,Germany,Italy,Spain, and theUnited Kingdom. In other countries, Galapagos stands to receive tiered royalties between 20% and 30%.

Based on AbbVie'sexperience with blockbuster drug Humira prior to it losing exclusivity in Europe, I expect somewhere around two-thirds of filgotinib's sales will be made in the U.S. If we use a peak annual sales estimate of $6 billion, that would give Galapagos a maximum of $1.2 billion from U.S. sales of the drug. Outside of the U.S., my back-of-the-napkin estimate is that Galapagos would make a little under $1 billion annually.

It's more difficult to predict the financial impact for Galapagos' other drugs. Galapagos thinks that the global market for IPF could be $5 billion by 2025. If we assumedGLPG1690 could capture half of that market, Galapagos would probably make around $750 million annually at peak sales due to its licensing deal with Gilead.

My numbers are admittedly very rough. However, I think that peak revenue from filgotinib andGLPG1690 could bring in somewhere in the ballpark of $3 billion for Galapagos in the future. The company's other earlier-stage programs could boost its sales. In addition, Galapagos is eligible to receive some hefty milestone payments from Gilead if all goes well.

Still, though, we're looking at a stock that currently trades at more than five times sales that it might achieve sometime in the future. I like the potential for Galapagos' products. However, I think that there are other biotech stocks with more room to run. My view is that it is a little too late to jump on the Galapagos bandwagon.

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Is It Too Late to Buy High-Flying Galapagos? - Motley Fool

Immunology

What’s Behind Mallinckrodt’s Better-Than-Expected Q4 Results – Motley Fool

February 26, 2020 medical

Investors could be experiencing whiplash from the big up-and-down swings forMallinckrodt(NYSE:MNK). There have been at least half a dozen moves of at least 20% for the stock in just the first two months of 2020.

Mallinckrodt announced its 2019 fourth-quarter and full-year results before the market opened on Tuesday. And the stock had yet another big jump. Here are the highlights from the company's Q4 update.

Image source: Getty Images.

Mallinckrodt announced Q4 revenue of $804.9 million, down from the $834.9 million reported in the same quarter of the previous year. This result topped the average analysts' revenue estimate of $772.52 million.

The company reported a net loss in the fourth quarter of $1.2 billion, or $13.76 per share, based ongenerally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). This reflected considerable improvement from the GAAP net loss of $3.7 billion, or $44.64 per share, in the prior-year period.

Mallinckrodt's non-GAAP adjusted bottom line looked much better, though. The company posted adjusted net income of $2.40 per share, up 10% year over year. It also easily beat the Wall Street consensus earnings estimate of $2.05 per share.

The drugmaker's biggest segment didn't perform very well in Q4. Net sales for Mallinckrodt's specialty brands segment slipped 6.3% year over year to $611.4 million. Sales for Acthar Gel sank 17.8% to $232.6 million due to continued reimbursement headwinds. Net sales for Amitiza fell 21.2% to $50.9 million in the wake of increased competition.

There were some bright spots, though. Net sales for Inomax climbed 3.7% year over year to $143.8 million. Ofirmev's net sales jumped 28.2% to $111.8 million. Net sales for the Therakos immunology platform increased by 11.1% year over year to $63.3 million.

Mallinckrodt's specialty generics segment also performed relatively well. Fourth-quarter net sales for the segment rose 6% year over year to $193.5 million.

The company's GAAP bottom line improved significantly from the prior-year period, primarily due to a bigger non-restructuring impairment charge in the fourth quarter of 2018. This was partially offset, however, by a $1.64 million opioid litigation settlement charge in Q4 of 2019.

Mallinckrodt's biggest news of the day wasn't its Q4 results. The company also announced an agreement in principle to settle all remaining opioid claims against it and its subsidiaries. This agreement involves Mallinckrodt's specialty generics businesses filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Mallinckrodt would pay $1.6 billion over eight years and fork over warrants that would allow a trust set up as part of the agreement to buy 19.99% of the company's outstanding shares.

Investors liked the deal, with the pharma stock rising as much as 51.7% on Tuesday at one point. The agreement would enable Mallinckrodt to finally remove the dark cloud that's been hovering over its head related to opioid litigation. It would also allow the company's specialty brands business to avoid bankruptcy.

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What's Behind Mallinckrodt's Better-Than-Expected Q4 Results - Motley Fool

Immunology

Severe, Difficult-to-Treat Asthma Benefits From Systematic Assessment – Pulmonology Advisor

February 26, 2020 medical

The majority of patients with severe and difficult-to-treat asthma who underwent systematic assessment improved significantly in at least one key asthma outcome, but with few reliable predicators of response, according to the results of an uncontrolled, observational study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.

In fact, about one-thirdof patients who require maintenance oral corticosteroids may be able todiscontinue steroid use completely after systematic evaluation.

Investigators sought to examine which patients with asthma would respond to systematic assessment and whether the oral corticosteroid burden can be reduced independent of the use of monoclonal biologic agents. They undertook a responder analysis for improvements in the following 4 domains: symptom control, quality of life, disease exacerbations, and airflow obstruction, all of which were evaluated 6 months after the initial assessment. To identify predictors of response, multivariate analyses were conducted for each of these domains. Changes in oral corticosteroid burden were measured as well, stratified by monoclonal biologic use initiated during the assessment.

Of 161 patients who wereassessed systematically, 64% exhibited a reduction in disease exacerbations,54% attained minimum clinically important differences regarding both symptomcontrol and quality of life, and 40% increased their forced expiratory volumein 1 second by 100 mL. Overall, 87% of the participants with asthmademonstrated improvement in at least one of the domains.

The most consistentpredictor of response across all of the domains was poorer baseline asthmastatus. A significant decrease in mean chronic oral corticosteroid dose wasobserved (from 11 mg to 5 mg; n=46; P <.001),even after the exclusion of 7 individuals who initiated monoclonal biologictherapy (from 11 mg to 5.6 mg; n=39; P <.001).

The study results may havebeen limited by the lack of follow-up duration, as the researchers did not assessresponse beyond 6 months.

The investigators concluded that the use of systematic assessment in patients with severe or difficult-to-treat asthma is beneficial for most of these individuals. However, [n]o single outcome was sufficient to assess patient response to interventions, and a combination of measures remains necessary in this area, the researchers added.

Disclosure: Several study authors declared affiliations with thepharmaceutical industry. Please see the original reference for a full list ofauthors disclosures.

Reference

Denton E, Lee J, Tay TR, et al. Systematic assessment for difficult and severe asthma improves outcomes and halves oral corticosteroid burden independent of monoclonal biologic use [published online January 15, 2020]. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2019.12.037

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Severe, Difficult-to-Treat Asthma Benefits From Systematic Assessment - Pulmonology Advisor