New York, Feb 22, 2026, 15:09 EST — Market closed
AbbVie (ABBV) heads into the new week after U.S. regulators approved a new first-line combination for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), pairing AstraZeneca’s Calquence with AbbVie’s Venclexta. The FDA said the regimen improved progression-free survival — the time before the disease worsens — versus standard chemoimmunotherapy in the AMPLIFY study. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
AbbVie shares last closed on Friday up 0.21% at $224.81. The broader market rose, but large pharma names were mixed, with Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer ending lower. (MarketWatch)
Why it matters now: AbbVie is leaning more on newer blockbusters as the company works through the loss of exclusivity for Humira. In its annual report, AbbVie said Skyrizi and Rinvoq together made up about 42% of 2025 net revenue, while it also pointed to Medicare drug price-setting pressure under the Inflation Reduction Act — including Botox selected for prices that would take effect in 2028. (SEC)
AbbVie called the newly approved regimen the first all-oral, fixed-duration option for previously untreated CLL patients — meaning treatment runs for a set period rather than indefinitely. “This FDA approval … expands choice and flexibility,” AbbVie oncology vice president Svetlana Kobina said, while CLL Society co-founder Dr. Brian Koffman said the decision gives patients “an all oral, time-limited option.” (AbbVie News Center)
AstraZeneca, which sells Calquence, said 77% of patients treated with Calquence plus venetoclax were progression free at three years in AMPLIFY, versus 67% for standard chemoimmunotherapy. Trial principal investigator Jennifer Brown of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute said continuous regimens “often come with side effects” that can become burdensome over time, and that the fixed-duration option gives physicians more flexibility. (AstraZeneca US)
On the Street, Barclays initiated coverage with an overweight rating and a $275 price target, arguing the market may be underestimating AbbVie’s operating leverage; analyst Carter Gould said the setup leaves room for valuation upside if proof-of-concept studies deliver. (Investing)
But the approval does not guarantee a smooth commercial lift. Uptake can hinge on how quickly payers cover the combination, how doctors weigh safety monitoring in real-world use, and whether patients stick with a time-limited approach when other targeted options are already entrenched.
Investors will get the first clean read on Monday, Feb. 23, when U.S. markets reopen, with AbbVie’s oncology messaging and pricing exposure likely to be back in focus after the FDA decision and the annual filing.
