Pharmaceuticals 14 February 2026 - 10 March 2026

Ligand Shares Hold Up in Biotech Rout While XOMA Deal Heads for Investor Vote
·······

Ligand Shares Hold Up in Biotech Rout While XOMA Deal Heads for Investor Vote

Ligand Pharmaceuticals shares moved higher on Tuesday. The stock outperformed biotech funds, which took a hit, as investors focused on upcoming management meetings and stayed active trading Ligand’s pending XOMA Royalty deal. The Nasdaq-listed stock was trading at $233.11 as of 12:53 p.m. EDT, up 1.4%. The SPDR S&P Biotech ETF was down 3.8% and the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF slid 3.0%. The SPY ETF, which tracks the S&P 500, edged up 0.1% and the QQQ, which follows the Nasdaq 100, added 0.4%.
June 2, 2026
Eli Lilly warns some Medicare patients may pay above $50 for weight-loss drugs
···

Eli Lilly warns some Medicare patients may pay above $50 for weight-loss drugs

Eli Lilly said Monday that some basic Medicare Part D plans could end up charging more than the touted $50 monthly out-of-pocket cap for its weight-loss drugs—a hitch in what had been one of the Biden administration’s marquee pledges around new obesity-drug coverage. Most plan options, according to Lilly, should still stick to the cap. Timing is key here: The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has set out details for the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, a temporary plan running from July 1 through Dec. 31, 2026. It will allow eligible Part D enrollees to access Zepbound or Wegovy for obesity with a $50 copay, before the wider BALANCE model comes online in 2027. GLP-1 drugs sit at the heart
March 10, 2026
Olema Pharmaceuticals Shares Sink More Than 40% After Roche Trial Miss
····

Olema Pharmaceuticals Shares Sink More Than 40% After Roche Trial Miss

Olema Pharmaceuticals tumbled over 40% in early Monday trading. Roche's oral breast cancer drug, giredestrant, missed its primary endpoint in a pivotal first-line trial, and investors saw that as a warning sign for Olema’s own lead candidate, palazestrant. This is significant—Olema belongs to a select cluster of biotechs backing oral drugs that inhibit or degrade the estrogen receptor, and Roche’s outcomes have served as a bellwether for the space before. After Roche unveiled upbeat Phase III data for giredestrant in November, Olema stock shot up over 220% premarket.
March 9, 2026
Xenon’s epilepsy drug posts strong Phase 3 data; XENE shares jump ahead of U.S. filing
···

Xenon’s epilepsy drug posts strong Phase 3 data; XENE shares jump ahead of U.S. filing

Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc reported Monday that its experimental epilepsy drug azetukalner reduced monthly focal onset seizures in a late-stage study, sparking a jump of over 40% in the stock before the bell. William Blair’s Myles Minter, in a note to clients, described the results as “unprecedented.” Xenon is feeling the heat as it waits to see if azetukalner can deliver enough for an approval push this year. That window is now off the table: the company says it’s aiming to file its New Drug Application in the third quarter of 2026.
March 9, 2026
Eli Lilly’s $449 Zepbound play: new “Employer Connect” targets workplace coverage gap
···

Eli Lilly’s $449 Zepbound play: new “Employer Connect” targets workplace coverage gap

Eli Lilly rolled out its “Employer Connect” platform Thursday, aiming to give U.S. employers a new way to expand access to the weight-loss drug Zepbound. The Zepbound KwikPen will be available through network pharmacies for $449—same price, all doses. Shares of Lilly slipped roughly 2% in late New York trading. “By enabling coverage outside traditional benefit designs, we lower barriers to treatment,” said Kevin Hern, senior VP at Lilly. Employers are under pressure to handle surging demand for GLP-1 obesity drugs—these treatments work by mimicking gut hormones to reduce hunger and stabilize blood sugar—while also keeping benefit expenses in check. Speaking with Fierce Healthcare, Hern said the goal is to “ease tensions” that have sidelined some employers, though workers’ final
March 6, 2026
Vanda Pharmaceuticals stock jumps 41% on Bysanti FDA approval filing as analysts weigh uptake risk
···

Vanda Pharmaceuticals stock jumps 41% on Bysanti FDA approval filing as analysts weigh uptake risk

New York, February 23, 2026, 16:52 — Trading after the bell. Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc surged 41% on Monday, after a regulatory filing revealed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave the green light to its latest antipsychotic drug, Bysanti. Shares finished the session at $8.15, up $2.39. Trading volume spiked to about 47.6 million shares—roughly 26 times the usual daily number, market data showed.
February 23, 2026
AbbVie stock (ABBV): FDA clears new Venclexta-Calquence CLL combo — what to watch Monday
····

AbbVie stock (ABBV): FDA clears new Venclexta-Calquence CLL combo — what to watch Monday

New York, Feb 22, 2026, 15:09 EST — Market closed AbbVie heads into the new week after U.S. regulators approved a new first-line combination for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 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.
February 22, 2026
Grail stock halves after UK cancer trial miss; FDA and Medicare stakes rise
···

Grail stock halves after UK cancer trial miss; FDA and Medicare stakes rise

NEW YORK, Feb 20, 2026, 16:53 EST — After-hours Grail plunged roughly 50% to $50.21 after hours on Friday, following news that its key UK trial for the Galleri cancer blood test failed to hit the main endpoint. TD Cowen’s Dan Brennan said Grail should address the mixed results with “proactive, transparent and deliberate” communication about the next steps.
February 20, 2026
Merck (MRK) stock nudges up after-hours as Health Canada clears Keytruda SC shot
···

Merck (MRK) stock nudges up after-hours as Health Canada clears Keytruda SC shot

New York, Feb 17, 2026, 18:53 — After-hours Merck & Co ticked 0.2% higher in after-hours trading Tuesday, following Health Canada's decision to authorize Keytruda SC — the new subcutaneous form of its cancer immunotherapy. According to the regulator, patients can get the shot in roughly one to two minutes, compared with the usual 30-minute IV infusion required for standard Keytruda.
February 18, 2026
CSL shares rebound after neffy nasal spray approval as buyback rolls on
····

CSL shares rebound after neffy nasal spray approval as buyback rolls on

Sydney, February 16, 2026, 17:01 AEDT — The session has ended. CSL Ltd picked up 1.4% by Monday’s close, recouping a slice of last week’s drop. The move followed news that its Seqirus arm secured Australian approval for the neffy adrenaline nasal spray, alongside a fresh update on the company’s share buyback. Shares wrapped up at A$152.17, though that’s still roughly 15.6% below where they stood five sessions ago.
February 16, 2026
1 2 3 4