London, Feb 27, 2026, 09:11 GMT — Regular session
- GSK shares climbed early in London after the company announced new regulatory moves in Asia for two experimental liver-disease drugs.
- The drugmaker is working through a $950 million deal to acquire Canada’s 35Pharma, bringing in a pulmonary hypertension asset along with it.
- Next up for investors: GSK posts first-quarter results April 29.
GSK plc shares edged higher Friday morning, gaining 0.74% to 2,183 pence by 0855 GMT, as investors parsed several pipeline updates from the last 48 hours.
These shifts come into sharp focus as GSK scrambles to line up fresh products before big HIV patents run out, relying on smaller acquisitions and pipeline assets to inject new momentum. GSK’s also eyeing a major revenue milestone, targeting £40 billion a year by 2031.
Getting a drug “accepted for review” doesn’t equal a green light. Even so, it pushes the application into the regulatory process. That’s typically when investors shift gears, focusing less on trial graphs and more on heated debates over timelines and what approval chances really look like.
GSK announced Thursday that Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has accepted its application for bepirovirsen, the company’s investigational antisense oligonucleotide aimed at chronic hepatitis B. The filing, GSK noted, marks the first regulatory submission for the gene-targeting drug anywhere in the world. Company data from its Phase III B‑Well trials indicated that adding bepirovirsen to current standard therapy led to higher “functional cure” rates—meaning viral markers remained undetectable for at least 24 weeks after treatment ended. Investegate
GSK announced separately that China’s National Medical Products Administration has accepted linerixibat for priority review, targeting cholestatic pruritus tied to primary biliary cholangitis—an uncommon autoimmune liver disorder. The fast-track designation could speed up the timeline, and GSK noted the drug is also being reviewed in the United States, European Union, Britain, and Canada.
Those filings landed after GSK said Wednesday it would acquire Canada’s 35Pharma for $950 million in cash, picking up HS235 for pulmonary hypertension. Chief Scientific Officer Tony Wood described current options as falling short, saying HS235 might offer a best-in-class profile that lowers bleeding risk and improves metabolism. 35Pharma CEO Ilia Tikhomirov, for his part, called the drug a chance to “transform the treatment” of the disease. GSK
Competitors are also getting fresh attention as deal speculation swirls. According to Reuters, Merck’s injectable Winrevair is among the treatments for pulmonary hypertension, and GSK shares have jumped almost 21% since the start of the year.
After sliding in the previous session, GSK finished Thursday at £21.67, down 2.12%. The shares trailed the broader London market, MarketWatch data show.
The FTSE 100 wrapped up Thursday at its highest level yet, lifted by gains in industrial heavyweights like Rolls‑Royce. London Stock Exchange Group also jumped, fueled by news of its buyback.
Dividend hunters have their eyes on the calendar. GSK’s next quarterly payout lands April 9, according to figures from Hargreaves Lansdown.
Even with the current headlines, the main risk remains: regulators may demand further data, and late-stage drug development rarely gives second chances. HS235 is just starting out in clinical trials, and the liver programs haven’t secured approval.
GSK’s first-quarter earnings drop April 29, putting the spotlight on pipeline priorities, deal momentum, and spending. Investors will be combing through the report for any fresh signals.
