Pharmaceuticals 18 December 2025 - 21 December 2025

AbbVie is acquiring Apogee Therapeutics for $135.11 per share in cash, valuing Apogee at about $10.9 billion. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter and will bring AbbVie zumilokibart, an experimental long-acting drug for atopic dermatitis and other immune diseases. Apogee claims its top eczema drug could significantly reduce injection frequency compared to Dupixent, with Phase 3 trials planned for this year. Pfizer shares declined over the past week after CFO Dave Denton announced he will step down in August, with Cecile Guegan set to become interim CFO. Despite the leadership change, Pfizer maintained its 2026 forecast, but investors remain focused on succession, execution, and competition from obesity-drug makers. Pfizer’s stock has also been affected by concerns over pricing pressure, patent cliffs, and a longer path to profitability in obesity drugs. Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk shares rose about 5% as healthcare stocks gained favor among investors seeking defensive positions, even as the company reported strong demand for its Wegovy pill. Alumis shares surged 15.55% ahead of Phase 2b lupus results due in the third quarter and a planned psoriasis NDA filing in the fourth quarter. Outlook Therapeutics shares jumped 30% after the FDA accepted its resubmitted application for ONS-5010/LYTENAVA, with a key FDA decision expected on July 29. Other notable moves include AtaiBeckley’s 7.8% rise following the start of its BPL-003 Phase 3 program and CervoMed’s premarket jump after a director-linked trust purchased $3 million in units, following a recent $10.5 million private placement.