Stock Markets

Drugmakers to raise US prices on over 250 medicines starting Jan. 1

Published

5 days ago

January 1, 2025

By Michael Erman

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Drugmakers plan to raise U.S. prices on at least 250 branded medications including Pfizer (NYSE:) COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid, Bristol Myers (NYSE:) Squibb’s cancer cell therapies and vaccines from France’s Sanofi (NASDAQ:) at the start of 2025, according to data analyzed by healthcare research firm 3 Axis Advisors.

Nearly all of the drug price increases are below 10% – most well below. The median price increase of the drugs being hiked Jan. 1 is 4.5%, which is in line with the median for all price increases last year.

The increases are to list prices, which do not include rebates to pharmacy benefit managers and other discounts.

Larger drug price increases were once far more common in the U.S. but in recent years drugmakers have scaled them back after price hikes drew sharp criticism in the middle of the last decade.

“Drugmakers don’t have much real estate any longer to increase prices over time, which means taking greater liberties on launch prices is really the only option they have in the face of expanded penalties for year-over-year price increases,” 3 Axis President Antonio Ciaccia said.

A Reuters analysis of prices for new drugs found that pharmaceutical companies launched new U.S. drugs in 2023 at prices 35% higher than in 2022.

The over 250 drug hikes represent an increase from Dec. 29 last year when drugmakers unveiled plans to raise prices on more than 140 brands of drugs.

Drug companies are also reducing some prices on Jan. 1. Merck & Co (NYSE:) plans to cut the list price of its heavily discounted diabetes drugs Januvia and Janumet “to align the list price more closely to the net price.”

U.S. PAYS MOST

The U.S. pays more for prescription medicines than any other country, and incoming President Donald Trump has vowed to lower drug costs by focusing on middlemen in the U.S. healthcare system.

More drug price increases are likely to be announced by other drugmakers over the course of January – historically the biggest month for drugmakers to raise prices.

Pfizer raised prices of the most drugs on the latest list – more than 60 drugs. As well as a 3% hike on Paxlovid, the company raised prices on medicines including migraine treatment Nurtec and cancer drugs Adcetris, Ibrance and Xeljanz between 3% and 5%.

“Pfizer has adjusted the average list prices of our medicines and vaccines for 2025 below the overall rate of inflation – approximately 2.4% – across many products in our diverse product portfolio,” Pfizer spokesperson Amy Rose said in an email. She said the increases help support investments in drug development and offset costs.

Bristol Myers raised the price of its expensive cancer cell therapies Abecma and Breyanzi by 6% and 9%, respectively. The personalized blood cancer treatments can already cost close to half a million dollars.

A BMS spokesperson said in an email that the company is “committed to achieving unfettered patient access” to its medicines. She said the price of Breyanzi in particular “is reflective of the potentially transformative, individualized treatment in a one-time infusion.”

Sanofi raised prices on around a dozen of its vaccines between 2.9% and 9%.

The largest brand price increases according to the 3 Axis analysis were from Leadiant Pharmaceuticals, a unit of Italy’s Essetifin. The company raised prices around 15% on its Hodgkin’s disease treatment Matulane and about 20% on Cystaran, eye drops to help patients with symptoms from a rare condition called cystinosis.

Spokespeople from Leadiant and Sanofi did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Stock Markets

SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Investigates Claims on Behalf of Investors of Nextracker

Published

22 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $75,000 In Nextracker To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you suffered losses exceeding $75,000 in Nextracker between February 1, 2024 and August 1, 2024 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

[You may also click here for additional information]

New York, New York–(Newsfile Corp. – January 4, 2025) – Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Nextracker Inc. (“Nextracker” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: NXT) and reminds investors of the February 25, 2025 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) the impact of project delays on Nextracker’s business, financial results, and prospects was far more severe than represented to investors; (2) permitting and interconnection delays had materially impaired Nextracker’s ability to convert backlog into revenue at historical conversion rates; (3) Nextracker had been unable to offset the negative impact from project delays through increased client demand and the purported ability to pull forward its other projects in the manner represented by defendants; (4) Nextracker did not possess the competitive advantages which purportedly shielded it from industry-wide headwinds or the ability to effectively offset the adverse effects of project delays as claimed by defendants; and (5) consequently, defendants lacked a reasonable basis for their positive statements about Nextracker’s business, financial results, and prospects.

The Nextracker class action lawsuit further alleges that on August 1, 2024 Nextracker revealed that its revenue had declined sequentially, from $737 million in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2024 to $720 million during the first fiscal quarter of 2025. Similarly, Nextracker’s GAAP gross profit had declined sequentially from $340 million in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2024 to $237 million during the first fiscal quarter of 2025. Notably, Nextracker did not raise guidance for the first time since it became a public company, implying a slowdown in growth for the remainder of the year.

On this news, the price of Nextracker stock fell approximately 15% over two trading days.

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information Nextracker’s conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/236028

Stock Markets

SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Investigates Claims on Behalf of Investors of Symbotic

Published

22 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $100,000 In Symbotic To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you suffered losses exceeding $100,000 in Symbotic between February 8, 2024 and November 26, 2024 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

[You may also click here for additional information].

New York, New York–(Newsfile Corp. – January 4, 2025) – Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Symbotic Inc (NASDAQ:). (“Symbotic” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: SYM) and reminds investors of the February 3, 2025 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) Symbotic improperly accelerated revenue recognition in its 2024 financial statements; and (2) as a result, defendants’ statements about Symbotic’s business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

On November 27, 2024, before market hours, Symbotic filed a current report on Form 8-K with the SEC in which it announced that it would restate its fiscal year 2024 financial results. The report stated that Symbotic “identified errors in its revenue recognition related to cost overruns on certain deployments that will not be billable, which additionally impacted system revenue, income (loss) before income tax, net income (loss) and gross margin recognized in the second, third, and fourth quarters of fiscal year 2024.”

On this news, Symbotic’s stock price fell $13.41 per share, or 36%, to close at $24 per share on November 27, 2024.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Symbotic’s conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/236032

Stock Markets

SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Investigates Claims on Behalf of Investors of AstraZeneca

Published

22 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $100,000 In AstraZenecaTo Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you suffered losses exceeding $100,000 in AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:) between between February 23, 2022 and December 17, 2024 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

[You may also click here for additional information]

New York, New York–(Newsfile Corp. – January 4, 2025) – Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against AstraZeneca PLC (LON:) (“AstraZeneca” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: AZN) and reminds investors of the Feb. 21, 2025 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that (1) AstraZeneca engaged in insurance fraud in China; (2) as a result, AstraZeneca faced heightened legal exposure in China, which eventually resulted in the AstraZeneca China President being detained by Chinese law enforcement authorities; (3) as a result, AstraZeneca understated its legal risks; (4) the foregoing, once revealed, could materially harm AstraZeneca’s business activities in China; and (5) as a result, Defendants’ statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

On October 30, 2024, AstraZeneca announced that Leon Wang, Executive Vice President International and AstraZeneca China President, was “cooperating with an ongoing investigation by Chinese authorities.”

On this news, AstraZeneca American Depositary Shares (“ADS”) fell 3.1% on October 30, 2024.

Then, on November 5, 2024, Yicai Global published an article entitled “AstraZeneca Insurance Fraud Involves Dozens of Senior Executives in China, Source Says.” This article stated that “[d]ozens of senior executives at AstraZeneca China have been implicated in an ongoing insurance fraud case as of last week, according to a person familiar with the matter.” Further, it stated that “[o]ver the past three years, insurance fraud cases involving AstraZeneca have surfaced in Shenzhen as well as the provinces of Fujian and Jiangxi. [. . .] These cases amount to the largest insurance fraud in the nation’s pharmaceutical sector for years, a person familiar with the matter pointed out.”

On this news, AstraZeneca ADSs fell a further 7.2% on November 5, 2024.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding AstraZeneca’s conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/236013