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Kennzahlen
📘 Marktkapitalisierung
📈 Was ist das?
Die Marktkapitalisierung zeigt, wie viel ein Unternehmen laut Börse aktuell wert ist.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Sie hilft Unternehmen in Größenklassen (Large, Mid, Small Cap) einzuordnen und gibt Hinweise auf Marktmacht und Stabilität.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Große Unternehmen gelten als stabiler, zahlen oft Dividenden, wachsen aber langsamer.
- Kleine Firmen können stärker wachsen, sind aber schwankungsanfälliger.
- Die Marktkapitalisierung ist ein guter Indikator für Unternehmensgröße, aber kein Maß für Unter- oder Überbewertung.
📘 Enterprise Value (Unternehmenswert)
📈 Was ist das?
Der Enterprise Value (EV) zeigt, was ein Unternehmen tatsächlich kostet, wenn man es komplett übernehmen würde – inklusive Schulden und abzüglich Cash.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
(= Marktkapitalisierung + Nettoverschuldung)
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Der EV ist eine realistischere Bewertungsbasis als die Marktkapitalisierung, da er die Kapitalstruktur berücksichtigt. Er ist Grundlage für Kennzahlen wie EV/FCF oder EV/Sales.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Der Enterprise Value zeigt, was ein Unternehmen tatsächlich wert ist – unabhängig davon, wie es finanziert ist.
- Er ist besonders wichtig für professionelle Investoren, da er eine objektivere Grundlage für Bewertungsvergleiche bietet als die Marktkapitalisierung allein.
- Ein Unternehmen mit hoher Verschuldung erscheint im EV teurer, eines mit viel Cash günstiger – auch wenn sie an der Börse gleich viel wert sind.
📘 Nettoverschuldung
📈 Was ist das?
Die Nettoverschuldung zeigt, wie viele Schulden nach Abzug des verfügbaren Cashs tatsächlich verbleiben.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Sie zeigt, wie stark ein Unternehmen von Fremdkapital abhängig ist – und wie gut es in der Lage ist, seine Schulden kurzfristig zu bedienen.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Eine niedrige oder negative Nettoverschuldung bedeutet hohe finanzielle Stabilität.
- Unternehmen mit viel Cash und geringer Verschuldung sind besser gerüstet für Krisen.
- Eine hohe Nettoverschuldung erhöht das Risiko – besonders bei steigenden Zinsen oder konjunkturellen Schwächen.
📘 Cash
📈 Was ist das?
Der Cashbestand zeigt, wie viele liquide Mittel einem Unternehmen sofort zur Verfügung stehen.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Er gibt Auskunft über die finanzielle Flexibilität: Ein hoher Cashbestand ermöglicht Investitionen, Rückkäufe oder Krisenresistenz.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein hoher Cashbestand zeigt finanzielle Stärke und Handlungsspielraum.
- Cash kann für Investitionen, Schuldentilgung oder Aktienrückkäufe genutzt werden.
- Allerdings: Zu viel ungenutztes Kapital kann auch auf mangelnde Investitionsideen hinweisen.
📘 Anzahl ausstehender Aktien
📈 Was ist das?
Die Anzahl ausstehender Aktien gibt an, wie viele Aktien eines Unternehmens aktuell im Umlauf sind und von Investoren gehalten werden.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Sie ist die Grundlage für viele Kennzahlen wie Gewinn je Aktie (EPS), Marktkapitalisierung oder KGV.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Je weniger Aktien im Umlauf sind, desto höher fällt z. B. der Gewinn je Aktie aus – wichtig für Bewertung und Dividendenrendite.
- Aktienrückkäufe verringern die Anzahl ausstehender Aktien – und steigern den Wert je Aktie.
- Kapitalerhöhungen haben den gegenteiligen Effekt: mehr Aktien → Verwässerung der bestehenden Anteile.
📘 Kurs-Gewinn-Verhältnis (KGV)
📈 Was ist das?
Das KGV zeigt, wie oft der Gewinn pro Aktie im aktuellen Aktienkurs enthalten ist – also wie „teuer“ eine Aktie im Verhältnis zum Gewinn ist.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Das KGV gehört zu den bekanntesten Bewertungskennzahlen. Es hilft Anlegern einzuschätzen, ob eine Aktie im Vergleich zu ihrem Gewinn eher günstig oder teuer erscheint.
🧮 Berechnung
📊 KGV (TTM) = bezogen auf den Gewinn der letzten 12 Monate (Trailing Twelve Months):🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein niedriges KGV kann auf eine günstige Bewertung hindeuten – oder auf Probleme im Geschäftsmodell.
- Ein hohes KGV kann Wachstumserwartungen widerspiegeln – oder eine überbewertete Aktie.
📘 Kurs-Umsatz-Verhältnis (KUV)
📈 Was ist das?
Das KUV zeigt, wie viel Anleger für 1 € Umsatz eines Unternehmens zahlen – unabhängig vom Gewinn.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Das KUV ist besonders bei wachstumsstarken oder noch nicht profitablen Unternehmen hilfreich. Es zeigt, wie hoch der Umsatz an der Börse bewertet wird.
🧮 Berechnung
Marktkapitalisierung = 189,67 Mrd. $ | Umsatz (TTM) = 37,22 Mrd. $
Marktkapitalisierung = 189,67 Mrd. $ | Umsatz erwartet = 38,55 Mrd. $
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein niedriges KUV kann auf Unterbewertung hindeuten – oder auf schwache Margen.
- Ein hohes KUV kann hohe Erwartungen widerspiegeln – oder übermäßigen Optimismus.
- Besonders sinnvoll bei Wachstumsunternehmen, bei denen der Gewinn oder Free Cashflow (noch) keine Aussagekraft hat.
📘 Unternehmenswert zu Umsatz (EV/Sales)
📈 Was ist das?
EV/Sales zeigt, wie viel Anleger für 1 € Umsatz eines Unternehmens zahlen, wenn man auch Schulden und Cash berücksichtigt – es ist eine kapitalstrukturbereinigte Version des KUV.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Diese Kennzahl eignet sich besonders für den Vergleich von Unternehmen mit unterschiedlicher Verschuldung – sie zeigt, wie teuer ein Unternehmen tatsächlich im Verhältnis zum Umsatz ist.
🧮 Berechnung
Enterprise Value = 234,95 Mrd. $ | Umsatz (TTM) = 37,22 Mrd. $
Enterprise Value = 234,95 Mrd. $ | Umsatz erwartet = 38,55 Mrd. $
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- EV/Sales ist neutral gegenüber der Kapitalstruktur und eignet sich gut für Unternehmensvergleiche.
- Ein niedriges Verhältnis kann auf eine günstig bewertete Aktie hindeuten – ein hohes Verhältnis auf hohe Erwartungen oder Überbewertung.
- Besonders nützlich bei wachstumsstarken, noch nicht profitablen Firmen.
📘 Unternehmenswert zu Free Cashflow (EV/FCF)
📈 Was ist das?
EV/FCF zeigt, wie viele Jahre es dauern würde, bis ein Unternehmen seinen Unternehmenswert durch freien Cashflow „zurückverdient”.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Diese Kennzahl hilft, Unternehmen auf Basis ihrer tatsächlichen Cash-Erträge zu bewerten – unabhängig von Bilanzierungsregeln oder buchhalterischem Gewinn.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein niedriges EV/FCF deutet auf eine günstige Bewertung bei starker Cashgenerierung hin.
- Ein hohes EV/FCF kann entweder auf Optimismus oder auf temporär schwachen Cashflow hindeuten.
- Besonders hilfreich bei reifen, profitablen Unternehmen mit stabilen Cashflows.
📘 Kurs-Buchwert-Verhältnis (KBV)
📈 Was ist das?
Das KBV zeigt, wie hoch der Marktwert eines Unternehmens im Verhältnis zu seinem bilanziellen Eigenkapital ist.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Das KBV ist besonders bei Substanzwerten (z. B. Banken, Industrie) relevant. Es hilft Anlegern zu erkennen, ob ein Unternehmen unter oder über seinem buchhalterischen Vermögen bewertet ist.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein KBV unter 1 kann auf Unterbewertung oder schwache Rentabilität hindeuten.
- Ein KBV über 1 zeigt, dass der Markt dem Unternehmen Mehrwert über den Buchwert hinaus zuschreibt (z. B. Marken, Patente, Wachstum).
- Das KBV eignet sich besonders gut für Unternehmen mit stabilen, materiellen Vermögenswerten.
📘 Dividende je Aktie
📈 Was ist das?
Die Dividende je Aktie zeigt, wie viel Geld ein Unternehmen pro Aktie an seine Aktionäre ausschüttet – typischerweise jährlich oder quartalsweise.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Sie ist die absolute Größe der Auszahlung je Aktie – wichtig für alle, die regelmäßige Erträge suchen oder Dividendenstrategien verfolgen.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Eine stabile oder wachsende Dividende je Aktie ist oft ein Zeichen für ein solides Geschäftsmodell.
- Die Dividende je Aktie allein sagt aber nichts über die Rendite – dafür ist auch der Aktienkurs relevant (→ Dividendenrendite).
- Langfristig steigende Dividenden sind oft ein sehr gutes Merkmal (z. B. Dividenden-Aristokraten).
📘 Dividendenrendite
📈 Was ist das?
Die Dividendenrendite zeigt, wie hoch die Dividende eines Unternehmens im Verhältnis zum Aktienkurs ist.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Sie hilft dabei, Dividendenaktien vergleichbar zu machen – unabhängig vom absoluten Auszahlungsbetrag.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Eine stabile Dividendenrendite kann auf verlässliche Ausschüttungen hinweisen.
- Ein Vergleich der 1J- und 5J-Rendite hilft zu erkennen, ob das Dividendenwachstum mit dem Kurswachstum Schritt hält.
- Eine niedrige Rendite ist nicht zwingend negativ – sie kann auf starkes Kurswachstum hindeuten.
📘 Dividendenwachstum
📈 Was ist das?
Das Dividendenwachstum zeigt, wie stark ein Unternehmen seine Dividende je Aktie über die Zeit gesteigert hat.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
5J: durchschnittliche jährliche Wachstumsrate (CAGR)
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Stetig steigende Dividenden gelten als Zeichen für finanzielle Stärke und Aktionärsorientierung – besonders interessant für langfristige Investoren.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein stabiles Dividendenwachstum ist ein Zeichen nachhaltiger Ertragskraft.
- Ein hohes Dividendenwachstum kann ein erheblicher Hebel deiner Rendite sein:
- Wenn ein Unternehmen z. B. 1 € Dividende zahlt und diese über 5 Jahre jährlich um 15 % erhöht, bekommst du im 5. Jahr bereits 2 € je Aktie – doppelt so viel wie zu Beginn!
📘 Ausschüttungsquote (Payout)
📈 Was ist das?
Die Ausschüttungsquote zeigt, wie viel Prozent des Unternehmensgewinns (pro Aktie) als Dividende an die Aktionäre ausgeschüttet wird.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Die Quote hilft einzuschätzen, ob eine Dividende auf Dauer tragfähig ist – besonders im Verhältnis zum erzielten Gewinn.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Eine niedrige Ausschüttungsquote bedeutet: Das Unternehmen behält einen größeren Teil des Gewinns für Investitionen – typisch für Wachstumsunternehmen.
- Eine moderate Quote (z. B. 25–50 %) steht oft für ein gesundes Gleichgewicht zwischen Ausschüttung und Zukunftsinvestitionen.
- Hohe Ausschüttungsquoten können attraktiv wirken, sind aber riskanter, wenn die Gewinne schwanken oder sinken.
📘 Dividendensteigerungen in Folge (Erhöhungen)
📈 Was ist das?
Diese Kennzahl zeigt, wie viele Jahre in Folge ein Unternehmen seine Dividende pro Aktie erhöht hat – ohne Kürzung oder Aussetzung.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Ein langer Track Record kontinuierlicher Erhöhungen spricht für Verlässlichkeit, solide Finanzen und aktionärsfreundliche Unternehmenspolitik.
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein langer Zeitraum mit Dividendensteigerungen stärkt das Vertrauen – besonders in Krisenzeiten.
- Solche Unternehmen gelten als verlässlich und planbar für Einkommensinvestoren.
- Je länger die Serie, desto stärker das Commitment gegenüber den Aktionären.
📘 Umsatz
📈 Was ist das?
Der Umsatz zeigt, wie viel ein Unternehmen insgesamt mit seinen Produkten und Dienstleistungen verdient – also den Bruttoerlös vor Abzug von Kosten.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Der Umsatz ist eine der zentralen Kennzahlen zur Einschätzung der Unternehmensgröße, Marktstellung und Wachstumskraft.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein wachsender Umsatz zeigt eine steigende Nachfrage und kann ein guter Frühindikator für Gewinnsteigerungen sein.
- Vergleiche von aktuellem und erwartetem Umsatz geben Hinweise auf das Marktumfeld und Analystenerwartungen.
- Wichtig: Starker Umsatz allein genügt nicht – auch Margen und Profitabilität zählen.
📘 EBITDA
📈 Was ist das?
EBITDA steht für „Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization“ – also Gewinn vor Zinsen, Steuern und Abschreibungen. Es zeigt das operative Ergebnis eines Unternehmens, bereinigt um bilanztechnische und finanzierungsbedingte Effekte.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
EBITDA ist eine verbreitete Kennzahl zur Beurteilung der operativen Leistungsfähigkeit – insbesondere bei kapitalintensiven Unternehmen oder im internationalen Vergleich.
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein hohes oder wachsendes EBITDA spricht für starke operative Erträge – unabhängig von Bilanzierung oder Steuerlast.
- EBITDA ist besonders nützlich, um Unternehmen branchenübergreifend zu vergleichen.
- Wichtig: EBITDA ist keine offizielle Gewinnkennzahl – Abschreibungen und Finanzierungskosten werden ausgeklammert.
📘 EBIT
📈 Was ist das?
EBIT steht für „Earnings Before Interest and Taxes“ – also Gewinn vor Zinsen und Steuern. Es zeigt das operative Ergebnis eines Unternehmens nach Abschreibungen, aber vor Finanzierungs- und Steueraufwand.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
EBIT ist eine zentrale Kennzahl zur Beurteilung der Profitabilität aus dem Kerngeschäft – unabhängig von Kapitalstruktur oder Steuersystem.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein hohes EBIT deutet auf ein profitables Kerngeschäft hin – vor Zinslasten oder steuerlichen Effekten.
- Es erlaubt objektivere Vergleiche zwischen Unternehmen mit unterschiedlicher Finanzierung.
- Im Vergleich mit EBITDA zeigt EBIT bereits den Einfluss von Abschreibungen auf das operative Ergebnis.
📘 Nettogewinn
📈 Was ist das?
Der Nettogewinn ist der verbleibende Jahresüberschuss (oder -fehlbetrag) eines Unternehmens – nach Abzug aller Kosten, Steuern, Zinsen und Abschreibungen
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Der Nettogewinn ist die zentrale Erfolgskennzahl – er zeigt, wie profitabel ein Unternehmen nach allen Kosten tatsächlich arbeitet.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein steigender Nettogewinn zeigt, dass das Unternehmen effizient wirtschaftet – trotz aller Kosten.
- Die Entwicklung des Gewinns beeinflusst z. B. direkt das KGV und weitere Kennzahlen.
- Im Zeitverlauf lässt sich ablesen, wie stabil und profitabel ein Geschäftsmodell wirklich ist.
📘 Free Cashflow (FCF)
📈 Was ist das?
Der Free Cashflow gibt Aufschluss über die echte finanzielle Stärke eines Unternehmens – unabhängig von Bilanzierungsregeln. Er zeigt, wie viel Spielraum für Dividenden, Aktienrückkäufe oder Schuldenabbau besteht.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
FCF reflects a company’s real financial strength – regardless of accounting profits. It shows how much flexibility a company has for dividends, share buybacks, or debt reduction.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein hoher Free Cashflow bedeutet, dass ein Unternehmen echte Finanzkraft besitzt – unabhängig vom bilanzierten Gewinn.
- Er ist oft die solideste Grundlage für nachhaltige Dividenden und Aktienrückkäufe.
- Sinkender FCF kann ein Warnsignal sein – auch wenn der Gewinn stabil aussieht.
📘 Umsatzwachstum
📈 Was ist das?
Das Umsatzwachstum zeigt, wie stark sich die Erlöse eines Unternehmens im Vergleich zum Vorjahr verändert haben – tatsächlich (TTM) und auf Prognosebasis (erwartet).
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
Erwartet = (Umsatz erwartet ÷ Umsatz Vorjahr − 1) × 100
Erwartetes Wachstum basiert auf Analystenschätzungen für das laufende Geschäftsjahr.
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Ein wachsender Umsatz ist ein zentrales Signal für steigende Nachfrage, Geschäftsausweitung und Marktanteilsgewinne – besonders bei Wachstumsunternehmen.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Wachstum ist der Motor langfristiger Wertsteigerung – besonders bei Technologie- und Wachstumsaktien.
- Wichtig ist nicht nur das aktuelle Wachstum, sondern auch dessen Nachhaltigkeit.
- Prognosen zeigen, ob Analysten weiteres Potenzial erwarten – oder eine Verlangsamung.
📘 EBITDA-Wachstum
📈 Was ist das?
Das EBITDA-Wachstum zeigt, wie stark das operative Ergebnis eines Unternehmens vor Zinsen, Steuern und Abschreibungen im Vergleich zum Vorjahr gestiegen oder gesunken ist.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
Erwartet = (erwartetes EBITDA ÷ EBITDA Vorjahr − 1) × 100
Erwartetes Wachstum basiert auf Analystenschätzungen für das laufende Geschäftsjahr.
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Ein steigendes EBITDA ist ein Zeichen für verbesserte operative Ertragskraft – unabhängig von Finanzierungsstruktur oder Abschreibungen.
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Starkes EBITDA-Wachstum signalisiert operative Effizienz und Skalierung – besonders relevant in Wachstumsphasen.
- EBITDA-Wachstum ist ein Frühindikator für Margen- und Gewinnentwicklung – sollte aber stets im Zusammenhang mit Umsatz und EBIT betrachtet werden.
📘 EBIT Wachstum
📈 Was ist das?
Das EBIT-Wachstum zeigt, wie stark das operative Ergebnis eines Unternehmens (nach Abschreibungen, aber vor Zinsen und Steuern) im Vergleich zum Vorjahr gewachsen ist.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
Erwartet = (erwartetes EBIT ÷ EBIT Vorjahr − 1) × 100
Erwartetes Wachstum basiert auf Analystenschätzungen für das laufende Geschäftsjahr.
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Das EBIT-Wachstum ist ein direkter Indikator für die wirtschaftliche Entwicklung des operativen Geschäfts – unter Berücksichtigung der Kapitalintensität (Abschreibungen).
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Steigendes EBIT signalisiert wachsende operative Rentabilität – auch unter Berücksichtigung von Abschreibungen.
- Das EBIT-Wachstum ist ein wichtiges Maß zur Beurteilung von Geschäftsmodellen mit hohen Investitionskosten.
- Im Zusammenspiel mit Umsatz- und EBITDA-Wachstum ergibt sich ein umfassendes Bild zur operativen Entwicklung.
📘 Nettogewinn-Wachstum
📈 Was ist das?
Das Nettogewinn-Wachstum zeigt, wie stark der Jahresüberschuss eines Unternehmens gegenüber dem Vorjahr gestiegen oder gesunken ist – sowohl tatsächlich (TTM) als auch auf Basis von Prognosen (erwartet).
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
Erwartet = (erwarteter Nettogewinn ÷ Nettogewinn Vorjahr − 1) × 100
Der erwartete Wert basiert auf Analystenschätzungen für das laufende Geschäftsjahr.
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Der Gewinn ist die entscheidende Ergebnisgröße für ein Unternehmen. Ein wachsender Nettogewinn deutet auf steigende Effizienz, stabile Kostenkontrolle und nachhaltige Ertragskraft hin.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Wachsender Nettogewinn stärkt die Bewertung, Dividendenfähigkeit und Kursfantasie.
- Stagnierender oder rückläufiger Gewinn trotz Umsatzwachstum kann auf Margendruck hinweisen.
📘 Free Cashflow-Wachstum
📈 Was ist das?
Das Free-Cashflow-Wachstum zeigt, wie sich der freie Mittelzufluss eines Unternehmens im Vergleich zum Vorjahr verändert hat – also der Betrag, der nach allen operativen Ausgaben und Investitionen übrig bleibt.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Free Cashflow ist der echte, verfügbare Geldzufluss. Wachstum in diesem Bereich ist ein Zeichen für finanzielle Stärke und steigende Flexibilität bei Dividenden, Rückkäufen oder Investitionen.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Sinkender Free Cashflow kann auf steigende Investitionen, höhere Kosten oder stagnierende operative Erträge hindeuten.
- Besonders bei Dividendenwerten ist das FCF-Wachstum wichtig – denn Dividenden werden letztlich aus dem verfügbaren Cash gezahlt.
- Ein negativer Trend sollte genauer analysiert werden – er ist nicht zwangsläufig schlecht, aber potenziell ein Warnsignal.
📘 Bruttomarge
📈 Was ist das?
Die Bruttomarge zeigt, wie viel vom Umsatz nach Abzug der direkten Herstellungskosten (Material, Produktion) als Bruttogewinn übrig bleibt – also der „Rohgewinn“ eines Unternehmens.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
Auch: Bruttomarge = Bruttogewinn ÷ Umsatz × 100
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Die Bruttomarge gibt Aufschluss über die Profitabilität eines Produkts oder Geschäftsmodells vor Fixkosten, Steuern und Zinsen. Sie zeigt, wie effizient ein Unternehmen produzieren oder einkaufen kann.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Eine hohe Bruttomarge deutet auf starke Preissetzungsmacht und effiziente Herstellung hin.
- Sinkende Bruttomargen können auf Kostensteigerungen oder Preisdruck hindeuten.
- Besonders im Vergleich zu Wettbewerbern liefert die Bruttomarge wertvolle Einblicke in die Geschäftsqualität.
📘 EBITDA-Marge
📈 Was ist das?
Die EBITDA-Marge zeigt, wie viel vom Umsatz als operativer Gewinn vor Zinsen, Steuern und Abschreibungen (EBITDA) übrig bleibt. Sie misst die operative Effizienz – ohne Verzerrungen durch Finanzierung oder Buchwerte.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Die EBITDA-Marge hilft zu verstehen, wie viel operativer Gewinn ein Unternehmen aus jedem Euro Umsatz erzielt – unabhängig von Kapitalstruktur oder steuerlichem Umfeld.
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Eine hohe EBITDA-Marge zeigt starke operative Ertragskraft – unabhängig von Bilanzierungseffekten.
- Die Marge ermöglicht gute Vergleiche zwischen Unternehmen und Branchen.
- Ein stabiler oder wachsender Wert kann auf effiziente Kostenkontrolle und Skalierbarkeit hindeuten.
📘 EBIT-Marge
📈 Was ist das?
Die EBIT-Marge zeigt, wie viel Prozent des Umsatzes als operativer Gewinn nach Abschreibungen, aber vor Zinsen und Steuern übrig bleiben.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Die EBIT-Marge misst die operative Ertragskraft eines Unternehmens unter Berücksichtigung der Kapitalintensität (z. B. Maschinen, Anlagen). Sie eignet sich gut zum Vergleich von Geschäftsmodellen mit unterschiedlich hohen Abschreibungen.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Eine hohe EBIT-Marge zeigt, dass ein Unternehmen auch nach Abschreibungen effizient arbeitet.
- Sie ist besonders relevant in kapitalintensiven Branchen.
- Langfristig stabile oder steigende Margen sind ein Zeichen wirtschaftlicher Stärke und Preissetzungsmacht.
📘 Nettomarge
📈 Was ist das?
Die Nettomarge zeigt, wie viel vom Umsatz am Ende als „Reingewinn“ übrig bleibt – also nach Abzug aller Kosten, Zinsen, Steuern und Abschreibungen.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Die Nettomarge gibt an, wie effizient ein Unternehmen über alle Stufen hinweg wirtschaftet. Sie zeigt, wie viel Gewinn tatsächlich je Euro Umsatz übrig bleibt.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Eine hohe Nettomarge zeigt, dass ein Unternehmen nicht nur operativ stark ist, sondern auch seine Finanzierung und Steuerbelastung im Griff hat.
- Vergleiche mit Wettbewerbern geben Einblicke in die wirtschaftliche Qualität.
- Sinkende Nettomargen trotz Umsatzwachstum können ein Warnsignal sein – etwa für steigende Kosten oder sinkende Effizienz.
📘 Free Cashflow Marge
📈 Was ist das?
Die Free-Cashflow-Marge zeigt, wie viel vom Umsatz nach Abzug aller operativen Ausgaben und Investitionen tatsächlich als freier Mittelzufluss übrig bleibt.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Diese Marge misst die echte Liquidität, die ein Unternehmen erwirtschaftet – unabhängig von Bilanzierungsregeln oder Abschreibungen. Sie ist besonders relevant für Dividenden, Rückkäufe und Investitionen.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Eine hohe Free-Cashflow-Marge zeigt, dass ein Unternehmen nachhaltig liquide Mittel erwirtschaftet.
- Sie ist ein starkes Signal für finanzielle Stabilität und Ausschüttungspotenzial.
- Wichtig ist der langfristige Trend – sinkende Werte können auf steigende Investitionen oder rückläufige operative Effizienz hindeuten.
📘 Eigenkapitalquote
📈 Was ist das?
Die Eigenkapitalquote zeigt, wie hoch der Anteil des Eigenkapitals an der Bilanzsumme eines Unternehmens ist – also wie stark es sich aus eigenen Mitteln finanziert.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Eine hohe Eigenkapitalquote steht für finanzielle Stabilität, Krisenfestigkeit und gute Bonität. Sie ist besonders relevant bei der Beurteilung der Verschuldung.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Eine hohe Eigenkapitalquote signalisiert finanzielle Stabilität – besonders in Krisenzeiten.
- Ein niedriger Wert kann auf ein höheres Risiko oder eine aggressive Verschuldung hinweisen.
- Wichtig: Die Eigenkapitalquote sollte immer gemeinsam mit der Eigenkapitalrendite betrachtet werden. Nur so lässt sich beurteilen, ob ein Unternehmen nicht nur solide, sondern auch effizient wirtschaftet.
📘 Eigenkapitalrendite (ROE)
📈 Was ist das?
Die Eigenkapitalrendite zeigt, wie effizient ein Unternehmen mit dem Kapital seiner Aktionäre arbeitet – also wie viel Gewinn es pro Euro Eigenkapital erwirtschaftet.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Die Eigenkapitalrendite ist eine zentrale Rentabilitätskennzahl. Sie hilft Anlegern zu erkennen, ob das Unternehmen eine attraktive Verzinsung auf das eingesetzte Eigenkapital erwirtschaftet.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Eine hohe Eigenkapitalrendite spricht für ein starkes, effizientes Geschäftsmodell.
- Besonders interessant ist sie bei kapitalintensiven Firmen oder solchen mit hoher Eigenkapitalquote.
- Wichtig: Ein sehr hoher ROE kann auch auf hohe Schulden hinweisen – daher sollte sie immer im Kontext mit der Eigenkapitalquote betrachtet werden.
📘 Return on Capital Employed (ROCE)
📈 Was ist das?
ROCE misst die Gesamtrentabilität eines Unternehmens – also wie effizient es das eingesetzte Kapital (Eigen- und Fremdkapital) zur Gewinnerzielung nutzt.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
Das eingesetzte Kapital ist das gesamte betriebsnotwendige Kapital, unabhängig von der Finanzierungsquelle.
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
ROCE eignet sich besonders gut für den Vergleich unterschiedlich finanzierter Unternehmen. Es zeigt, wie effektiv ein Unternehmen Kapital investiert – unabhängig von der Kapitalstruktur.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein hoher ROCE zeigt, dass ein Unternehmen sein Kapital effizient einsetzt – unabhängig davon, ob es durch Eigen- oder Fremdkapital finanziert ist.
- Je höher der ROCE im Vergleich zu ähnlichen Unternehmen, desto mehr Wert schafft das Unternehmen mit seinem investierten Kapital.
- Besonders wichtig ist der ROCE bei Firmen mit hohen Investitionen – z. B. in Industrie, Energie oder Infrastruktur.
📘 Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)
📈 Was ist das?
ROIC zeigt, wie effizient ein Unternehmen das Kapital investiert, das langfristig im operativen Geschäft gebunden ist – unabhängig davon, ob es aus Eigen- oder Fremdkapital stammt.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
- NOPAT = „Net Operating Profit After Taxes“
- Investiertes Kapital = operatives Vermögen abzüglich nicht-verzinster Schulden
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
ROIC ist eine der präzisesten Kennzahlen zur Bewertung der Kapitalrendite – besonders im Vergleich zur Eigenkapitalrendite, weil es Verzerrungen durch Schulden vermeidet. Er zeigt, ob ein Unternehmen Mehrwert für alle Kapitalgeber schafft.
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein hoher ROIC zeigt, wie gut ein Unternehmen mit dem tatsächlich investierten (betriebsnotwendigen) Kapital wirtschaftet.
- Im Unterschied zu ROCE wird nur Kapital betrachtet, das wirklich zur Finanzierung operativer Aktivitäten dient – und verzinst werden muss.
- Besonders hilfreich, um die Kapitalrendite von Unternehmen mit viel „überschüssigem“ Kapital oder zinsfreien Verbindlichkeiten realistisch zu vergleichen.
📘 Verschuldungsgrad (Leverage Ratio)
📈 Was ist das?
Der Verschuldungsgrad zeigt, wie stark ein Unternehmen durch verzinsliche Schulden (z. B. Kredite und Anleihen) im Verhältnis zum Eigenkapital finanziert ist.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Die Kennzahl hilft, das finanzielle Risiko und die Abhängigkeit von Fremdkapital zu beurteilen. Ein hoher Verschuldungsgrad kann die Eigenkapitalrendite steigern – birgt aber auch erhöhte Risiken bei Zinsanstiegen oder Liquiditätsengpässen.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein niedriger Verschuldungsgrad steht für finanzielle Stabilität und Unabhängigkeit.
- Ein hoher Wert kann auf erhöhte Risiken hinweisen – insbesondere bei schwankenden Zinsen oder konjunkturellen Schwächen.
- Wichtig: Immer im Kontext zur Branche und Kapitalintensität bewerten.
📘 Ergebnis je Aktie (EPS)
📈 Was ist das?
Das Ergebnis je Aktie (EPS) zeigt, wie viel Gewinn auf eine einzelne Aktie entfällt – und ist eine der wichtigsten Kennzahlen zur Bewertung von Unternehmen.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
Die verwässerte Aktienanzahl berücksichtigt auch potenzielle neue Aktien, etwa durch Optionen, Wandelanleihen oder andere Umtauschrechte.
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
EPS bildet die Basis für viele Bewertungskennzahlen wie KGV, PEG oder Payout Ratio. Es macht den Gewinn für Aktionäre vergleichbar – unabhängig von der Unternehmensgröße.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- EPS hilft, die Profitabilität pro Aktie zu erfassen – und ist besonders wichtig im Zeitvergleich oder im Vergleich mit Analystenschätzungen.
- Steigendes EPS kann ein Zeichen für stabiles Wachstum oder Aktienrückkäufe sein.
- Wichtig: Verwende verwässertes EPS für realistische Bewertungen – besonders bei stark aktienbasierten Vergütungssystemen.
📘 Free Cashflow je Aktie (FCF je Aktie)
📈 Was ist das?
Der Free Cashflow je Aktie zeigt, wie viel freier Mittelzufluss einem Unternehmen pro Aktie zur Verfügung steht – nach Investitionen, aber vor Dividenden oder Schuldentilgung.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Der FCF je Aktie zeigt, wie viel liquide Mittel pro Aktie tatsächlich im Unternehmen verbleiben – wichtig für Dividenden, Aktienrückkäufe oder Schuldentilgung. Im Gegensatz zum Gewinn ist er schwerer manipulierbar und daher besonders aussagekräftig.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein hoher Free Cashflow je Aktie ist ein Zeichen für hohe finanzielle Flexibilität.
- Er zeigt, wie viel Kapital ein Unternehmen effektiv einsetzen oder ausschütten kann.
- Besonders relevant für dividendenstarke Unternehmen oder solche mit starker Kapitalrendite.
📘 Short Interest
📈 Was ist das?
Short Interest zeigt, wie viele Aktien eines Unternehmens aktuell leerverkauft wurden – also von Investoren geliehen und verkauft, in der Erwartung fallender Kurse.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
Der Wert zeigt den Anteil der Aktien, der aktuell auf fallende Kurse spekuliert wird.
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Short Interest dient als Stimmungsindikator: Ein hoher Wert deutet auf Skepsis oder negative Erwartungen gegenüber dem Unternehmen hin – kann aber auch zu einem „Short Squeeze“ führen, wenn der Kurs plötzlich steigt.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein niedriger Short Interest deutet auf Vertrauen in das Unternehmen hin.
- Ein hoher Wert kann ein Warnsignal sein – oder eine Chance, wenn sich die Stimmung dreht.
- Besonders spannend in volatilen Märkten oder vor wichtigen Quartalszahlen.
📘 Employees
📈 Was ist das?
Die Mitarbeiteranzahl zeigt, wie viele Personen ein Unternehmen weltweit beschäftigt – ein Indikator für Größe, Struktur und Geschäftsmodell.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Sie hilft bei der Einschätzung von Skaleneffekten, Effizienz und Personalkosten. Zusammen mit Umsatz und Gewinn lassen sich Kennzahlen wie Produktivität je Mitarbeiter ableiten.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Viele Mitarbeiter bedeuten große operative Komplexität – aber auch hohes Umsatzpotenzial.
- Produktivität je Mitarbeiter ist ein wichtiger Indikator für Effizienz.
- Besonders spannend bei stark wachsenden Tech- oder Industrieunternehmen.
📘 Umsatz je Mitarbeiter
📈 Was ist das?
Der Umsatz je Mitarbeiter zeigt, wie viel Erlös ein Unternehmen durchschnittlich pro Beschäftigtem erwirtschaftet – eine Kennzahl für Effizienz und Produktivität.
🧮 Wie wird es berechnet?
Die Mitarbeiterzahl stammt in der Regel aus dem letzten verfügbaren Jahresbericht.
🏛️ Wofür ist es wichtig?
Diese Kennzahl hilft, Geschäftsmodelle zu vergleichen – insbesondere zwischen arbeitsintensiven und technologiegetriebenen Unternehmen. Ein hoher Wert deutet auf Automatisierung, Effizienz oder hohen Wertschöpfungsanteil hin.
🧮 Berechnung
🎯 Was bedeutet das für Anleger?
- Ein hoher Umsatz je Mitarbeiter spricht für ein skalierbares und margenstarkes Geschäftsmodell.
- Ein niedriger Wert kann auf arbeitsintensive Prozesse oder geringere Wertschöpfung hinweisen.
- Besonders hilfreich beim Vergleich von Tech- vs. Industrieunternehmen.
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Amgen — Goldman Sachs 47th Annual Global Healthcare Conference 2026
1. Question Answer
Good morning. Thank you for joining us. It's my pleasure to introduce the Amgen team. With us, we have Peter Griffith, Chief Financial Officer; Murdo Gordon, Head of Global Commercial Operations; Andrew Martin, Head of U.S. Business Operations; and Casey Capparelli, Head of Investor Relations. With that, I'm going to turn it over to you, Peter, for some opening remarks.
Great. Thank you, Salveen. Good morning, everyone. And Salveen, congratulations on that Knicks win last night. I understand you're now one of the top Knicks fans around. Good. Well, we will be too today when we're with you. So it's great to be here. We appreciate your interest in Amgen. I wanted to share a few thoughts before we get into the Q&A session.
So I think most importantly, we believe there are lots of ways to win for Amgen, especially for patients. We're pleased with our strong first quarter performance, which reinforces our view that 2026 is a springboard year for Amgen. It's a year in which we expect our rapidly growing products to offset the impact of increased competition for the denosumab franchise, and we saw that dynamic play out in the first quarter.
Revenue increased 6% year-over-year. Non-GAAP earnings per share were up 5% year-over-year, demonstrating the disciplined financial management that has long been a hallmark of Amgen. We had 16 products, delivered double-digit or better sales growth; and 17 products now annualizing at more than $1 billion in product sales based on first quarter results.
Importantly, our six key growth drivers, Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, our innovative oncology portfolio, our rare disease portfolio and our biosimilars portfolio represents -- represented about 70% of product sales in the first quarter and grew 24% as a group year-over-year. We expect those growth drivers to continue supporting our performance through the end of the decade.
Within oncology, IMDELLTRA now annualizing at more than $1 billion in sales and continues to establish itself as an important treatment option in small cell lung cancer. Within rare disease, UPLIZNA continues to build momentum across NMOSD, IgG4-related disease and generalized Myasthenia Gravis.
We're very encouraged by the progress we're seeing across these franchises. So let's turn to the pipeline then. Confidence continues to build in MariTide as a potential new paradigm for the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes and obesity-related conditions.
We're executing across the enterprise from clinical development to manufacturing as we advance MariTide's broad Phase III program and continue to build and optimize manufacturing capacity ahead of launch.
Our manufacturing preparations continue to progress well, and we believe MariTide has the potential to play a very important role across weight loss inductions, long-term weight maintenance and patients transitioning from weekly GLP-1 injections and therapies, with the potential for as few as 4 to 6 injections per year based on our extended dosing.
Our approach reflects how obesity care may evolve. Patients need effective weight loss, but they also need practical and durable maintenance options. And again, that extended dosing should help meet patients with those unmet needs.
Beyond MariTide, we have a robust Phase III pipeline, including olpasiran for the reduction of cardiovascular risk in patients with elevated Lp(a), dazodalibep in Sjogren's disease and xaluritamig in late-stage prostate cancer also exploring and investigating xaluritamig in earlier-stage prostate cancer.
We're investigating, as I said, xaluritamig in earlier stages of prostate cancer. In addition, we continue to pursue new indications for several approved products, including UPLIZNA in autoimmune hepatitis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, TEZSPIRE COPD in eosinophilic esophagitis and IMDELLTRA in early-stage small cell lung cancer.
So Salveen, let me just take a couple of moments to provide some additional context around the tax dispute and litigation. We believe some of the framing since our first quarter call overstates the potential cash impact. First, we firmly believe the IRS' proposed adjustments are without merit and our tax reserves are appropriate. We haven't changed that position in the last 4 years.
We will continue to vigorously defend our position as we have throughout this dispute with the Internal Revenue Service. Our position has been consistent, as I said, for many years and reflects the substantial value capabilities, investments, risks and contributions of our Puerto Rico operations.
Puerto Rico is 220 acres or so, 1.7 million square feet and 2,500 colleagues, many of them have technical degrees. It's a very, very important flagship operation manufacturing for us.
So then moving on to 2010 through 2015, a headline numbers from the IRS, they don't translate directly into cash exposure. As we've said before, the proposed amounts include $2 billion in penalties that we believe are wholly unwarranted. We believe the IRS calculations contain approximately $2 billion in errors.
And in addition, any potential payment would be reduced by up to $3.1 billion in repatriation taxes that have been previously accrued and paid. The last payment was actually last year of about $1.85 billion on repatriation taxes and also reduced by $1.9 billion in cash deposits that we've already made with the IRS.
So even if [Audio Gap] the 2010 through 2015, which we don't believe [Audio Gap] proposed adjustment from the IRS and the potential incremental cash impact to Amgen.
For 2016 through '22, those years involve a different tax framework following U.S. tax reform, different tax rates beginning January 1, 2018 forward, lower differences. And in particular, any extrapolation that starts with the 2010 through 2015 year would need to account for the calculation areas that I previously mentioned as well as that different -- those different tax rates and the repatriation tax payments already made.
So having -- let's get all that out of the way. Overall, we're executing against the plan we laid out for 2026. First quarter demonstrates that progress. Key growth drivers performing really well. We've got Murdo and Andrew with us today. I hope you'll explore that.
And that Phase III pipeline continues to advance 3 new Phase III programs with MariTide, a couple of extension or maintenance studies plus the SWITCH study that we've announced, and we're maintaining that rigorous financial discipline that we always do. Lots of ways to win with Amgen. We're very excited about the opportunities ahead for patients and for shareholders.
With that, over to you. Thank you for allowing me to share a few thoughts.
Thanks, Peter. One of the key investor debates for Amgen continues to center around the degree to which the company can offset the losses of exclusivity over the coming years. So walk us through at a high level, the degree to which you believe that Amgen can execute on this front and continue to drive top line growth with the current portfolio and pipeline.
Well, listen, let me flip it to Murdo and Andrew here real quickly. I'd just say somebody asked us earlier this morning about what we said a number of years ago about the long-term growth prospects. And boy, we've hit those hard.
And Repatha continues to be a fantastic franchise. I'm sure you'll [Audio Gap] that exist in primary and secondary prevention with Repatha, with EVENITY and the bone franchise and how well that's doing, with our BiTE portfolio. Thank goodness for the bike portfolio in small cell lung cancer patients in [ IMDELLTRA ]. We're going to go earlier on the IMDELLTRA.
We think lower tumor burden early lends itself exceptionally well to the bispecific T-cell engagers. So that's why we're promptly getting into xaluritamig and investigating that. and investing behind that. So there's lots of ways to win with Amgen. It's growing really, really well.
And look, the first quarter it's the evidence. And look, we've got to continue to execute at Amgen, and we talk about execution excellence all the time, Salveen, up 6% on the top, up 5% non-GAAP earnings per share in the first quarter. We expect to -- and we will work really, really hard to earn that throughout 2026 and going forward.
But let me turn it over to Murdo and Andrew because we're fortunate to have them with us today. I would just add that Andrew mentioned he's headed down to Puerto Rico because he hasn't had a chance to see those operations yet.
And I forgot to mention on Puerto Rico. I think we announced another $300 million going in there this year in investments. Last year, I think we announced about $650 million more going in down there. And so Andrew and I had a chance to catch up, and I was just sharing with them. I've been down there a number of times. It's just a great experience to go down and see the commitment of our colleagues down there, 2,500 plus to creating medicines for people around the world. So Murdo, Andrew, please.
I think you framed it well, Peter. We've got a nice story brewing at Amgen, given that we have a set of prioritized growth drivers, 3 large products with Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE by our innovative oncology portfolio, our rare disease portfolio and of course, our biosimilars.
So that story of breadth and that focus on those durable growth drivers gives us a real opportunity to sustain the loss of exclusivities that we will face currently with denosumab and Otezla in Europe, which a lot of people forget, we lost exclusivity there.
That business of growth drivers accounts for about 70% of our revenues in Q1 and is growing at 24% year-over-year. So that durable portfolio of growth drivers will allow us to continue to grow through losses of exclusivity through our long range. So that's a nice place to be. And given the number of catalysts for additional growth in that set of growth drivers, we're in good shape.
But Andrew, as you see your business, what are you excited about there?
I'm excited about Repatha, IMDELLTRA, PAVBLU and TEZSPIRE for me or the principal areas of excitement and largely is a byproduct of the enormity of headroom available to us in each of those categories.
If you start with Repatha, there's 100 million or more people globally with elevated LDL, about 50 million of those sit here in the U.S. Approximately 1/5 of those have their LDL today at levels expected as a result of the new ACC and AH guidelines.
PCSK9 have only penetrated about 10% or slightly less than that of that population. So it makes clear the enormity of the opportunity in front of us. And in fact, the momentum that we've created, we are confident, is durable and will sustain through the end of the decade for Repatha.
Same story for IMDELLTRA. We've clearly solidified ourselves as the standard of care in second-line treatment for small cell lung cancer. We frequently hear from oncologists that the durability of response and overall survival rate demonstrated in DeLLphi-304 have completely transformed the way oncologists think about the treatment of small cell lung cancer.
The NCCN guidelines and excellence in execution in the fields have allowed us to open up more than 1,800 sites of care across the country. Notably, half of those or more than half of those are in the community setting, which means we're bringing access to IMDELLTRA closer to the patients and where they sit.
And last, I'll touch on EVENITY. EVENITY is an incredible growth story in a massively undertreated and underpenetrated category of osteoporosis. More than 2 million women in this country have been diagnosed with postmenopausal osteoporosis that are either at very high risk of fracture or high risk of fracture and penetration of the anabolics into that cohort is less than 10%.
So again, another reflection of the significant headroom we have and why we're so confident in our ability to grow through the loss of exclusivity for denosumab.
Peter, you just spoke to the tax situation that's playing out with the IRS here. But you've also noted that the 2010 to 2015 tax [ court ] decision is expected no earlier than the second half of this year. Walk us through the scenarios that could play out when that outcome does come?
Well, I think, Salveen, on that, I would just say we've consistently said that we have confidence in our reserves. We have -- and we have all along. We have confidence in our position, especially after the tax court case itself, which ran from November of '24 to January '25.
By the way, it's not unusual that tax court, it's a different court system that it takes a long time to get a decision because if we do the math, it might be around 2 years before we get a decision, give or take. Think it's important to think about that.
But all along, we've said we continue to have strong confidence where we're at, both in our reserves and all the merit of what we have litigated with the IRS. So we're going to stay right there. We look at our reserves every quarter, we think about those. Our reserves include everything in them. We calculate both.
And the reserves are for everything in the company, not just for the tax case with the IRS. They're for all jurisdictions, all tax issues and so forth. We're very, very thoughtful about that. We're very confident in the tax leadership of the company and spent a lot of time on that. So that's really where we sit on it.
And people ask, "Well, gee, does it perhaps preclude you from thinking about transactions as it somehow affect what we might call our dry powder, so to speak?" I would just remind all our colleagues that in December 22, when we announced Horizon, that case was underway. And we've worked through it with the bondholders.
We had a $24 billion issuance of investment-grade debt, which at the time, I believe, was about the ninth largest issuance ever. And so we had no issues there. We don't expect any. We've got plenty of powder to do what we need to do. So we're going to vigorously defend this.
On the capital allocation strategy here, so how are you prioritizing internal investments such as R&D and manufacturing scale up versus business development opportunities and return to shareholders?
Thank you. So the #1 capital allocation priority to Amgen is to get to the best innovation, whether it's internal or external. And so we're agnostic. We understand we don't have a monopoly on the greatest innovation in the world. We also understand that our shareholders expect us to go out and find it.
And if we do find it, we're looking for, are we the best buyer? Are we the best license? Are we the best collaborator? Are we are the best partner? In other words, when we model that up, what does Amgen specifically bring to that, that's accretive and additive.
And number two, cash-on-cash returns in excess of what we're going to in excess of our hurdle rate. And number three, do we have research in there? Do we have science in the area that's proven? We've found over the years that when we compare where we have science and where we have research to where we execute on transactions broadly defined, we actually perform better and we get better returns.
And then finally, is it something we can integrate quickly? Because being a student of M&A in the capital markets, there's no question the data says faster the integration, the higher the return. And look at Horizon, that's what happened. We got after that quickly. That was a world-class integration by the entire enterprise at Amgen, and the results speak for themselves. And we are so happy to be in rare disease today when we went into it in a big way in December '22.
So I would just say, internal is fantastic. I mean we are working hard on the BiTEs. They're going really, really well. We'll continue to invest in MariTide. That is an internal asset. It's -- we're backing that up. We've got -- we'll have 9 Phase IIIs on that coming up here as we -- I guess we're underway.
3 more after that.
With 3 more after that. So we're going to get to a dozen. I said to Jay Bradner, I said, "Jay, you need 1 more. We'll have a Baker's dozen, but we're going to invest behind that." So capital allocation.
Let me tell you, this company is doing a great job. Rigorous financial discipline, 45% to 46% operating margin guide this year, and we'll be up to 12 Phase IIIs on MariTide. We've got Phase III going on Olpasiran. I think we got about 7,200 patients in there. And then we got [ xaluritamig ] going full speed in Phase III for pre-taxane and post-taxane.
So we've got a lot going on companies exhibiting strong rigorous financial discipline to reallocate back up and innovation. And after that, in our capital allocation hierarchy, if I go down one more notch, we're investing in the business, $2.6 billion guide in CapEx this year. And that's -- we need the capacity to hit the volume requirements that Murdo and Andrew are creating through the opportunities they're getting as they get medicines to these patients.
So we'll continue to vigorously fund that. Last year, we put some money behind UPLIZNA to the -- a couple of those new launches. So we're excited. We've got capital to allocate. We're going to do it prudently, thoughtfully and in a disciplined manner. But the capital allocation hierarchy is not going to change.
And just given that you are at pre-Horizon debt levels here, how willing or interested are you in doing a similar size transaction? And what are the therapeutic areas of focus right now for the company?
Well, let me -- I'll comment on size, but I think it's a great question for me to tend over to Murdo. He and I and Jay and [ Raj ] and I'll work really closely together with BD, but he's got -- he's more articulate than I am on the specific areas and he's deep into them.
In terms of size, look, we our aperture is always open. It was open when Horizon showed up. We had thought about rare and Horizon well over a year before it showed up. We didn't know that it would become actionable, it became actionable, and we were ready to go. And we were able to execute and get it done.
So we're always ready to do whatever we need to do. But again, we go to that capital allocation hierarchy, is that a company with innovation that we're excited about. It might be really small, we won't go out and spend the time and invest in that, might turn into a great opportunity. If it's of a different size and small, medium, large; we're agnostic on size, agnostic on structure.
And we'll do what we need to do to -- if it's going to hit those 4 criteria I talked about for BD, we'll take a good look at it. And if it benefits our patients and our shareholders, we'll get after it. So -- but Murdo should talk a little bit about where we're thinking in terms of the therapeutic areas and different opportunities there, too.
Yes. I think Peter has covered it really well. We look at areas of complementarity, whether that be in our research and development capabilities or in our commercial capabilities.
So if you look at the presence that we had in autoimmune from larger disease areas, translated really well into rare disease when we looked at the Horizon transaction. And as Peter said, we have a really well honed process to integrate new organizations into Amgen and retain the talent as best we can when we do that.
[Audio Gap] As you look forward, [Audio Gap] strength here, we have a very nice growth plan now with the integration of a rare disease business with the products that Andrew mentioned and with our biosimilars portfolio, we can look at a long horizon at earlier opportunities, we can look at mid-stage or even late-stage development assets.
But we're not looking to plug a big hole in revenues anywhere. We've got a nice growth story from the in-line portfolio and the mature late-phase pipeline that we have.
So we're looking in all therapeutic areas. We continue to see oncology, obesity, cardiovascular metabolic, rare disease, rare autoimmune; all as really exciting areas for us. And we do look at everything. I mean we have a large aperture when we look outside the company. So we have an opinion on whatever may transact and whether or not we want to jump in.
Great. Murdo, jumping into the commercial portfolio here. UPLIZNA significantly outperformed in 1Q, driven by the launches in IgG4-mediated diseases in Myasthenia Gravis. Can you highlight how you're thinking about the key launch dynamics to date and the trajectory in both of these indications on the forward?
Yes. No, I'm glad you think it's outperforming. It's always interesting that's in the eye of the beholder. But no, internally, we were excited about this asset when we did the acquisition. And obviously, with positive data in IgG4, I mean, overwhelmingly positive data in IgG4-related disease and then very strong data in the MINT trial in gMG. We see we have a differentiated product in both of those indications.
So strong foundation NMOSD, that continues to provide growth. IgG4-related disease, we're creating the market as we're satisfying it with the only FDA-approved agent there. That's hard when you're doing both, when there's no kind of existing big market where you have a relatively new ICD-10 diagnostic code and you're creating awareness and you're fulfilling that awareness. So that's harder than going into gMG, where there's an established market with incumbent products.
Now the growth outlook for IgG4 is very strong. There's large headroom there. The numbers on [ epidemiology ] are a little fuzzy, but let's say, between 30,000 and 40,000 patients that are eligible for treatment with UPLIZNA. And it's a horrible disease. It goes undiagnosed, physicians often are unaware as to what it is they're looking at. So we're helping with diagnosis and awareness. We're helping patients activate, and that will be a good source of durable growth for the product.
gMG, a little quicker, right? So we're seeing a good source of business coming in from bio-naive patients as well as SWITCH patients. And the SWITCH patients are coming from multiple places, not just one specific product or product category. So very good launch so far.
We did, as Peter mentioned, expand the field resources in both medical and commercial to be ready in advance of the gMG approval. And that's helped, I think, as well being ready. And we're looking at further investments to help activate more patients who are looking for improvements in their activities of daily living despite being on treatment. And we're helping build awareness of the convenience of UPLIZNA and its durable efficacy. But really exciting and a lot of headroom for growth still there.
How do you think the competitive dynamics will evolve with the entry of Regeneron C5?
Yes. I think the experience in complement inhibition in general has been mixed. We are sourcing business from the existing complement inhibitors, and we'll see what the Regeneron profile brings.
But I think given that we're highly differentiated in our mechanism and very convenient in how we [Audio Gap] I really don't see that as a direct competitive threat for us. I think there's so much bio naive and SWITCH patient sourcing that we're doing that we should be able to grow through that.
I should say, we're also in the clinic into additional indications with AIH and CIDP. Peter mentioned in his opening remarks. So we're excited about how that profile, that highly differentiated and convenient profile of UPLIZNA can help patients with those conditions as well.
2027 looks to be a big year for Amgen with regard to cardiometabolic and MariTide, and obesity being one of them. Given the Phase III program, the broad Phase III program is underway, including SWITCH and [ maintenance ] studies, how is your team preparing to launch in this highly dynamic and competitive market? And what do you see as the most important aspects of the commercial strategy?
Yes. Look, we are planning on going to market to establish ourselves as a leader in that category. We have continued to expand, and I'll ask Andrew to comment in a moment here, but we've continued to expand our cardiology and primary care presence for Repatha. We will grow that even further, given the momentum that we're seeing with Repatha in primary care.
We also just presented some data at the ADA on a subgroup analysis from Vesalius-CV for diabetes patients and being able to reduce their risk of an event. So we've got very nice overlap there. That helps, but we'll expand even beyond that for MariTide. So we're already expanding our medical effort. And we will be ready well in advance of those Phase III data coming out for the medical team and then obviously in advance of the FDA approval.
I think it serves us well to have people in territory ready to go well in advance of when the approvals occur. So we're planning on being very competitive in that market with a highly differentiated profile. That's really the thing that we started this journey with, was anticipating in the time frame for when we would launch, there would be a very busy, very competitive market, and that's played out. We've seen that just with a number of new original data presentations at the ADA.
But nothing seems to compare to the differentiated profile that we've got. And so what we said years ago when we started the early Phase I and Phase II clinical trials on MariTide, that differentiation has held up. And so we're in really good shape there.
Differentiated product, the scale of Amgen to be able to go to market, the foundation of Repatha and cardiovascular, I think we've got a really good approach to the opportunity that MariTide represents.
And as we look to all past around data next year as well, Novartis has pointed to about a 13% to 15% MACE benefit from pelacarsen is meaningful for LP(a) control. In the context of just that commercial outlook here, how do you think about what would ultimately drive uptake for a drug of that profile, but also your drug as you look to -- we've seen deeper knockdown?
Yes. Look, I like what we've done in our clinical program. We showed in Phase II that we've got a very potent reducer of Lp(a), 95% to 100% reduction in Lp(a). So if the hypothesis can be validated, olpasiran is the drug that can validate it, given its ability to lower Lp(a). Our patient inclusion criteria, we chose a slightly higher cut point than others did in their clinical trials. So again, slightly higher risk population if the Lp(a) hypothesis bears fruit.
And I like our chances to be able to deliver a strong hazard ratio at the end of that trial. So if pelacarsen reads out favorable, I like that we'll be able to positively differentiate beyond what they show.
And that -- you have to look at the cluster of cardiovascular risk factors here. Physicians are looking to do more and more for their patients. And Lp(a) gets a mention that in the guidelines, it is moderately lowered by Repatha and PCSK9s, but not really.
And so if we are trying to further reduce cardiovascular risk, this genetically defined biomarker needs a specific [Audio Gap] again, no faster [Audio Gap] looks like potentially.
You also have Phase III data in Sjogren's coming by year-end. How are you thinking about the likelihood of success here and the size of the opportunity?
Sjogren's has been a difficult disease area, kind of intractable for a lot of different mechanisms. So I like the purposeful design of dazodalibep. Obviously, the Phase II data look interesting. Horrible disease. Hopefully, in Phase III, we're able to demonstrate efficacy and safety in that category.
But it's a large underserved area where a lot of off-label medicines are used with nominal efficacy and some safety baggage. So very attractive for us. And we've got this -- we were talking about before, we've got the rheumatology capabilities, both in the research, medical and commercial arena. So it fits very well with our portfolio.
And a last question for you, Peter. You raised 2026 guidance on the 1Q call. How would you -- what would you highlight here as potential upside or downside drivers for the 2026 range that we should monitor?
Well, let's go back to those six key growth drivers. So things are going really, really well. with those. So I always like to start with those Repatha, TEZSPIRE, innovative onc, rare disease portfolios, biosimilar portfolio.
But I would say, as we think about the company and what happens in 2026, Salveen, the breadth of the company in the market is strong, 17 products annualizing at $1 billion or more. There's 16 products with double-digit growth or greater, both of those over the prior year's quarter.
And I would just say there's a lot of ways to win there. And our commercial group is working with our operations to make sure we get those to patients in every possible way we can. And so that's strong.
But I would also say we've got this -- in '26, it's important [Audio Gap] we want to win in the pipeline. So it's this disciplined data generation that Dr. Bradner has been talking about for this year. We're working really hard on that. We're going to demonstrate execution excellence in that and make sure we're after that and make the progress we want to make this year in that pipeline also.
So the breadth of the end-market portfolio and how well that's doing the depth of the pipeline and what's going on over there, I think it makes 2026 a year that will be great for patients and strong for our shareholders. And then going out towards the end of the decade and beyond, that strong end-market portfolio, those six key growth drivers, 70% of product sales in the first quarter 24% growth as a group and then going forward, the pipeline will continue to deliver on that.
And we've talked about that, and you've covered Maridebart cafraglutide also known as AMG 133 or as all of you know it, MariTide. And so we're excited about the opportunities that, that will bring and we'll continue to invest behind that.
But Amgen is a great story of rigorous financial discipline, coupled with a very clear capital allocation hierarchy. And at the end of that hierarchy, every time we talk about it, we're going to talk about innovation, the best innovation, whether it's internal or external, and we're working hard at that. And we think we'll continue to be in a position to create value for patients, shareholders and also for our staff.
Just one other question I wanted to touch on. So you've guided to relatively stable operating margins of about 45% to 46% this year as you invest in the late-stage pipeline. How should we think about the evolution of margins as you look to the end of the decade? Could you see expansion back to prior levels?
Well, we don't give long-term operating margin guidance. But in terms of how do we think about the discipline around that, that rigorous financial this one, remember for many years, and that's what you're referring to, beginning in 2013, '14 or '15, I wasn't around then, but we upped our game and took the operating margin up around 50%.
I always said when I came into the seat late '19, I said, if there are opportunities to achieve cash-on-cash returns in excess of our hurdle rates for our shareholders that made sense, we would flex that margin.
And in the last couple of years, thank goodness, we've had the opportunity to do that because that results in -- as Casey mentioned, we're going to have 12 Phase II trials in MariTide at the end of the year. We've got a pass around and moving along with 7,200 patients. We've got value Xaluritamig in Phase [ III ]. We've got the ability to invest behind that.
And we think those are fantastic opportunities. And when we have an opportunity to invest behind what's out in the market right now behind UPLIZNA and make sure that's getting delivered to the patients that should and EVENITY and invest behind that and make sure that's getting to the underpenetrated market that Andrew and Murdo referred to and same with Repatha. I mean, boy, we had an old saying years ago, "Boy, back your winners". And that is such a great medicine for patients with such a great data set.
So that's really how we think about op margin, Salveen, but it's important to us. We understand there's expectations of Amgen to be a top performer in the operating margin percentage, and we're going to continue that. And we're using all the tech and data and AI we possibly can, just like everybody else is.
We have high expectations of ourselves. And we've got a CEO that has high expectations of us and what's going to happen there. And we're excited about that and the challenge that represents.
So we'll continue to be efficient, we'll continue to be effective, and we'll continue to make sure that we produce an operating margin that our shareholders think makes sense in light of the opportunities to invest and in light of the opportunities to exhibit strong financial discipline.
With that, thank you so much. Really appreciate the time.
Thank you, Salveen. Thank you, Goldman Sachs.
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Amgen — Goldman Sachs 47th Annual Global Healthcare Conference 2026
Amgen — Goldman Sachs 47th Annual Global Healthcare Conference 2026
Amgen betont starke 1Q-Zahlen, sechs Wachstumstreiber stützen das Wachstum; MariTide als Schlüsselprogramm, Steuerstreit bleibt potenzielles Risiko.
🎯 Kernbotschaft
- Kernaussage: Amgen sieht 2026 als "Springboard": starke 1Q‑Performance, 70% des Umsatzes von sechs priorisierten Wachstumsfranchises, die Verluste von Denosumab & Co. abfedern sollen; MariTide wird als langfristiger Wachstumshebel aufgebaut.
🚀 Strategische Highlights
- Portfoliofokus: Sechs Wachstumsprodukte (Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, Onkologie, Rare Disease, Biosimilars) wuchsen zusammen 24% YoY und machten ~70% des Q1‑Umsatzes aus.
- MariTide: Breites Phase‑III‑Programm (auf 12 Studien erweitert), Fokus auf extended dosing (potenziell 4–6 Injektionen/Jahr) und Produktionsausbau vor Launch.
- Kommerz & M&A: Repatha- und IMDELLTRA‑Rollout wird ausgeweitet; Kapitalallokation priorisiert Innovation (intern/extern), agnostisch bei Deal‑Größe, 45–46% Operativmargen‑Leitplanke 2026.
🆕 Neue Informationen
- Aktualitäten: IMDELLTRA annualisiert >$1 Mrd.; 17 Produkte annualisieren >$1 Mrd.; MariTide: Ziel 12 Phase‑III‑Studien; CapEx‑Leitplanke ~$2,6 Mrd.; Steuerstreit: Management betont Reserven, nennt mögliche Abschläge durch repatriation taxes und bereits geleistete Einzahlungen.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- Steuerfall: Wie groß ist das Cash‑Risiko? Management bleibt überzeugt von angemessenen Rückstellungen, verweist auf Fehler in IRS‑Berechnung, bestehende Einzahlungen und Repatriierungssteuern als Puffer.
- Wachstums‑Risiko: Können die Wachstumsfranchises Verluste der Exklusivität tragen? Management nennt Repatha, EVENITY, IMDELLTRA und UPLIZNA als Kern, betont großes Adressierbares Marktpotenzial.
- Kommerzielle Vorbereitung: Wie vorbereitet für MariTide/Olpasiran? Ausbau von Field‑Teams, Produktionserweiterung und gezielte medizinische Vorbereitung; Differenzierung im Profil als Schlüssel zur Marktdurchdringung.
⚡ Bottom Line
- Bewertung: Konferenz bestätigt Amgens Narrativ: nachhaltiges organisches Wachstum gestützt durch mehrere starke Franchises und ein großes MariTide‑Programm. Steuerstreit bleibt Risiko, erscheint nach Management Einschätzung aber begrenzt dank Reserven. Für Aktionäre relevant sind MariTide‑Phase‑III‑Ergebnisse, Steuerurteil und Marktreaktion auf Wettbewerbsdruck.
Amgen — Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference 2026
1. Question Answer
Good morning, everyone. I hope you're doing well. Really pleased to see a packed room and really that goes for right now and also just the entire conference. My name is Akash Tewari. I head our pharma and biotech efforts here at Jefferies on the research side. And we have Amgen on the panel today. So really excited to have a discussion.
I'll hand it off, maybe, to Peter for opening remarks, and we'll get going.
Great. Thank you, Akash. Good morning, everyone. Great to see you. We are glad to be here. I'm not used to holding the mic. All right. So we're just -- we're really glad to be here with you. We appreciate your interest in Amgen and a couple of thoughts for you here before we get going into the Q&A.
We believe there are lots of ways to win for Amgen, especially for patients. We're pleased with the strong first quarter performance, which reinforces 2026 as a springboard year for Amgen. This is a year which we expect our rapidly growing products to offset the impact of the loss of expirations on our denosumab franchise and the increased competition there that will occur throughout this year. In the first quarter, we did exactly that. Revenue was up 6% year-over-year and non-GAAP earnings per share was up 5% year-over-year, demonstrating the disciplined financial management that is historic for Amgen. 16 products delivering double-digit or better sales growth. 17 products annualizing at $1 billion or more based on those first quarter product sales.
So as we've been saying for quite a long time, breadth and depth across our portfolio. Importantly, our 6 key growth drivers, Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, the innovative oncology portfolio, the rare disease portfolio and the biosimilars portfolio made up 70% of the product sales in the first quarter, and that group grew 24% year-over-year. We expect those to continue to drive us through the end of the decade.
I would suggest in that, that inside the innovative oncology portfolio, we have IMDELLTRA now annualizing at over $1 billion, a medicine for treating small cell lung cancer, and I'm sure we'll talk about that a little bit. Inside of the rare disease portfolio, we have UPLIZNA, which is treating NMOSD, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. It's good for the CFO, isn't it? Not bad. And also IgG4, which it was approved to treat, I believe, last May and then a year ago, May, and then also GMG, generalized myasthenia gravis approved in December, I believe. And so we're very excited about UPLIZNA. So the growth drivers are doing very, very well.
Turning to the pipeline. Confidence continues to build in MariTide as a new paradigm for the treatment of obesity, type II diabetes and obesity-related conditions. We're executing effectively across the enterprise in the pipeline from clinical development to manufacturing. And as part of that, we're advancing MariTide's broad Phase III program and build and optimizing our manufacturing capacity ahead of that launch. And I've had an opportunity to visit all of the sites a number of times and our great manufacturing capacity, our world-class manufacturing capacity is coming along really well. We expect MariTide to be really important for weight loss induction, long-term weight maintenance, patients switching from weekly GLP-1 therapies to MariTide with the potential for as few as 4 to 6 injections per year. Our approach reflects how obesity care may evolve. Patients need effective initial weight loss, but they need practical, durable maintenance options.
And beyond MariTide, we have a robust Phase III pipeline, including olpasiran, which is for the reduction -- being investigated for the reduction of CV risk in patients with elevated Lp(a). I would note Narimon is a cardiologist in charge of our development. So I'm sure we'll want to visit olpasiran here as important as that will be. Dazodalibep being investigated for Sjogren's disease, xaluritamig being investigated for late-stage prostate cancer, another bispecific T cell engager. We're also investigating xaluritamig in earlier stages of prostate cancer.
In addition, we're pursuing new indications for several of our approved products, including UPLIZNA, which I mentioned previously, in autoimmune hepatitis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy or CIPD, TEZSPIRE in COPD and eosinophilic esophagitis and IMDELLTRA, again, in early-stage small cell lung cancer.
Now Akash, I know you have a KOL or key opinion leader call, I think scheduled tomorrow on the...
On the tax case, yes, that's right.
And so I just wanted to mention on the tax front since there have been some questions around that since our first quarter call. Two related matters with the same core issue, value attribution. The IRS is arguing that our Puerto Rico operation should be treated as if it were essentially a limited-value contract manufacturer. We strongly disagree with that position, and we have since they've adopted it. We've got 2,500-plus colleagues who are United States citizens at our flagship facility there in Puerto Rico, the majority with technical degrees. It's a very complex operations.
Remember, there are 2 tax periods in question now, 2010 through 2015 and then 2016 through 2018. 2010 through 2015, that tax court matter is not new. It's been around for a number of years. There have been no changes in our position on the status of that case. It's been fully tried and litigated. The tax court stopped hearing that case in January '25. We don't expect a decision from the judge any earlier than the second half of 2026.
Now as fully expected in the ordinary course of the IRS audit process, we received a notice of proposed adjustment, or NOPA, as I call it, for similar transfer pricing issues for that 2016 to 2018 period. It's just an early step in what we would expect to be a multiyear process. It's not a final determination. And importantly, our commitment to Puerto Rico continues to grow. Since our first quarter call, we announced -- you may have seen an additional $300 million investment into Puerto Rico on top of the $650 million that we've announced also in the past year or so. Puerto Rico is a core part of our operations, our manufacturing network, flagship facility, advanced manufacturing capabilities for biologics, deep expertise all the way around. So we disagree strongly with any characterization of those as our operations there is limited value contract manufacturing. So we continue to believe the IRS claims are without merit and our reserves are appropriate as we have all along.
Just closing, we are executing against the plan we laid out for 2026. The first quarter demonstrated the strength, the breadth, the depth of the business, 6 key growth drivers are performing, Phase III pipeline moving along, and we're maintaining our rigorous financial discipline on behalf of our shareholders as we're investing for the long term. Lots of ways to win, Akash. I just wanted to share those comments. Thank you.
No, I appreciate that. That's excellent. And the last panel I just hosted was an AI panel. So I'll give a brief question on this, Peter, to you. And it's -- I think we often hear about AI for drug discovery but we had Albert from Pfizer and he's saying, look, right now, for large organizations, it's about how we operate our cost basis much more efficiently, and that's going to be the first wave of changes.
So really, here's the question. China is making drug discovery cheaper. The cost of making drugs has gone down. Commercial organizations are becoming more efficient. And yet, when I look at my model, I'll criticize myself or really the Street widely, we are not modeling these businesses, including yours, being a step order more efficient when we think about the margin structure, right? We still have the 20% to 25% on R&D. We still have the 20% to 25% on SG&A. And then we have the corporate costs, which can often be very substantial. Are we making a fundamental mistake here? And we are going to see enormous improvements in operating structure with companies like yours in the not-too-distant future.
Thank you. It's a very important question. We are fully committed to technology, artificial intelligence, data. And I would suggest we're fully committed to it across the enterprise. And I will invite Narimon in a moment to discuss ways in which we are using it and applying it in our research and our development functions. But I have said all along, Akash, that in research and development, becoming very, very proficient if you're one of the leading biopharmaceutical companies, which we are, we better be good at it, and we better be on it and working it as effectively, efficiently as we can.
As you go across the enterprise, if I -- if you would allow me before I turn over to Narimon, manufacturing, we opened Amgen, Ohio, which is a finished drug plant a couple of years ago, finished drug processing plant. And that is our most technologically advanced plant. So roughly speaking, we have maybe 50% or 60% of the headcount we would have had in a plant before that. And by the way, the labor is fabulous in Ohio. We're super pleased with it. We're actually opening another plant there. It's under construction, AOH 2 right next door.
We call it a Butterfly plant, just to open the wing up. The technology, the AI there is fantastic. We have -- it's either 7 or 8 automated ground vehicles. Nobody drives forklifts anymore. They're automated, no injuries. They don't go on break. They haven't been getting sick. They get recharged and plug themselves in when they've got time to do it. We then move over to the commercial operations, and we're using it very effectively there. We use it -- Kave, I'd invite Kave after Narimon speaks to talk briefly about it. I know we're taking some time, but this is important.
And Akash, I would suggest we're -- I've guided to on behalf of Amgen, a 45% to 46% operating margin this year. Look, as part of that, we have to start and are incorporating some AI to become more efficient. We -- I would suggest AI is going from the individual and functional use cases across companies, including ours, to enterprise use cases. And we're after that. We are pursuing it vigorously. We think it's really important. And we realize, too, that it's going to cost more. When Google does an $80 billion equity offering, somebody is going to be paying for the cost of all this compute at some point. We're all beginning to, and we're going to be thoughtful about that. So we feel it's incumbent upon us to get those returns for our shareholders and most importantly, to use it to get innovative medicines to patients better, cheaper and faster.
So with that, Narimon, maybe a sentence or 2. I know we're taking some time, but this is so important.
Yes. No, thank you, Peter. And thank you, Akash, for the question. As Peter mentioned a moment ago, we're using artificial intelligence, starting with the very beginning of the R and all the way through the end of the D in R&D. This gets into helping us develop new insights, improving our speed, cost and quality of the work that we do in R&D, all of which are very important.
To give you a sense of some examples of that in terms of insights, think about the data that we have had through our work at Amgen deCode and looking at multi-omic data. We're looking at human genomic data, proteomic data, pulling all that information together and coming up with new targets to interdict upon developing new medications. That is now going to be accelerated and assisted with AI, new insights. We also use this technology to help speed up our late antibody optimization efforts in developing the therapeutics, right? We've seen improvements in speed of up to 50% on that angle in developing the therapeutics to then take into the clinic for clinical testing. Once we make our way into clinical studies, we've applied artificial intelligence in helping us select the sites tailored to the population of patients that we're recruiting.
And at times, we've seen a threefold increase in the speed of recruitment on the basis of picking the right sites that are tailored again to the right drug for the right trial. And once you're finished with the clinical studies, there's, of course, another R, and that is regulatory and filing, and we found that artificial intelligence has enormous potential in ingesting all of this data that we've generated over the life cycle of a medicine and putting it in the form of a draft document that will be ready to submit to a regulatory authority for review. So you can see through all of those steps, you get new insights. It helps with the speed, obviously, the quality of the work that we do goes up, and that will ultimately help us reduce cost.
Kave?
Yes. From the commercial standpoint, to build on what Narimon and Peter shared, we're really focused on the use of the technology to speed up the access and use of our medicines around the world. So we've got 3 big areas where we're focused on AI right now. First, remove the friction from getting access to our medicines, both in the U.S. and abroad, going along with the regulatory comment that Narimon made, it's great if we can get the medicine approved faster. We also need to get it paid for faster. And so using the AI to speed up the filing of our reimbursement applications, the quality of those reimbursement applications. But in the U.S., access to medicine in terms of understanding where you are in the insurance scheme, co-pay, prior authorization, patient support. So that's one big pillar, and that's going to show up in the revenue side more than the cost side overall.
Second area is in patient identification, which is really important in rare disease. We've built some really great capabilities of identifying where patients are so that we can interact with the physician around the time that patient is seen. We're using the AI to speed up and enhance those capabilities, which allows the effectiveness of our promotion to go even higher in those areas.
And then third, we know that physicians are using AI to change their own behavior. So making sure that our content and messages are showing up in those workflows in the AI of their choice is helping us identify and get patients on to therapy faster. So Akash, when you think from the commercial perspective, we're going after the efficiencies, but those efficiencies are being reinvested to drive the top line faster more than the cost line down at a differential rate.
I think that's an important point to note. And I think you'll hear that pretty consistently. It's more about top line growth rather than just outright cost cuts. Maybe going into the clinical side, and we'll start with Lp(a). And it's -- to me, you look at the genetic data, it's clearly a predictive marker. But LDL-C is such a rare kind of biomarker in cardiovascular disease because seemingly, the more that it goes down, it continues to have a benefit I always worry for Lp(a), there might be more of a threshold dynamic where you get to a certain range and you can kind of get into a range where it's not really impacting your cardiovascular risk. So there's more threshold dynamic rather than a marginal dynamic. We've seen headlines from Novartis and others in the field that these trials all tend to go longer and longer.
I'd love to get your take about these trials going longer than expected, the difficulties in terms of modeling kind of event rates in a modern cardiovascular population. And should we interpret the fact that these studies are going longer negatively or not?
Thank you for the question. It's a really good question. Let me start by reminding us that we've had over 50 to 60 years of the benefit of looking at LDL, understanding LDL biology and the science. And thank goodness, we're finally getting to the point and concept that lower is better, lowest is best, right? And with Repatha, I think we have developed a very compelling evidence base, a mountain of evidence, if you will, that shows that, that is, in fact, the case.
Now one of the important lessons from that half century of understanding LDL science and LDL biology is that it is the totality of LDL cholesterol burden reduction that is important for patients. So think of it this way. If you have a patient who has had a very high LDL cholesterol, carrying a large load for a very long period of time, that person is at high risk for having atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, a heart attack, right? And what you want to do for that patient and the science has borne this out and reduce it to a very simple equation from the CTTC data is you want to remove as much aggregate LDL cholesterol burden from that patient for as long as possible, right?
If you look at the math, the equation is for every 38 milligram per deciliter reduced LDL cholesterol, you have a 22% reduction in relative risk for major adverse cardiovascular events. That's the reduction of LDL cholesterol. And it's what makes a PCSK9 therapy like Repatha so powerful, right? Start earlier, take it longer, reduce the LDL to as low as possible. That's where the puck is headed for LDL biology.
How do we apply that to Lp(a)? Your question, all right? Well, Lp(a) and LDL have a lot in common. If you look at the particle structure, they look quite similar for the exception of a covalently bounded more atherogenic and thrombotic protein, the L(a) of Lp(a), okay? And the way that we've approached studying Lp(a) is we want to start with the patients that have the highest burden of disease, highest burden of Lp(a) that are at risk and have shown that they have had untoward cardiovascular events, specifically coronary events, and we want to be able to follow those patients for a longer period of time. And that is exactly how our study has been designed, high Lp(a) threshold, more than 200. We have an incredibly effective medicine with Olpasiran that can reduce that Lp(a) by more than 95%. In some cohorts from our Phase II, we reduced it by 100%, right? And you want to have this type of therapy for those patients that carry such an enormous Lp(a) burden for a long period of time and have already suffered the consequences of poorly controlled cardiovascular risk. So that is the basis of the outcome study that we have designed.
And as you said, Akash, the human genetic data, Mother Nature's experiment, the human epidemiology, all the anecdotes that we're seeing in the field, all point towards this being a very important dimension of residual cardiovascular risk. Once you address LDL cholesterol, you absolutely have to address your Lp(a) and 20% of us in this room, unfortunately, have a high Lp(a). And I really hope that all of us have at least taken efforts to measure it because we have taken so long to understand what LDL values are for ourselves, and that is simply not acceptable, simply not acceptable in today's age with the technology that we have.
So what do we make of the slower event rates? Should we be discouraged? Absolutely not. In fact, what we've seen over time is if you go back to the '80s to the '90s to the 2000s, the event rates for accruing cardiovascular events have slowly gone down in the population, right, of clinical studies. Why is that? Well, we demand them to be on better medicines for one, right? You want to see patients on PCSK9 inhibitors in a cardiovascular outcome study, so you can understand what value your therapy brings forward on top of LDL reduction.
And so that's one reason for it, all right? There are a number of other reasons that could include highly efficacious mechanism with Lp(a) reduction because when you're looking at event rates in a study, you don't know which arm is having the event rate reduced. You're looking at an aggregate value. And so if you have a very effective therapeutic, the aggregate value of the event rate accrual is going to be lower. That is just going to be the simple math out of that.
So I don't really take any negative signs or concern out of the event rate that's coming out of these studies. I think it's a natural outcome that we expect to see from better care and potentially very effective medications being brought into the clinical trial arena. And I remain very enthusiastic about the mechanism, and I'm looking forward to see what the Novartis study will tell us.
It's a very clear answer, and I really do appreciate it. Hitting on MariTide, and really, I think there's an interesting scientific question because your team has talked about an antibody is different than a peptide in terms of how you can sensitize the receptor. I think Jay talked about it marinating the receptor in an interesting way. I wanted to think about that phenomenon versus like you look at Novo, you look at Lilly. I mean these are companies that are more sophisticated than anyone in terms of running these trials because they have the experience.
And I remember going to ADA 2 years ago when the Amycretin data came out, and it's like 50% vomiting on all their amcretin arms. And they're moving forward to Phase III. And even with orfoglipron, the issue of geographic variability came up pretty predominantly because your diet can really impact your nausea rates. So when I look at for your drug and MariTide, really provocative data that you showed with a different kind of titration regimen, but that was 140 patients in sites in Texas. Now we have to extrapolate that phenomenon to a worldwide perspective. And that's really -- I think the question a lot of investors have is, when you think about geographic variability and just the complexities of running these obesity studies, which is seemingly getting harder, not easier because the adoption has gone up, how do you think about that phenomenon relative to also that really provocative data you've shown that perhaps an antibody has a different type of, I guess, desensitization that maybe a peptide won't, right? How should we think about that?
Yes. Thank you. Again, a great and insightful question on your part, Akash. Let's start with some basics. There are over 1 billion people in the world that suffer from this disease that we call obesity, well over 1 billion, right? And that number is not coming down. And we look at the tremendous success we've seen from the newest therapeutics entering the field, and we see that the usage is about point or 2% or less of the addressable population, okay? So there are a lot of people that have yet to even be touched by a medicine that can treat their obesity, and they really need this medicine. So as we think about the whole space of opportunity, there is still almost all of the opportunity that still resides out in the market for patients that need a treatment for obesity.
So the opportunity is remaining very large. It's true that the scientific bar has gotten up, right, has raised from 5 years ago. But the opportunity remains very large, and there absolutely are going to be segments of the population, which I think you're getting to that are going to benefit more or choose one therapy over the other. MariTide has a very competitive and compelling profile from all the data that we have accrued thus far, Phase I, Phase II and our very encouraging experience in Phase III, right?
We have what we believe is a very compelling and competitive efficacy as well as tolerability profile. And more and more people need to understand that these medicines for chronic long-term conditions need to be taken for a long period of time, right? You benefit from medicines, including medicines that reduce LDL cholesterol by taking them for a long period of time. It reduces your burden of disease over your lifetime. That's how you appreciate the benefit, not just on weight, but all the comorbidities that are chronic comorbidities like heart disease, liver disease, diabetes from them. So why is this important? It's important because you have to think about what are the attributes of your medicine and intervention that enable a patient to take it for a longer period of time, right?
So when you talk about a medicine going from being administered daily, which was back in the day of the first GLP-1s daily to then weekly, that was a big innovation. That was helpful. It's going to be very helpful for people to go from weekly to monthly, potentially every 2 months and potentially every 3 months, right? And these are the questions that we are interrogating with MariTide. We start with monthly. We've recently announced 2 studies that are going to look at maintenance beyond the initial phase of treatment that will look at every 8-week and every quarter administration. You mentioned the SWITCH study, where we're taking patients that are starting on their weekly medications.
And again, we're going to help them understand and the world understand what happens for patients when they take those weeklies and decide, you know what, I want to go to every 2-month or every 3-month administration. This will help with a large segment of the population, irrespective of the geography in which they reside. These are compelling basic needs of patients around the globe. And obesity, like many other diseases that we may end up talking about over the course of the day, is a condition where patients will need more options, not less options.
By the way, I will interpret your answer this way, and I think it's quite important. The sense I get, and I think it's a fair point, which is we're so obsessed with these kind of contrived 68-week studies with titration profiles that no one actually adopts in the real world. And your point is when you look at maintenance data, when you look at switch data when patients are already on a background GLP-1, there's tons of data that can show the drug is very tolerable to switch.
So that in and of itself is an opportunity. So it sounds like we don't know the answer to this question, we'll get in the clinical trial, but we're thinking about this the wrong way is maybe the right way...
Absolutely. You're absolutely right. And think about this. Half the people today of those 2% that have access to these medicines stop taking the medicine before a year is up. That's not great for those patients. And so we absolutely have to address the need of those people.
Understood. Kave, this is a transition to maybe when you think about launching MariTide and the commercial opportunity, it's interesting. There's just seemingly this obsession with this race to the bottom on price. And I always feel like whether you're Novo, Lilly or Amgen, you're thinking about a portfolio approach, you're thinking about sequencing patients on multiple therapies, but also the entry point might be $150 at a low dose. But by the time MariTide is getting on the market, you have potentially millions of patients who are GLP-1 experienced who are now in the insurance market, right? And one of the things that I think stands out about your development program is you're running the outcome studies. You're running -- you're getting clinical data as well.
So when you think about MariTide in the U.S., should we think about it not we're thinking about coming in at direct-to-consumer $150 to compete with oral Wegovy. But no, it's going to be patients who have already failed a GLP-1 often an oral or Wegovy. And now they are going to be in the traditional insurance system. Is that the right approach to think about in the United States? And then when you think about ex-U.S. launching an injectable medication, but it's a huge market, how do you launch an injectable product well in the rest-of-the-world market, forget even just EU-5?
You covered a lot of ground there, Akash. So let me just say, I think that, first, having a great partner like Narimon to really work through these issues in advance in development really helps us from a launch perspective. We think we've got the data that's going to, over time, show that it's easy to start on MariTide. It's easy to stay on MariTide. It's easy to sustain that weight loss on MariTide. And we're going to be ready for a number of different kind of segments of that market, whether that's patient-directed market, and insured market, to your point, throughout.
So one of Amgen's strengths has always been the tight intersection with access through our development plans and our commercialization plans. And so understanding the data and the economic drivers of a payer versus a patient is something that we are building that evidence base of so that depending on how the market evolves over the next few years, and it will evolve quite a bit, we're ready for that market. I would say thus far, what we've seen from a pricing standpoint is in line with our expectations of what we thought would happen.
And we are seeing in this market, which is different than a lot of pharmaceutical markets that the price reductions are coming with demand lifts overall, and that's directed primarily by that patient-driven segment. But irrespective of where the patient is, we want to have a solution for them and the development plan is helping us do that for the United States, but also for outside the United States, where some markets will be more patient-driven and some will be more reimbursement.
And just to hit on that, in line with your expectations, actually, that isn't totally dissimilar to, I think, how Lilly would describe it. But there is this sense, I think, with the established players now that we are maybe out until the end of the decade to, at least in the United States, a level of pricing stability. We'll have mid-single-digit declines but they seem quite confident that price of a cup of coffee, you've kind of reached that price point that there is a ton of inherent demand just to have. And really, the work is going to be on insurance access and just negotiating those contracts. Is that maybe the view Amgen has Because, again, MariTide is -- you're going to be thinking about that commercial market pretty shortly.
Yes. I think that's a scenario that's out there, Akash. We're ready for a lot of different scenarios, and we're really looking to see how they play out in the market in advance of our launch. But I think we're going to be ready for those scenarios once we get to market.
Understood. I'm going to sneak in one more question on IMDELLTRA. And it's really about the opportunity in maintenance. And it's funny, a lot of people focus on KEYTRUDA and lung, but I think a lot of the money they make is in a maintenance setting. I don't think that's well appreciated. Would it surprise investors if the maintenance opportunity in IMDELLTRA could actually be bigger than the frontline traditional opportunity there?
Yes. I'm just back from ASCO. I can tell you that the physician community is extremely excited about IMDELLTRA in both the frontline and in the maintenance setting overall, and we're excited to be releasing additional data over time that shows that durability of response getting to long-term survival overall, Akash. I would say that data will still mature to inform the field, but I can tell you my interactions, the field is quite excited about the maintenance use of IMDELLTRA.
Understood. Thank you so much. I really do appreciate it.
It's wonderful. Thank you, Akash.
Thank you, Jefferies. Thank you all.
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Amgen — Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference 2026
Amgen — Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference 2026
Amgen betont auf dem Jefferies-Panel: Pipeline-Wachstum (MariTide, Olpasiran), AI-Einsatz zur Effizienzsteigerung und Ausbau der Fertigung.
🎯 Kernbotschaft
- Kernaussage: Management sieht 2026 als "Springboard": schnell wachsende Produkte und eine starke Phase‑III‑Pipeline sollen Umsatzverluste aus ausgelaufenen Produkten auffangen und langfristiges Wachstum sichern.
🧩 Strategische Highlights
- MariTide: Antikörper‑basierte Adipositas‑Therapie in großem Phase‑III‑Programm; Zielbild: Initiale Gewichtsreduktion plus praktische Erhaltungsdosierung (4–6 Injektionen/Jahr geprüft).
- Olpasiran: Lp(a) (Lipoprotein(a))-Programm für kardiovaskuläres Risiko; Studien auf hochriskante Patienten mit hohem Lp(a)‑Schwellenwert ausgelegt; Wirkspiegelreduktion >95% in Phase II.
- Manufacturing & AI: Ausbau der Fertigung (u.a. Puerto Rico, Ohio), Automatisierung in Werken und breiter Einsatz von KI in F&E, Zulassungsvorbereitung und kommerzieller Patientenidentifikation.
🔎 Neue Informationen
- Aktuelles: Q1‑Signale: Revenue +6% YoY, Non‑GAAP EPS +5% YoY; zusätzliche $300M Investition in Puerto Rico; angekündigte MariTide‑Erhaltungsstudien (8‑Woche und Quartal) und Produktionsaufbau vor Launch.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- AI vs. Kosten: Diskussion, ob KI vor allem Top‑Line‑Wachstum (bessere Zugangsfindung) statt sofortiger Kostensenkung bringt; Management betont Reinvestition der Effizienzgewinne.
- MariTide‑Risiken: Tolerabilität/geographische Variabilität und Übertragbarkeit kleiner Studien in großangelegte, globale Phase‑III‑Programme; Switch‑/Erhaltungsstrategien werden aktiv untersucht.
- Olpasiran‑Events: Längere Studienlaufzeiten durch niedrige Ereignisraten sind erwartbar; Management sieht dies nicht negativ, Studie fokussiert auf hochriskante Kohorte.
⚡ Bottom Line
- Fazit: Amgen präsentiert ein klares Wachstumsnarrativ: mehrere potenzielle Blockbuster (MariTide, Olpasiran, IMDELLTRA/UpLIZNA‑Indikationen), starker Fertigungsausbau und breit angelegte KI‑Einsatzfelder. Relevante Risiken bleiben: klinische Wirksamkeit/Toleranz in globalen Studien, Erstattungslandschaft für Adipositastherapien und laufende Steuerstreitigkeiten in Puerto Rico. Kurzfristig positiv für Wachstumsperspektive; Anleger sollten Phase‑III‑Readouts, Launch‑Daten und Steuer‑Urteile beobachten.
Amgen — Bank of America Global Healthcare Conference 2026
1. Question Answer
I'm Tazeen Ahmad. I'm one of the senior biotech analysts here at the bank. It's my pleasure to have our next presenting company, Amgen. Sitting up on stage, our several members from the Amgen team. Thanks in advance for making the trip over from California. We really appreciate it.
So we have Peter Griffith, who is Executive Vice President and CFO; we have Jay Bradner, who's Executive President of Research and Development; and then we, of course, have Casey Capparelli, who is Vice President, Investor Relations. Gentlemen, thank you for making the trip again.
Thank you for having us.
Okay. So maybe we could do a quick overview of the company and some important comments that you -- or statements that you need to make before we go into more detail. So I'll turn it over to Peter for that.
Great. Tazeen, thank you. Good morning, everyone. I would just add, coming over to Las Vegas is there's traffic coming over. But in today's world, there's a lot less going back. So we'll take advantage of that. So thank you for having us. We are glad to be here.
I've got a few prepared remarks I just want to run through and cover before we go to Q&A. We believe, first of all, there are a lot of ways for us to win. And look forward to the discussion around that, and especially winning for patients. We're pleased with the strong first quarter performance, which reinforces 2026 as a springboard year for Amgen. This is a year in which we expect the rapidly growing products we have to offset the impact of the patent expirations and increased competition.
In the first quarter, we did exactly that. Revenue was up 6% year-over-year. Product sales were up 4% year-over-year. Non-GAAP earnings per share was up 5% year-over-year, strong financial discipline exercised by the company. We've got significant breadth and depth across the portfolio. 16 products delivered double-digit or better sales growth in the first quarter year-over-year. 17 products annualizing at $1 billion or more in the first quarter based on first quarter sales. Importantly, our six key growth drivers, Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, an then our innovative oncology, rare disease and biosimilar portfolios accounted for nearly 70% of our product sales in the first quarter, and they grew at 24%. An aggregate rate of 24% growth on those six growth driver categories in the first quarter.
Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, each hold leadership positions in underpenetrated disease areas where there are millions of patients yet to be treated. These medicines all grew at 20% or more in the quarter and are well positioned for continued growth this year and through the decade. Our rare disease portfolio grew 25% year-over-year, and we see significant opportunities ahead as we scale those therapies in this category by reaching additional patients, expanding into new indications and launching into new geographies. UPLIZNA exemplifies this opportunity. It's experiencing continued growth across multiple B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. Pretty good for CFO, Jay.
Pretty good.
Pretty good. In innovative Oncology, our portfolio grew 2% year-over-year, driven by our bispecific T-cell engager portfolio or BiTE medicines which are expanding what is possible for patients across multiple cancers. We remain particularly encouraged by IMDELLTRA, which is rapidly becoming a standard of care in late line small cell lung cancer.
Our biosimilars portfolio remains strong, driven by sales of PAVBLU this year. It's generated sales in excess of $14 billion cumulatively since we launched them in 2018. The portfolio is an important contributor to our growth is well positioned as the next wave of biosimilar candidates advances through Phase III development.
Let's turn to the pipeline. Our confidence continues to build in Meritide as a differentiated treatment for obesity type-2 diabetes and obesity-related conditions. We're executing effectively across the enterprise from clinical development to manufacturing as we advance Meritide's broad Phase III program and build and optimize our manufacturing capacity ahead of launch. We expect Meritide to be important for weight loss induction, long-term weight maintenance and for patients switching from weekly GLP-1 therapies to Meritide with the potential for as few as four or six injections per year. Our approach reflects how obesity care may evolve. Patients need effective initial weight loss and practical durable maintenance options.
Beyond Meritide, we see strong potential across a number of other programs in late-stage development, including Oplisiran, our Lp(a) lowering medicine in Phase III development, Dazodalibep in Phase III for Sjögren’s disease and Zaludirimig, which is in Phase III for late-stage prostate cancer. On the tax front, there are two related matters with the same core issue. Value attribution. The IRS is arguing that our Puerto Rico operation should be treated as if they were essentially a limited value contract manufacturer. We strongly disagree with that position.
We've got 2,500-plus colleagues who are United States citizens there, the majority with technical degrees. It's a very complex operation. There are two tax periods in question. 2010 through 2015 and 2016 through 2018. The 2010 through 2015 tax court matter is not new. There have been no changes in our position on the status of that case. It's been fully tried and litigated. We remain highly confident in the case we presented at trial, and we continue to expect a decision no earlier than the second half of 2026.
As expected in the ordinary course of the IRS audit process, we received a draft notice of proposed adjustment, what I call a NOPA in April for similar transfer pricing issues for the 2016 to 2018 period. It's just an early step in what we would expect to be a multiyear process. It's not a final determination. And importantly, our comment to Puerto Rico continues to grow. Since our first quarter call, we announced an additional $300 million in investment building on the previously announced $650 million in our Puerto Rico facility, Puerto Rico is a core part of Amgen's United States manufacturing network with advanced manufacturing capabilities for biologics, deep expertise all the way around. We strongly disagree with any characterization of these operations as limited value contract manufacturing, and we continue to believe the IRS claims are without merit and our reserves are appropriate.
So now let me close. We're executing against the plan we laid out for 2026. The first quarter demonstrated the strength and breadth of the business, the growth drivers are performing. The pipeline is advancing, and we're maintaining financial discipline while investing for the long term. We believe there are a lot of ways to win for patients at Amgen and for shareholders and staff.
Over to you, Tazeen, for Q&A.
Okay. Perfect. Peter. I think you just discussed everything that I wanted to say.
We're so glad about that.
No, there's plenty to talk about. You're a big company with many exciting things going on. So one of the things that I wanted to spend a couple of minutes on was Repatha, which has been outperforming now, and it looks like the pace of outperformance is increasing. So I wanted to get your thoughts about where the demand is coming from? And why do you think like the interest in this particular asset at this time has increased with physicians and patients.
Well, I think -- first of all, I'll invite Casey and Jay to jump in. Repatha is, first of all, it's such an important medicine and what we hope is a developing cardiometabolic armamentarium for patients that Amgen is working on when we look at the rest of the pipeline. But Repatha itself increased 34% year-over-year to over $900 million in the first quarter, about $900 million.
Strong volume growth, increasing urgency to treat patients across both secondary prevention and high-risk primary prevention. Strong prescribing momentum, new brand -- new to brand prescriptions. This is the one that I wanted to make sure I shared with you, Tazeen, increasing roughly 45% year-over-year in the first quarter. Supported by both cardiology in the primary care setting.
So VESALIUS-CV, the recent guideline updates, they're simply reinforcing earlier identification and treatment of high-risk patients. particularly in primary prevention, where the majority of patients are treated. Access and affordability, they are no longer gating factors. Repatha is on virtually every major U.S. formulary. Most patients are paying less than $50 a month. Amgen now provides another avenue for patients to access Repatha and then the underpenetrated thesis is so important, approximately 100 million patients globally still not -- still not at an LDL-C goal and PCSK9 inhibitors are still way underpenetrated. So we see a long runway for growth. We expect Repatha to continue to grow through the end of the decade, as I mentioned, and we put it as our number one growth driver for the company.
Where do you think peak sales could be just based on the pace that it's at?
We don't give peak sales, but I would just refer you to that underpenetrated population. When we think about 100 million patients out there, and there'll be heterogeneous treatments. I know there's potential oral treatments and so forth. But we're so confident in Repatha. We're confident in the data. The data is so strong for Repatha and so compelling. And so we're going to continue to work as hard as we possibly can to help all those patients in those underpenetrated areas get their LDL-C down to the recommended levels.
And is your sales force rightsized for the expectations that you have for growth over the next several years? Or do you think that you could make tweaks to that?
Our commercial group, they -- is my colleague who plays hockey says. Our commercial group skate to where the puck is going to be. Because the head of commercial, Murdo, also a massive hockey fan too. So we love that saying from Wayne Gretzky. And so they're skating to where the puck is. They're always dynamically reallocating our resources to make sure they meet the needs of the prescribers and the patients to make sure we deliver that medicine around the world at the right time to the right patients.
The group has overcome so many barriers. And I think that it's an incredible and special group of people that care a lot about market access, which is so vital to a medicine and secondary now primary prevention to really reach patients around the world. There are very few barriers now to receiving Repatha. I still sit with cardiologists, they don't understand that. It has been 8 years since we had guidelines. Now we have solid guidelines. They may not go far enough, but they're solid and improving and call out PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies by name.
There's a radical decrease in the number of step-through requirements virtually no prior authorizations to reach the majority of patients. And now with Amgen now, patients can access Repatha quite independently and with a very favorable access price. And so this group has done an incredible amount of work in the journey of Repatha to be prepared for this moment where with primary prevention data and the string of manuscripts that will come from that VESALIUS-CV study awareness and the demand for Repatha is rising.
Okay. Maybe one more question on commercial and then we'll go to pipeline. You guys have had a good early launch to UPLIZNA and gMG. You entered a crowded space, one that's expected to become more crowded. So maybe for Jay, as you think about FcRns, as you think about the potential of Regeneron to launch its C5 into the space late this year into early next and other mechanisms that are earlier stage, -- what's giving you the confidence that the UPLIZNA approach is the right one for gMG? And you've talked now many times on calls about how you expect this could become the first-line drug of choice among patients over time.
I would say that the short answer is efficacy, which is very, very strong, and though it's hard to do cross-trial comparisons, the efficacy is better. Second is durability that we observed engendered response rates really improving through the course of the first calendar year therapy. I'd say third is convenience. Patients don't want to experienced their disease, they also don't want to be reminded of their disease treating themselves.
This medicine is given every 6 months after the loading dose, which is quite remarkable. And then fourth is it targets the actual causal biology. Myasthenia gravis is fundamentally driven by autoreactive antibodies produced by a group of cells, B-cells and pre B-cells. And UPLIZNA targeting CD19 works to deplete exactly those cells, a broader group of cells than, say, a CD20 monoclonal antibody that has a limited utility here. And so I think that these four really important features. I mean, any one of them could be strong enough to compel a physician to prescribe.
But all four of these, including the fact that to date, the medicine has been rather well tolerated. That's big for these patients. And so I think we're not surprised, but we're delighted to see the increased uptake and interest in utility of UPLIZNA. And after neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder after IgG4-related disease, after generalized myasthenia gravis, the pattern that we're observing is that diseases driven by autoreactive antibodies should respond to UPLIZNA. And if you look at that list in chatGPT or your favorite medical textbook like Harrison's, that's a long list of diseases that we're prioritizing and sequentially, just line them up and knock them down. And the next two for UPLIZNA will be autoimmune hepatitis in CIDP.
Okay. So let's stick to gMG for 1 more minute. Where are you seeing the early patient pickups coming from? Are they switch patients? And what are they switching from? And what percent of the usage right now is in treatment-naive.
Thanks. I'll leave it to Casey to discuss the specifics, but we are seeing uptake in both biologically experienced and biologically naive patients.
Yes. And it's roughly a 50-50 split between those two groups at this point. Tazeen, it's a little bit early to be characterizing exactly what therapies individuals are switching to. But as you can imagine, with other therapies that are on a more treated on a more frequent basis, every time they're in the physician's office, there's an opportunity to switch to UPLIZNA as well. And patients are looking for exactly the attributes that Jay described.
Okay. And then on the one that you're pursuing, one of the two that you're pursuing next CIDP, one that's been dominated by FcRn. You also have IVIG as an indicated usage drug. How are you thinking about the dynamics of that market versus what you're seeing so far with gMG?
I'd say more similar than different. I mean the medicine has to work there, but it targets, again, the underlying biology. It meets the patient where they're at with a convenient dosing schema. I should hope that if active, the durability would be another strong feature given the pharmacodynamic suppression of CD19 positive B cells is so durable with this afucosylated monoclonal antibody. So I would say provided strong efficacy, which is really the anchor of why this medicine is so desirable in myasthenia gravis, generalized myasthenia gravis. I think in CIDP, it stands to be very much the same story.
When should we expect to see data on that?
We haven't as yet indicated when that study will read out..
Yes, we'll be starting those two Phase III studies later this year.
Okay. And are those the extent of indications that you want to pursue for UPLIZNA? Or are there others behind it?
No, there are additional indications for UPLIZNA. And I would also share that because we've been in CD19 for so long, and you must know we have an FDA-approved and broadly utilized standard of care frontline acute lymphoblastic leukemia, CD19 called blinatumomab, BLINCYTO for its leukemia use case and intravenous continuous infusion that in our fridges and in our labs, we have a number of molecules targeting this target and this pathway and have built a whole program around B-cell depletion, leveraging CD19. Some of those diseases will track very nicely to an UPLIZNA use case and others will use a pipeline agent. But I would expect to see proof of concept, if not additional data in lupus with and without nephritis and other disease states.
Okay. All right. So now let's move on to some of your pipeline assets. Let's start with Meritide. So there seems to be a bifurcated reaction to this drug. It's either this is great. It's going to be a market share leader in the obesity space or there's not enough data right now for us to kind of know where it's going to land. What is the real differentiation? You've got a mechanism GLP, but it's going to be dosed less frequently. How is that going to compare to a multitude of other companies that might hope to launch around the same time as you guys would. So maybe help the market better understand this drug. Mechanistically, why do you think it could have some advantages over just being another GLP on the market?
Thank you. Well, I would start by saying that Meritide is a very special molecule, and it's not that complicated. It's a GLP antagonist antibody with GLP-1 agonist peptides that has dramatic efficacy on weight loss is extremely well tolerated at target doses that benefits from dose escalation just like all the other ones and it's given less frequently. So I don't think we should overcomplicate it. It's very simple. If GLP-1 peptides were twice a day, they'd be less exciting than every week. And if a mechanism that if a medicine that exploits this mechanism can be given monthly or as Peter shared, maybe every 8 weeks, where we've already shown and presented data demonstrating real efficacy, maybe every 12 weeks, as we've indicated, we've some maintenance data that gives us conviction there, and we continue to study every 8 and every 12 weeks in prospective and now Phase III trials.
I wouldn't overcomplicate it. It's a very active increasing based weight loss medicine that is just given less frequently. And that's very special. The antibody core affords an opportunity for patients not to inject themselves every single week. And as we continue to see in real-world evidence, weekly injectables are challenging for patients to stay on. And if half of patients are stopping the use of these medicines at 6 months or 12 months, are the patients getting what they need, the protection for these serious diseases are the payers getting what they deserve for providing access to these medicines. And so the features of Meritide could improve patient persistence and for chronic diseases, that really, really matters. But I wouldn't overcomplicate it, an incretin-based medicine that is given less frequently.
As said by CFO.
Simple as it gets.
Tazeen, think 52, 12, 6, 4, which one of those do you want if you're getting poked?
Yes, it's a fair point. When I got my flu shot, I didn't ask if it could be weekly. And so let's see how the data appears when we read out these Phase III studies, but we are very confident in the profile of this medicine, the design of these trials. Their execution has gone very, very well. And I wouldn't overcomplicate it.
Okay. Now what about the tolerability profile? I think there's been some questions about it. You're looking at various titrations [ cavada ] anything you could share on that front?
Yes. I'd break tolerability into two conversations. One is tolerability at target dose. It's extremely well tolerated at target dose. You could be on 350 milligrams of this, you could get it every single month. And as we've shown with the Manhattan plots from Phase II, the drug is just innocuous, just very well tolerated by patients. And the reason for this is it's an antibody core. So you're just kind of marinating in it. It's just smooth exposure.
When you do a pill or a weekly injectable, there's a spike, a medicine is absorbed and then it's metabolized, absorbed and then it's metabolized. And the part of the brain that experiences nausea and vomiting is called the area postrema and the hypothalamus and it responds to these jolts. And so if we see, let's say, the data from oral GLP-1s as presented to date and you look at their Manhattan plots, which is how symptoms are tracked over time, there's just a scattering persistence of nausea and vomiting. I think some data was even disclosed today about switching from injectables to orals. And there was real associated almost 19% nausea, significant vomiting moving to more frequent dosing.
Meritide a target dose is just smooth exposure and a smooth experience. upfront treatment. Here, Meritide is more similar than different to other injectables, that to get a GLP-1 medicine on board you need to start low and go slow with dose titration. And we've learned, as every other company has prosecuting this mechanism, that no dose escalation is worse at 1 step, that 2-step is better than 1 step -- and as we shared on our earnings call that 3-step is unsurprisingly better than 2 steps ploy 3-step dose escalation in our Phase III studies and have real confidence that the upfront experience with Meritide will be competitive and on treatment experience will be extraordinary.
Okay. And let's talk about the opportunity for it to be used in the maintenance setting.
Yes. None of these diseases go away after 52 or 72 weeks, which is how we're studying these medicines in clinical investigation. And in this room in rooms like it, those numbers matter, and we're going to deliver great numbers. But in clinical practice, these physicians are seeing patients, and these patients are experiencing these diseases for a whole lifetime. And so how patients can remain on therapy and derive durable benefit for their whole lifetime because we're not curing obesity with these medicines. But we are effectively treating it.
We are effectively treating associated diabetes and many other related conditions. We and others have become very interested for what happens after the primary endpoint. And through long-term extensions and now dedicated Phase III clinical investigation, we intend to characterize the benefits of Meritide when used for an additional year after a year of treatment or beyond.
And there, we believe that one might even require less Meritide than the acute and treatment phase because the long-lasting antibody has long-lasting effects. And so we've seen data in Phase II clinical investigation in our Part 2 extension that every 8-week and even every 12-week dosing can maintain lost weight. And the field of obesity is not surprised by this because they've talked about this metabolic set point for a long, long time, and these medicines are reducing that set point and then keeping the weight off.
We now want to follow up on this strong signal in two ways. One is could maintenance Meritide be less frequent than treatment Meritide. And second, if we can switch from Meritide to a less frequent Meritide, could we get people off weekly injectables to a much more convenient maintenance Meritide? And so we announced in our earnings call that we are initiating clinical investigation on a maintenance as well as on a switching to Meritide experience that will feature less frequent dosing. This is very important to translate efficacy which is what you see on a clinical trial to effectiveness, how well medicines can work in the real world.
Okay. How long do you expect this maintenance study that you announced to last?
Well, we have, I think, reported on clinicaltrials.gov, the length of the maintenance studies, and they'll be about a calendar year.
Okay. And in terms of pace of enrollment, do you think that this is going to be quickly enrolled?
The long-term extensions are invitations to patients who've been on the Phase III clinical trial to continue. And there, we expect real followership, really strong participation because when we did our Phase II clinical study and we offered patients to complete on to a maintenance, I think we had more than 90% conversion. Is that right, Casey?
That's correct.
Yes, more than 90% participation. So you get an e-mail or your doctor or clinician asks you, could you be interested to keep taking this medicine for a year and more than 90% signed up for that, which is people voting with their feet and their thumbs. So we're expecting very strong participation. And in fact, all of our clinical studies of Meritide have enrolled ahead of expectations. These are a strong set of clinical trials.
Okay. So we'll stay tuned on updates from these studies as we go forward. Let's maybe take a minute to talk about a couple of other pipeline assets and indications. I wanted to maybe spend a little bit of time on Lp(a) because you've got a competitor that's going to have data coming, I think, later this year, for which nearly everyone expects there to be a read-through for Amgen. So rather than me talking to investors about what the right read-through should be, I thought I would ask you, Jay, what is the right read-through to be thinking about when we see the Novartis data released for Lp(a) later this year?
No, I know that medicine well, and I'm following that research very closely as our -- as is this community. I would say that the read-through from the Novartis readout midyear will be sort of directional, but not absolute as to what to expect from our OCEAN(a) study that is forecast to read out later. It's a event-driven study. And the reason for that is that, number one, we're both testing a really strong hypothesis with very effective medicines.
Lp(a), a genetically defined risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Each Lp(a) particle is 6x more atherogenic pound for pound, than an LDL-C particle. And look at all that we know about LDL-C and its reduction in its management. experiments of nature have shown that a gradient that as Lp(a) ramps up in our blood streams, a risk for heart disease ramps up in parallel. And so both of these companies are testing the same hypothesis. I like our chances.
Our medicine is quite a bit more potent than the Novartis medicine. If that medicine, pelacarsen reduces Lp(a) 70% to 75%, our medicine olpasiran flatlines Lp(a) more than 95% could matter. Second is our study has a slightly different endpoint. Novartis uses a 4-point MACE endpoint, major adverse cardiovascular events. We're using a 3-point endpoint. We didn't see from an epidemiologic standpoint, quite as much weight around stroke. And so we've thought to consolidate all of our alpha around the endpoints that we think will really move the needle for patients. And in that regard, Novartis is a good company with a good molecule, asking a good question. And so we're very interested to see the outcome, but the guidance, we think, would be -- for us would be directional.
Okay. And when the data does come out, does that allow you to make any changes if you need to? Would you think you would want to?
I think a late-stage protocol amendment would not be our preferred path forward. We are very confident in the design of this trial.
It's an event-driven study. So I think some folks had expected maybe it could come out later this year, but now you think expectations are sometime into next year. When would you have a better sense of guiding towards a data readout?
We -- there's a monitoring committee that's tracking these events. We're performing this study in collaboration with the leading global cardiovascular group. We and they have executed through the development of Repatha cardiovascular outcome trials in a very expert way. We are forecasting the event rate is not going to read out this year, and we'll have more to say about the readout as the aperture narrows on the target date, which is a certain number of events.
Okay. And maybe last question really quickly. How big do you think this opportunity is?
One in five humans is born with an elevated Lp(a). And we are studying secondary prevention first. But should that be positive, as for LDL-C, I would have a hard time explaining scientifically why that mechanism wouldn't work in primary prevention, which is a much bigger number of people. So it's a big opportunity.
Would you put it on the same level as LDL like statins and those types of drugs are bigger?
It feels like that. It feels like that. But Casey, what would you say?
I'd say it will be dependent upon the Phase III data.
Of course. And I guess if you needed to build a sales force for that, what kind of investment would you need?
I would say, and it's a good point. If you think about Repatha and what Peter described in terms of our cardiometabolic foundation that we built, very strong cardiology presence, very strong primary care presence. You can layer in olpasiran on top of that. And then also think about Meritide and the various metabolic diseases that we're studying with Meritide, but also fit right in. So we feel like we have the potential to have a very strong cardiometabolic presence in general, especially if you -- if we're successful with Meritide and with olpasiran on top of what we built with Repatha.
You actually bring up a good point. What type of overlap would there be in physicians prescribing Repatha and those who might prescribe it for Lp(a)?
It would be a high degree of overlap. Lipid management clinics are now measuring Lp(a) and the current guidelines from the AHA, one thing they got just absolutely right was recommending that patients know their Lp(a) number as all of us in this room should because even without effective medicines that we hope to have in the near term, knowing you have an elevated genetically defined risk that you can't eat better and it goes away, stop smoking it goes and go away, even Repatha doesn't make it go away, you approach your life a little bit differently perhaps.
Maybe you do an extra 15 minutes on the treadmill every morning. And so I think knowing about Lp(a) is very important. And in that way, the community is activated. Lp(a) measurement is in the guidelines, and that leads to the question, okay, so what can we do about it?
Okay. With that, we're out of time. Thanks, gentlemen, for joining me today. Thanks, everyone, for listening..
Thank you, Tazeen, and thank you, BofA.
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Amgen — Bank of America Global Healthcare Conference 2026
Amgen — Bank of America Global Healthcare Conference 2026
Amgen betont Q1-Execution und Wachstumsprodukte (Repatha, Meritide, UPLIZNA, Olpasiran) als Treiber, bleibt aber im Steuerstreit aktiv.
Präsentation auf der BofA-Konferenz mit Q&A (CFO, Head R&D, IR).
🎯 Kernbotschaft
- Takeaway: Q1 bestätigt 2026 als "springboard"-Jahr: Umsatz +6% YoY, Produktumsatz +4% YoY, Non-GAAP EPS +5% YoY; breite Produktbasis und sechs Wachstumstreiber tragen deutliches Wachstum, Management fokussiert Marktdurchdringung, Pipeline-Execution und Fertigungsaufbau.
📌 Strategische Highlights
- Repatha: +34% im Quartal (~$900M), Verschreibungen +45% YoY, breite Formulary-Abdeckung und niedrige Netto‑Kosten für Patienten; Management sieht großes unterpenetrated Marktpotenzial (~100 Mio. Patienten).
- Meritide: Langwirksame GLP-1‑Antikörperkonstruktion mit seltener Dosierung (evtl. alle 8–12 Wochen), Phase‑III‑Programm läuft, Fokus auf Induktion, Dauertherapie und Switch‑Strategien zur Verbesserung der Therapietreue.
- UPLIZNA & Co: Schneller Uptake in generalisierter Myasthenia gravis (≈50/50 biologic‑naive vs experienced); Expansion in CIDP, autoimmune hepatitis geplant; BiTE‑Onkologie und Biosimilars bleiben weitere Wachstumssäulen.
🔍 Neue Informationen
- Meritide‑Programme: Zusätzliche Maintenance‑ und Switch‑Studien angekündigt; langfristige Erhaltungsbehandlung (~1 Jahr) geplant, Part 2‑Extension hatte >90% Conversion.
- UPLIZNA‑Pläne: Zwei Phase‑III‑Studien (u.a. CIDP) starten später dieses Jahr; keine Readout‑Termine genannt.
- Puerto Rico & Steuern: Zusatzinvestition $300M (auf zuvor $650M) in PR‑Fertigung; IRS‑NOPA für 2016–2018 erhalten, Amgen hält die Ansprüche für unbegründet und sieht Reserven als angemessen; Entscheidung für 2010–2015 voraussichtlich H2/2026.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- Repatha‑Nachfrage: Analysten fragten nach Treibern und Peak‑Markt; Management nennt Leitlinien, bessere Zugänglichkeit und Unterpenetration, verweigerte aber Peak‑Umsatz‑Angabe.
- Meritide‑Profil: Fragen zu Wirksamkeit, Verträglichkeit und Titrationsschema; Management betont glattere Exposition, gutes Tolerabilitätsprofil und schnelle Einschreibung in Phase‑III.
- Olpasiran/Lp(a): Erwartete Novartis‑Daten liefern nur einen "directional" Read‑through; Amgen nennt olpasiran als potenter (>95% Reduktion) und erwartet OCEAN(a)‑Eventreadout später (nicht dieses Jahr).
⚡ Bottom Line
- Fazit: Solide Kurzfrist‑Performance und klare Wachstumsstory aus mehreren Franchise‑Pfeilern; klinische Readouts (Meritide, olpasiran, UPLIZNA‑Erweiterungen) sind mittel‑ bis langfristige Kurskatalysatoren, während Steuerstreitigkeiten und regulatorische/Marktunsicherheiten kurzfristige Risiken bleiben.
Amgen — Q1 2026 Earnings Call
1. Management Discussion
My name is Julianne, and I will be your conference facilitator today for the Amgen Q1 2026 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions]
I would now like to introduce Casey Capparelli, Vice President of Investor Relations. Mr. Capparelli, you may now begin.
Thank you, Julianne. Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to our first quarter of 2026 earnings call. Bob Bradway will lead the call today and be followed by a broader review of our performance by Murdo Gordon, Jay Bradner and Peter Griffith.
Through the course of our discussion today, we will use non-GAAP financial measures to describe our performance and have provided appropriate reconciliations within the materials that accompany this call. We will also make some forward-looking statements, which are qualified by our safe harbor statement. And please note that actual results can vary materially.
Over to you, Bob.
Okay. Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us. We had a strong first quarter and are well positioned to achieve our objectives for the year. Recall, we previously described 2026 as a springboard year for Amgen, a year in which we expect our rapidly growing products to offset the financial impact of patent expirations and increased competition while our next generation of molecules progress through the R&D pipeline, setting the stage for sustained long-term growth.
As you can see from our progress thus far, we're on track to achieve these objectives. With steady execution through the rest of the year, we expect, once again, to demonstrate that we can grow through a period of patent expiration and deliver attractive performance for our shareholders with a strong portfolio of innovative medicines and biosimilars that meet the needs of patients with serious diseases.
As you listen to Murdo's presentation in a moment, the momentum of our 6 key growth drivers. Together, they generated 70% of our sales in the quarter and grew in aggregate by 24%. That strong performance sets us up well for the year and well beyond.
Turning to the pipeline. Our focus this year is on disciplined data generation and execution across a number of important Phase III programs, which again, we expect will drive attractive long-term growth for Amgen. Our confidence in MariTide as a differentiated treatment for obesity, type 2 diabetes and obesity related conditions, continues to build. We're executing effectively across the company, building the capabilities we need to bring this medicine to market.
As Jay will discuss in a moment, we're disclosing additional Phase III studies of MariTide, one of which will evaluate switching from the weekly injectables to MariTide on an every 8 or 12 week schedule. In other words, we'll evaluate switching from medicines which are injected 52 times a year to one which can be injected as few as 4 or 6 times a year. In addition, we'll evaluate weight maintenance for MariTide on a schedule of 4 or 6 injections a year as well. We expect there will be a great deal of interest in these data.
Beyond MariTide, we see strong potential across a number of other programs in late-stage development, including Olpasiran and other innovative programs in Phase III. We've talked about the excitement we feel about the convergence of technology and biology including the application of artificial intelligence across the company. Here, too, we're making great progress. And there's no question we're in a period of tremendous change, and we're encouraged by the progress we're making in embedding new capabilities.
We're doing this across the company, and we took steps early on to have Dave lead these efforts, and we're grateful to -- accomplishments leading activities across the company. I'll have more to say about Dave at the end of the call, but before we turn to Murdo, let me just thank my Amgen colleagues around the world for their dedication to our mission to serve patients and the quality of their work again this year.
Murdo, over to you.
Thanks, Bob. As mentioned in the first quarter of 2026, 16 products achieved double-digit or better sales growth and 17 products are now annualizing at sales of $1 billion or more. Overall, we delivered 4% growth in product sales, driven by a diversified portfolio of fast-growing products that continues to outpace the impact of losses of exclusivity. The evolution of our business is now well underway with our 6 key growth drivers, which include Repatha, EVENITY and TEZSPIRE, 3 innovative medicines, delivering significant clinical benefit for large populations of undertreated patients, also included our rare disease, innovative oncology and biosimilars portfolios. Collectively, these growth drivers delivered 24% year-over-year sales growth and generated $5.6 billion in sales in the first quarter, representing almost 70% of total product sales.
Starting with General Medicine. Repatha delivered $876 million of first quarter sales, up 34% year-over-year. Growth was driven by increased urgency to treat patients in both secondary prevention and high-risk primary prevention, where intensive LDL-C lowering with Repatha significantly reduces major cardiovascular events. The ACCHA updated their dyslipidemia guidelines now reinforcing earlier risk identification, lower LDL-C level and targets and earlier uses of therapy like Repatha. These guidelines do not yet reflect the practice-changing Vesalius CV data, leaving a clear opportunity to further evolve clinical guidelines and quality measures. We expect these additional changes will further encourage cardiologists and primary care physicians to manage LDL-C levels below 50 milligrams per deciliter alongside lifestyle modification to reduce cardiovascular risk in both primary and secondary prevention.
Position to our landmark VESALIUS-CV study has been strong with sustained increases in new-to-brand prescribing across cardiology and primary care, particularly in support of high-risk primary prevention patients with diabetes. At the recent ACC meeting, the VESALIUS-CV subgroup analysis in patients with diabetes and without known significant atherosclerosis was presented and simultaneously published in Jan. These data further reinforce the consistent and significant benefit of Repatha, delivering a 31% reduction in cardiovascular events.
A trend in lowering mortality rates was also observed. The body of evidence is now very clear, treating patients earlier with Repatha can lower cardiovascular events. In the U.S., Amgen now is further strengthening access to Repatha by offering a simplified cash pay option to patients. We're seeing encouraging patient interest in this direct access model, which now also includes Enbrel, Otezla, and AMJEVITA.
Repatha is now the only PCSK9 inhibitor with positive outcomes data in both high-risk primary and secondary prevention patients. These data, along with Repatha's broad access, create an imperative to close the treatment gap for millions of patients for whom Repatha can help reduce heart attacks and strokes and potentially save lives.
EVENITY sales increased 27% in the first quarter to $562 million. U.S. sales grew 35% year-on-year, and EVENITY maintains leadership of the U.S. bond builder market with a 65% market share. To date, approximately 320,000 U.S. patients have been treated with EVENITY, supported by increased investment and an expanded field force. However, the unmet need remains significant, with more than 90% of the 2 million women have very high fracture risk remaining untreated, presenting a clear opportunity to expand the market and drive additional EVENITY growth and impact. In Japan, EVENITY has been prescribed to more than 900,000 patients since launch. And it leads the bone builder category with over 55% market share. We see a positive reaction to the treatment guideline updates by the Japan Osteoporosis Society, which further improves EVENITY's positioning and potential.
Moving to inflammation. Test buyer sales grew 20% year-over-year, reaching $343 million in the first quarter, driven by robust patient demand and solid execution across both pulmonology and allergy specialties, partially offset by a burn in channel inventory. TEZSPIRE remains well positioned to reach more patients in the U.S., given its differentiated TSLP that targets multiple inflammatory pathways driving severe uncontrolled asthma, including in those patients with coexisting chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. This new indication is gaining traction and helping expand TEZSPIRE's reach across a broader patient population.
PROLIA and XGEVA combined delivered $1.1 billion in sales in the first quarter, a decrease of 32% year-over-year. Erosion of exclusivity remains in line with our expectations, and we anticipate accelerated sales erosion over the remainder of 2026 driven by increased competition from multiple biosimilars.
Our rare disease portfolio grew 25% year-over-year to $1.2 billion. The plasma sales increased 188% year-over-year to $262 million in the first quarter, reflecting growing demand across all 3 approved indications. We're encouraged by the pace of growth and the potential that it plasma has to help patients living with rare autoimmune conditions with significant unmet need. uptake in gMG has been strong across both by naive and switch patients, supported by broad access for most covered patients without requiring a step through another approved biologic. Given this momentum, we see a meaningful opportunity for to become the first-line and first switch choice for appropriate patients living with gMG.
Momentum in IgG4-related disease continues with UPLIZNA adoption led by rheumatologists and increased prescribing by GI specialists and neurologists. In NMOSD, UPLIZNA continues to maintain its leadership as the most prescribed FDA-approved therapy in the U.S.
TEPEZZA sales grew 29% in the first quarter to $490 million. In the U.S., more than 25,000 patients have been treated since launch, with growing interest from both new and returning prescribers, increased prescribing from endocrinologists and a broadening specialist base. We see rising awareness of moderate thyroid eye disease in the U.S. This positions TEPEZZA for growth, supported by its best-in-class efficacy, well-established safety profile, industry-leading patient services and broad payer coverage.
We're also encouraged by the positive Phase III data for the on-body injector, which demonstrated comparable efficacy to IV TEPEZZA and supports a clear path to subcutaneous administration without compromising clinical benefit. This convenient dosing option will enable TEPEZZA administration at additional sites of care and expand access for more patients in the future. Following our launch in Japan in 2025, we expect additional global launches of TEPEZZA in 2026 and beyond.
TAVNEOS sales were $119 million in the first quarter, up 32% year-over-year driven by strong volume growth. Since its launch in 2021, more than 8,000 patients have been treated with TAVNEOS, and Jay will comment on recent regulatory events in just a few months.
Our innovative oncology portfolio, which consists of BLINCYTO, IMDELLTRA, Vectibix, KYPROLIS, LUMAKRAS and Nplate grew 25% year-over-year, generating $1.8 billion of sales in the first quarter. IMDELLTRA delivered $258 million in first quarter sales, driven by deep clinical conviction and continued adoption across care settings. More than 1,800 U.S. sites now administered IMDELLTRA with a majority of doses delivered in the community setting. This progress has been supported by the combined efforts of our commercial, medical and access teams to remove operational barriers that physicians encounter in practice, helping expand patient access to treatment.
IMDELLTRA has become the standard of care in second-line small cell -- an aggressive disease with poor survival outcomes and few effective options to extend life.
BLINCYTO sales were $415 million in the quarter, increasing 12% year-over-year, driven by broad prescribing across both academic and community settings. BLINCYTO is widely recognized as the standard of care in combination with multi-agent chemotherapy for patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative B-cell ALL.
Our biosimilar portfolio delivered 14% year-over-year growth, generating $835 million in sales in the first quarter. PAVBLU, our biosimilar delivered $280 million in first quarter sales. Adoption continues to expand among retina specialists who appreciate PAVBLU's ready-to-use prefilled syringe, and Amgen's track record of manufacturing biologics and delivering reliable supply.
Since our first product approvals in 2018, our biosimilars have generated more than $14 billion in cumulative sales, contributing meaningful growth while expanding patient access to high-quality, lower-cost biologics.
Our first quarter results reflect both the strength of our key growth drivers and the commitment of our commercial, medical and policy colleagues globally to improving the lives of patients facing serious diseases, and we remain focused on extending the reach of our medicines to even more patients in 2026.
And now I'll hand it over to Jay.
Thank you, Murdo, and good afternoon, everyone. Let me begin with MariTide, a new paradigm in the management of obesity, obesity-related conditions in type 2 diabetes. The unique antibody peptide conjugate design of MariTide delivers a potential for strong efficacy with monthly or less frequent dosing and favorable tolerability to improve long-term treatment. With existing obesity medicines, treatment burden and dosing frequency remain barriers to long-term persistence on therapy. For individuals with chronic conditions, sustained treatment is often required to realize the full health benefit of therapy. MariTide's unique properties, particularly its potential for monthly or less frequent dosing may help reduce treatment burden and improve persistence on treatment over time.
Towards this objective, we are excited to announce two new Phase III studies that focus on longer-term maintenance therapy with MariTide. We have initiated 2 long-term extensions of our ongoing Phase III chronic management studies to evaluate MariTide maintenance for durable weight loss. Participants who completed 72 weeks of treatment in the parent trial will enter a 48-week extension treatment period, where they will receive a monthly every 8-week or quarterly dose of MariTide. To date, our clinical trials have studied MariTide in the initial management of obesity and overweight. We recognize that many patients may wish to switch to MariTide from weekly injectables. Today, we announced the initiation of another new Phase III study that will evaluate switching from weekly injectable GLP-1 therapies to MariTide, following dose escalating to a convenient every 8-week or quarterly dosing schedule. Combined with our ongoing pivotal chronic weight management Phase III trials, the MariTide program will inform physicians on how to start a new patient on MariTide and how to switch to a more convenient, less frequent dosing.
Previously, we described the benefit of dose escalation for improving initial tolerability with MariTide. We observed marked improvements in GI symptoms progressing from 1-step to 2-step dose escalation. Our accumulating experience with 3-step dose escalation is quite positive. For example, we recently completed one of our standard Phase I physiology study preparation for potential regulatory filings that utilize 3-step dose escalation. As anticipated, 3-step dose escalation further decrease the rates of nausea and vomiting as compared to prior experience with 2-step dose escalation.
We believe that 3-step dose escalation and less frequent dosing are effective and well tolerated because of the unique antibody backbone of MariTide. The long-lived stability of an antibody creates a gentle and smooth step-wise increase in sustained drug exposure. Stable drug levels avoid the frequent peaks and troughs of daily orals and weekly injectables that may contribute to intolerability.
We remain confident and excited by MariTide and are focused on delivering high-quality clinical data to support future regulatory filings. The studies are enrolling well, indicating strong physician and patient interest in MariTide. MariTide is emerging as a new paradigm for patients with obesity, diabetes and related conditions as a well-tolerated first monthly or less frequently administered medicine.
Turning from one major public health challenge to another. We continue to build on the landmark findings from Repatha in the prevention of neovascular events. In March, a new prespecified subgroup analysis from the Phase III VESALIUS-CV trial was presented at the American College of Cardiology and simultaneously published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In this subset of high-risk patients with diabetes and without known significant atherosclerosis, Repatha demonstrated a significant 31% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events, including heart attack.
Repatha also demonstrated a nominal 32% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular death and a nominal 24% reduction in all-cause death. Taken together with the VESALIUS-CV data presented last fall, these findings reinforce the breadth and magnitude of benefit from Repatha in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. We look forward to sharing additional insights and analysis from VESALIUS with the scientific community, notably at the upcoming American Diabetes Association Annual Meeting.
Olpasiran, our potentially best-in-class small interfering RNA medicine that delivers greater than 95% reduction in Lp(a) with a quarterly dosing schedule continues to progress in Phase III clinical investigation for secondary prevention of cardiovascular events. We have recently initiated the Oceana CCDA study that evaluates the effective Olpasiran on the burden of non-calcified plaque in coronary arteries as measured by coronary CTN geography.
Attention to Lp(a) in medical practice is rising, reflected by the recently updated ACC/AHA lipid guidelines that now recommend broader Lp(a) testing.
Moving to rare disease, we continue to build strong momentum across our portfolio. For UPLIZNA, we recently received European Commission approval for generalized myasthenia gravis. Supported by a strong biological rationale, we expect to initiate 2 pivotal Phase III studies of UPLIZNA in autoimmune hepatitis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy by the second half of this year. We are also advancing TEPEZZA, where we recently reported positive Phase III top line data for subcutaneous administration via an on-body injector. These data demonstrated robust efficacy in patients with thyroid eye disease consistent with intravenous administration alongside a favorable safety profile.
Subcutaneous administration of TEPEZZA represents an important step forward in improving convenience and expanding treatment options for patients with thyroid eye disease. Dazodalibep, our first-in-class CD40 ligand targeting fusion protein continues to progress with 2 Phase III studies in Sjögren's disease now fully enrolled. These studies address both systemic and symptomatic disease, and both are expected to complete later this year.
As publicly disclosed, the FDA proposed to withdraw the approval of TAVNEOS. We continue to believe that TAVNEOS is an important medicine for patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis, a rare and life-threatening disease with limited treatment options. We are confident in the benefit risk profile of this medicine and expect to engage further with the FDA on this topic.
Turning to oncology. Our bispecific T cell engager or BiTE platform continues to deliver meaningful impact for patients with advanced cancer. IMDELLTRA is emerging as a standard of care in line extensive stage small cell lung cancer, delivering an unprecedented survival benefit in a disease that has seen very little innovation for decades.
As we work to advance IMDELLTRA into earlier lines of therapy, we are encouraged by the apparent improvement in median overall survival in the first-line maintenance setting to 25.3 months observed in the Phase Ib DeLLphi-303 study. Frontline maintenance with IMDELLTRA is now being evaluated in the ongoing Phase III DeLLphi-305 study.
Xaluritamig, our first-in-class STEAP1 targeting bispecific T cell engager is advancing rapidly with two ongoing Phase III studies in metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer. Multiple ongoing Phase Ib studies are underway, where we've taken a deliberate and differentiated approach towards earlier stages of disease to maximize long-term patient benefit.
First, in biochemical recurrence, where patients experience a rising PSA without clinically evident disease, we are evaluating xaluritamig's monotherapy without androgen-deprivation therapy. Second, we are advancing into metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, where we are evaluating xaluritamig on top of standard of care hormonal therapy with the goal of developing a more effective regimen without chemotherapy.
One last but important note about our oncology portfolio. Following a comprehensive review, we've taken the decision to discontinue development of AMG 193, our MTA cooperative PRMT5 inhibitor.
Over the last several years, amidst the rapid advances in artificial intelligence, we've taken a principled approach to reconsidering and augmenting drug discovery and therapeutic development at the intersection of powerful AI models develop both externally and internally with Amgen Research and insight-rich proprietary data sets, we are beginning to see meaningful tangible advances across Amgen R&D. Integrated multi-omics data resources at Amgen to Code Genetics identify new targets for therapeutic consideration, in particular with the noncoding regions of the human genome study to population scale.
Anti-body lead optimization has accelerated by 50% from contributions, both to lead discovery and lead optimization. In clinical development, we have designed and implemented a proprietary site selection model that improves clinical trial enrollment with a significant and in some cases, up to threefold improvement in enrollment rates. Leveraging large language models and agentic AI for regulatory filing preparation, we are seeing early promising results in data ingestion, integration and document drafting. These are early innings. But we are captivated by the potential for AI and data science to deliver measurable impact in value in R&D and across the enterprise, as Peter will highlight in a few moments.
With the retirement of our and beloved colleague, David Reese, I'm excited to lead the AI and data transformation across our business at the enterprise level, working in partnership with our leadership, staff and collaborators. Let me close by saying that we are encouraged by the progress we've made in the first quarter with a continued focus on disciplined data generation across the portfolio with a robust pipeline and meaningful breadth and depth across 4 therapeutic areas, we are well positioned to deliver continued innovation for patients with long sustained value.
I want to thank my colleagues across Amgen for their continued focus on patients and their commitment to advancing innovative medicines for serious diseases.
I'll now turn it over to Peter for the financial update.
Thank you, Jay. We are pleased with our strongest quarter performance, executing through a full quarter of the patent expirations and losses of exclusivity. Our non-GAAP operating margin was 45%. We continue to invest in advancing our pipeline with non-GAAP R&D spending increasing 16% year-over-year in the first quarter. This reflects increased spending on our late-stage pipeline, including continued investments in MariTide, IMDELLTRA and Olpasiran. Our non-GAAP cost of sales as a percentage of product sales was 19.5%, driven by higher profit share and royalty expenses and changes in our sales mix. We expect these factors will continue to negatively impact the cost of sales in future quarters. We further expect second quarter operating margin to be in line with the first quarter operating margin.
Our non-GAAP OI&E resulted in $480 million of expense for the quarter including a gain of about $90 million from retiring debt through open market repurchases. Our non-GAAP tax rate decreased 1 percentage point year-over-year to 13.6%, primarily due to net favorable items in the current year period, partially offset by the change in earnings mix. We generated $1.5 billion in free cash flow in the first quarter, reflecting continued momentum across the business.
We spent $700 million in the first quarter on capital expenditures, driven by investments across our U.S. manufacturing sites, including Ohio, North Carolina and Puerto Rico. We continue to expect capital expenditures of approximately $2.6 billion in 2026, reflecting significant investment in our business to scale manufacturing capacity for volume growth. including for MariTide launch. We see technology and artificial intelligence and increasingly important tools to help Amgen operate with greater speed, productivity and scale across the enterprise.
Beyond what Jay described, we are also seeing tangible benefits in other parts of the business. In AI-enabled automation, it has reduced production line clearance time at one of our manufacturing sites, from approximately 30 minutes to about 2 minutes per batch run. We are also seeing promising results as our colleagues across Amgen use AI to enhance productivity.
In addition, we returned capital to shareholders through competitive dividend payments of $2.52 per share, representing a 6% increase compared to the first quarter of 2025. Let's turn to the outlook for the business for the remainder of 2026. As we said last quarter, we expect 2026 to be a springboard year for future growth. Our strong first quarter performance reinforces that outlook, and we're raising our 2026 guidance ranges for both revenue and non-GAAP earnings per share.
We expect 2026 total revenues in the range of $37.1 billion to $38.5 billion and non-GAAP earnings per share to be between $21.70 and $23.10. These ranges reflect our confidence that the emerging growth drivers will more than offset the outgoing legacy brands. Note, our guidance does not include any potential business development transactions that may occur throughout the remainder of the year.
Let me highlight a few updates to our outlook for the remainder of the year. For the full year, we now expect other revenue to be in the range of $1.7 billion, $1.8 billion, we now anticipate non-GAAP OI&E to be in the range of $2.2 billion to $2.3 billion of expense in 2026. We now expect a non-GAAP tax rate in the range of 15.0% to 16.5%. And let me remind you of prior items that have not changed. We continue to expect -- the full year non-GAAP operating margin as a percentage of product sales to be roughly 45% to 46%. This reflects our commitment to investing in the best innovation as we continue to rapidly advance the MariTide Phase III program and additional key late-stage assets. We expect share repurchases not to exceed $3 billion.
Finally, in regard to our ongoing tax litigation, the tax court litigation covering tax years 2010 and through 2015 remains ongoing. And while we expect a decision no earlier than the second half of 2026, we remain confident in the case we presented at trial. We are currently under audit by the IRS for the 2016 to 2018 tax years. In April 2026, we received a draft notice of proposed adjustment, or NOPA, from the IRS for 2016 to 2018, asserting significant adjustments primarily related to the allocation of profits between the United States and Puerto Rico.
The approach taken by the IRS is similar in nature to our 2010 to 2015 dispute with the IRS currently pending in tax court. If sustained in full, the adjustments set forth in the draft, NOVA could have a material impact on our financial statements. We disagree with the draft NOPA and have informed the IRS audit team that its draft calculation methodology is inconsistent with the positions asserted by the IRS and the tax court, which positions were more favorable to Amgen than the draft calculation methodology taken by the IRS audit team.
We firmly believe that the IRS positions are without merit, and we also believe that our tax reserves are appropriate. We intend to continue to vigorously defend our position just as we have throughout our entire dispute with the IRS. We remain focused on delivering sustained long-term growth and creating value for patients, staff and shareholders by doing what we said we would do, executing on our growth drivers, advancing innovation in areas of high unmet medical need and maintaining rigorous financial discipline. I'm grateful to work with all of our colleagues worldwide in our mission to serve patients.
This concludes our financial update. I will now hand it over to Bob for Q&A.
Thank you, Peter. Julianne, why don't we open up the lines for questions. I know it's been a long day for many of our callers. So let's jump straight in and try to get to everybody. So as many questions as we can. Try to limit you to 1 question each, please. But let's get started, Julianne. .
[Operator Instructions] Our first question comes from Yaron Werber from TD Cowen.
2. Question Answer
Great. Maybe, Jay, unsurprisingly first question on the MariTide switch studies. Can you give us a little bit of a sense? Are you switching sort of one-to-one-to-one to monthly, every 2 months and every 3 months? And are you looking at superiority or noninferiority and sort of what's the noninferiority sort of margin?
Yes, Yaron. Thank you for the interest. As I just shared, people naturally very interested to know what will it take to switch from a weekly injectable to a medicine potentially quite a bit more convenient and quite active. And so the SWITCH study is designed to provide that experience. There will be 300 subjects on study with obesity or overweight. There will be a run-in on weekly semaglutide or tuzepatide, and then they'll switch to MariTide. As I said, every 8 week or a quarterly basis. The primary endpoint of this trial will be a change from baseline body weight after 52 weeks of MariTide treatment. We look forward to these results.
Our next question comes from Salveen Richter from Goldman Sachs.
Could you just comment on the MariTide switching study and why it only evaluates the every 2 months and 3 months or not every 1 month? And then as you think about the profile today and how significant do you expect the maintenance opportunity to be for MariTide?
Why don't I start with the question around the design of the SWITCH study, Murdo, and then you can talk about the opportunity thereafter. We have a lot of experience with monthly MariTide in this program, which is featured in to date, all of the enrolling Phase III programs. And we've had a really good experience in the maintenance setting in our Phase II Part II. In that regard, the long-term extensions that we've just described where we switched from MariTide to MariTide give us a chance to explore less frequent dosing after effective dosing and comparably in the SWITCH study, we're focusing that trial on the learnings of going from weekly to in every 8 weeks and every 12 week treatment regimen, which can make MariTide quite attractive to patients is successful. Murdo?
Yes. Thanks, Jay. Thanks, Salveen. Obviously, the goal here for weight loss is to lose weight and then sustain it over multiple years, so that you can get the full medical benefit of the treatment. And given that we are coming later into this market, and there will be many, many patients already on other weekly treatments, we thought it would be helpful to prescribers to clinicians and patients to understand how to convert, how to switch from those weekly agents to, as Jay mentioned, a more convenient regimen like MariTide.
Importantly, it will also be necessary to describe once you reach your weight loss goal on monthly MariTide, how you would want to modified that dose interval either to QA week or to Q12 week for even more convenience. And so -- we've taken the opportunity, given the timing of our launch and order of entry to fully describe how to start patients on MariTide then how to switch from other treatments that patients may be on and they may be dissatisfied with.
Our next question comes from Luca Issi from RBC Capital Markets.
This is on for Luca. I have a question for IMDELLTRA. IMDELLTRA clearly done very well so far in second-line setting. Can you tell us more about what for IMDELLTRA, not only in terms of the opportunity you get when you move to the fronter lines, but also now with IMDELLTRA part of the real-time clinical trial pilot program. Could you help us understand the process? Is the idea basically FDA will look at your data scientists together as the is going and for indications with no healthy volunteers, you essentially can go straight from first in human to approval without posing for safety or end of phase reviews? And curious what made FDA take IMDELLTRA as the pilot program?
Well, let me please start, Luca. Thank you for the question. IMDELLTRA is really emerged as the standard of care for patients with second-line small cell lung cancer because as I mentioned moments ago, the unprecedented efficacy afforded by IMDELLTRA just the most important endpoint, overall survival. As for so many medicines in advanced cancer, medicines that work in later stages of the disease, tend to confer even more clinical benefit when they've moved to earlier lines of therapy and earlier stages of lower disease burden, especially when they're used in combination. And so we are advancing IMDELLTRA quite actively and aggressively into frontline induction as well as frontline induction and maintenance. The maintenance experience with IMDELLTRA and the frontline experience will be an extensive stage small cell lung cancer, and these studies are rapidly progressing. Further, we have the DeLLphi-306 study, which studies tarlatinab versus placebo after chemotherapy and radiation in frontline limited-stage small cell lung cancer. We're so hopeful for these trials and just cannot wait to read them out.
As you've described, we have had a chance to collaborate with Commissioner McCary and members of the FDA on imagining what a clinical study might look like in the real-world prospective practice. And we have a very fine design coming together with the FDA that will give us a chance to characterize IMDELLTRA in a clinical trial setting, but in the real world, leveraging things like electronic health records and real-time data capture as opposed to the way the clinical trials are conducted today. This could be a very important experiment for us and for others because so many clinical trials initiated don't complete. Enrollment is very challenging, managing data and packaging it and submitting it to regulators is quite a bit big book of work. And if there's a way to do this in more real time, we would all benefit from having this learning. So we're looking forward to working with them on that.
Yes. Thanks, Jay. The other thing that I would add here is we've seen very good progress in where patients are treated for their small cell lung cancer with IMDELLTRA. And we've seen really good uptake in the U.S. in community oncology. We've seen a very good launch in Japan. We expect to be launching in the second line indication across multiple markets this year. And then as Jay said, we have a nice randomized clinical program reading out through the balance of this year into next to further expand the use of this product. IMDELLTRA seems to have very durable survival as we've seen in our Phase I data. And importantly, in these innovative trial designs that the FDA is in discussion on, this will further help physicians, primarily those in community settings and regional hospitals or in community oncology practices, better care for their patients closer to their homes, which is a really exciting opportunity.
Our next question comes from Michael Yee from UBS.
Maybe a question on Olpasiran. Obviously, you guys have a well-designed study and potentially superior drug. I'm wondering if you think that background therapies such as GLP-1 or PCSK9, either would impact your trial design or your competitor trial design, and how you think about that impacting the overall results of what we might see from a competitor.
Jay, why don't you answer that?
Yes. Thank you for the question. And we see it the same way. The OCEAN(a) study is a very well-designed study, a randomized controlled trial of almost 7,300 patients with over 200 and the medicine Olpasiran with best-in-class performance characteristics as you cite, 95% reduction in Lp(a) with every 12-week dosing. So we're really looking forward to reading out this event-driven trial.
We have built this study around a very high-risk group of patients. Elevations in LP(a) are genetically defined. And as such, 1 in 5 individuals will have elevated Lp(a). Unfortunately, to your question, you can't take a GLP-1 medicine or a statin or even Repatha and meaningfully reduce levels of Lp(a). This independent risk factor maps to a very atherogenic and inflammatory characteristic of the LPA containing particle, which is actually 6x more inflammatory atherogenic than the LDL-C containing particle, which, of course, we and others have shown to be a dramatically an importantly modifiable risk factor.
And though we observed improvements in the standard of care for patients with cardiovascular disease, and we contribute to that with Repatha. We're very confident in the study as defined, which focuses on a high risk, high leverage elevated LP(a) population treated with direct and targeted therapy to Lp(a) itself.
Our next question comes from Terence Flynn from Morgan Stanley.
Great. Bob, I was just wondering, we've seen pretty active M&A year thus far in the sector. just as you think about Amgen's needs, potential size of opportunity, how are you thinking about the BD and M&A landscape right now, given your current needs, but also your stronger balance sheet?
Yes. I think, Terence, I would not sure I'd use the word needs the way you have in your question, but we're very active in business development, as we always have been looking for innovation that we think we can add value to. So that remains the case. I think the areas where we're interested are very clear to you and to our investors. And we'll continue to see if there are things that again, that line up in a way that we can take over programs and still add value to our shareholders.
Our next question comes from Geoff Meacham from Citi.
Great. Murdo, Repatha has been consistently strong, but I want to get some perspective from you on penetration into primary prevention? And where could it go? And as you look to the Olpasiran data, how do you think primary prevention looks as a key market within the LP(a) segment?
Thanks for the question, Geoff. We're really excited about what's happening in primary care. As you'll recall, we expanded promotion and coverage of our primary care sales team at the beginning of last year. We expanded our medical teams in anticipation, of course, of some of the news flow that we've seen new data from the VESALIUS-CV trial that we presented last November at the AHA meeting. And then as Jay mentioned, the subsequent sub-study in diabetes patients without atherosclerosis, also showing significant benefit with a 31% reduction in 3-point -- 31% reduction in 4-point So we have a clear opportunity to help these patients who are in the care of the primary care physician. The average diabetes patient without documented atherosclerosis is someone who's not being referred to a cardiologist. And so since the change in our label, which occurred actually just prior to the VESALIUS trial being presented. We've been out there talking to primary care physicians. We've seen really, really good uptake.
In the quarter, we had strong overall growth in Repatha globally. But if you look at new-to-brand prescription evolution in the U.S., we were up 44% in the quarter, and that's being driven by increased depth of prescribing by cardiologists, and increased breadth of prescribing by primary care physicians. So very strong foundation, very pleased with the momentum, but we still have a huge opportunity ahead of us in primary prevention promotion of Repatha, the only PCSK9 with that data generation now.
So real opportunity for us. Now when we look at Lp(a), the one thing I will say that helps us is the new treatment guidelines that came out from the They have recommended that everyone who is at risk of cardiovascular disease be tested. As you know, this is a genetically determined level. So you really only need to do the test once. It's affordable. It's accessible. And so that bodes well for having some population of patients who will know their Lp(a) level. And I do think that primary care physicians will play a significant role in treating those patients in lowering their Lp(a) levels with hopefully a product like Olpasiran should the data bear out.
Our next question comes from David Risinger from Leerink Partners.
So my question is for Murdo, please. So congrats on the launch of Amgen Now, I think that occurred last fall. Could you provide some quantification on the uptake of Repatha by cash pay patients? And I don't know if it's meaningful enough yet, but possibly the current mix of sales between cash pay and covered given the strong ramp of Amgen Now? And then is Amgen considering leaning into offering Repatha as a cash pay product ex U.S.?
Thanks for the question, David. We've been pleased with the overall response to the Amgen Now offering. As you'll recall, Repatha is offered at a $239 a month price point. And we are seeing cash paying patients interested in pursuing Repatha. Now at the same time, however, it's important to note, we've opened up access substantially for Repatha. And so many patients now can access Repatha without much friction and their physician can simply attest that the patient meets the criteria for the indication of the product. So I wouldn't expect the cash paying component of patients going through Amgen Now to be substantial.
We are in the kind of the 8,000, 9,000 patient range of patients moving through the Amgen Now program, and we continue to see more and more interest there. So it's been a success. But as a percentage of total Repatha, as you'll know, it's relatively small.
Our next question comes from Matt Phipps from William Blair.
I was wondering on some of the blinatumomab updates. First off, you noted in the press release that enrollment has stopped in the SLE trial. Can you give us any updates on that status. And it also looks like you're pausing enrollment of the subcu administration and ALL, any additional reasoning for that pause?
Sure. Thanks, Matt, and happy to take the question. Blinatumomab is proving to be an important component of standard of care for adults and children with relapse and refractory B-cell leukemia. And its current instantiation is delivered by intravenous continuous infusion. We have studied and characterized subcutaneous, we administered blinatumomab in the past. And there is a chance with this medicine for even higher remission rates, as we have previously shown at the EHA presentation, we observed 89%, 92% remission rates with manageable safety in adults with relapsed and refractory BALL. And so we're very encouraged by the efficacy seen with subcutaneous blend and are moving subcutaneous blend or earlier lines as you shared. We have a potential registration-enabling Phase II initiated in adults and adolescents. We have a Phase Ib/II study of subcu as well initiated in pediatric patients there with relapsed and refractory and MRD-positive B-cell ALL.
As you noted, we have paused some of these studies for enrollment. BiTEs are known to have inflammatory side effects. We prioritize patient safety, especially in the conduct of clinical investigation and observing a handful of inflammatory reactions were -- at this moment, collecting some patient data and having a dialogue with the FDA, we expect to be able to open these studies back for enrollment shortly.
Our next question comes from Chris Schott from JPMorgan.
I just want to come back to MariTide, sounds like some encouraging earlier stage data on the titration. Are you able to provide any more color on what levels of vomiting and duration of vomiting you're seeing with the 3-step titration from some of these earlier studies, if you can't provide specific numbers, just maybe directionally where that's shaking out versus Olavi or is outbound?
Yes, Chris, thanks. The level of nausea and vomiting observed with 3-step dose escalation is lower than we've seen before. Dose escalation works for GLP-1 agonism based therapy that is known. In our experience, 1-step improved GI tolerability significantly. 2-step, improved it further. And today, we share the unsurprising by accumulating data that provide clinical confirmation that 3-step dose escalation further improves GI tolerability. Now we await efficacy and tolerability data from the ongoing Phase III studies, but we're quite encouraged by what we've seen.
Jay, on the question on duration, you may help him understand what we see -- help Chris understand what we see and how it's different from what we're observing from the weekly and dailies -- in terms of the side effect...
Side effect profile. Yes. Before we started this research, we didn't know with a long-acting medicine like Maritime that can be delivered monthly or every 8 weeks or every 12 weeks, enjoy durable efficacy owing to high time on target. This antibody backbone leads to very smooth and stable exposure over long period of time engaging GLP-1 receptors and gift receptors in the brain and peripheral tissues. With that durable efficacy be associated when there was a side effect with a long-term side effect and that we don't see. When we do observe nausea and vomiting, it tends to be quite short in its duration over the course of one or several days, no different than the weekly GLP-1s. But different than the weekly GLP-1 and different than oral GLP-1s that are short half-life medicines, this trough-to-peak spike that's experienced every time these medicines are taken, we believe can be associated with intolerable side effects in the GI and otherwise. And this can be avoided with a steady, stable, long-acting medicine like MariTide. We see this target dosing of MariTide by Manhattan plot, versus what's reported in the field with more frequent dosing. And so in the fullness of time, this could prove to be a very important attribute, keeping patients on the medicine for the length of time that they have these diseases, which is for many of them, a lifetime.
Our next question comes from Akash Tewari from Jefferies.
For DAZO Phase III Sjögren's program, you're making interesting bets splitting it up into systemic and symptomatic patients. What kind of drove that decision? And which one of those trials are you even more confident will work? And can you go over any of the biological difference between DAZO and then the Novartis CD40, but also Sanofi CD40L which both ended up discontinuing their programs?
Akash, I love your questions because they invite a mechanistic characterization of these molecules, but I'll try to keep this brief, though it will be hard for me. We observed in Phase II very strong activity of dasodalibeb, which as you comment, is a CD40 ligand FC fusion protein, targeting protein. And the performance against the STI score in Sjögren Syndrome is quite a unique situation. It has proven very hard to develop effective medicines in Sjögren's disease. But seeing movement in the STI score that made us very motivated to follow this up in Phase III clinical investigation. The presentation of this heterogeneous disease can be quite different clinically. And so we thought to segregate in order to have clear clinical outcomes in these clinical trials into 2 Phase III studies, patients with what we'll call systemic disease but then also very sick, a separate study of moderate to high symptomatic disease, but they are with low systemic disease activity. In the case of these 2 populations might be considered differently to observe meaningful differences attributable to those biological, those clinical presentations. These studies have completed enrollment and completion of both studies is expected in the second half of this year.
Dazodalibep is a product of a long sought after drug discovery campaign, honestly in the field of immunology. cD40, CD40-ligand signaling is fundamental to T cell B-cell co-stimulation, CD40 ligands on T cells, CD40 on many, many different kinds of cells. And that makes this molecule very different than CFC 533 from Novartis. What is true of Sjögren's disease, whether or not it's systemic or symptomatic is that T and B cell activation is the primary driver. This isn't a dry gland disease. It's enriched with inflammatory cells. And so we believe the CD40 ligand is the right lever to press on as it will impact all downstream signaling by targeting the upstream CD40 ligand on T cells. So we look forward to reading out these studies. One with the SDI score, another with the DAS score appropriate for a symptomatic study in the second half of this year.
Julianne, let's take one last question, and then I'll have a couple of remarks and we'll be finished.
Our last question today will come from Louise Chen from Scotiabank.
I just wanted to ask you, if you get MariTide approved, what are you playing for here? Do you want to be the #3 player behind Noble Lilly? Or are you assuming a higher position than that with your product?
Louise, that's a tempting question to consider a softball pitch over the middle of the plate here at the end of the day. But Murdo, do you want to offer any quick thoughts for Louise, and then we'll wrap up.
Well, I think we're going to be the best monthly or less frequently prescribed agent, Louise. But no, no sincerity. This is a highly differentiated product. I think the opportunity is substantial to come into a market with something -- there really is a new paradigm-changing opportunity for a massive category. And our focus is going to be on helping as many patients as possible in that category, whether they are de novo patients who have yet to attempt a weight loss treatment and they'll be new to MariTide or whether they're on another therapy and they're not achieving the results they like or they're not enjoying the frequency of injections or they're having side effects and they want to try another treatment. And we will, across the business -- across the company, we will be ready to go into that market and compete effectively with all of the other companies that are already there.
I know some of our competitors have risen to the beta of that question, Louise, but we'll resist and wait instead until we have the data in hand. And as you know, we're working diligently to try to generate the necessary data to register this molecule. And as Murdo said, help as many patients as possible. There are very many who need differentiated therapy like this, and we're looking forward to having the data so that we can appropriately talk to them.
But before we wrap up, I just wanted to -- as I mentioned earlier in my remarks, I just wanted to take a moment. And acknowledge that Dave Reese will be retiring from Amgen at the end of the second quarter, and I wanted to thank him publicly for his contributions to Amgen over the past 20 years. As a long-standing leader and former Head of R&D, Dave's legacy here, as you all know, includes a generation of innovative medicines.
What you may not be as familiar with is that Dave has been a persuasive champion for change and new technologies at Amgen. And recognizing long ahead of many others, the growing importance of AI and what he called the Hinge moment, Dave both raised his hand to be Amgen's first Chief Technology Officer, and helped attract Jay Bradner to be his successor as Head of R&D. So we're thrilled, excited about the progress that we made in artificial intelligence and data under Dave's leadership as well as the other businesses that Dave has had responsibility for. And again, we're grateful that Jay will build on what is a very solid foundation following Dave's retirement at the end of the second quarter.
Dave is both a close colleague and friend to many of us, and we will all miss him and wish him well and what we're sure will be a very active retirement. So Dave, on behalf of all of Amgen, thank you. And let me thank all of you for joining our call as well. Thank you.
This concludes our Amgen Q1 2026 Earnings Conference Call. You may now disconnect.
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Amgen — Q1 2026 Earnings Call
Amgen — Q1 2026 Earnings Call
Starkes Q1: Wachstum aus sechs Kern-Treibern, Guidance erhöht; MariTide‑Phase‑III‑Erweiterungen und regulatorische Risiken (TAVNEOS, Steuerstreit) im Blick.
📊 Quartal auf einen Blick
- Umsatz‑Guidance: 2026 erwartet $37,1–38,5 Mrd. (Guidance angehoben).
- EPS: non‑GAAP EPS erwartet $21,70–23,10 (Range angehoben).
- Operative Marge: Non‑GAAP Operating Margin Q1 45% (erwartet ähnlich für Q2).
- Cash & Invest: Free Cash Flow $1,5 Mrd. Q1; CapEx Q1 $700 Mio., Full‑Year CapEx ~ $2,6 Mrd.
- Wachstumstreiber: Sechs Kernprodukte generierten ~70% der Verkäufe und wuchsen aggregiert +24% YoY.
🎯 Was das Management sagt
- MariTide‑Fokus: Neue Phase‑III‑Studien für Erhaltungsdosis (q8/q12w) und SWITCH vom wöchentlichen GLP‑1 — Ziel: deutlich geringere Injektionsfrequenz.
- Pipeline‑Disziplin: Priorisierung von Phase‑III‑Programmen (MariTide, Olpasiran, IMDELLTRA); AMG‑193 eingestellt.
- Kommerzielle Dynamik: Repatha, EVENITY, IMDELLTRA, TEPEZZA u.a. treiben Umsatz; Biosimilars und seltene Erkrankungen wichtig für Wachstum.
🔭 Ausblick & Guidance
- 2026 Zahlen: Umsatz $37,1–38,5 Mrd.; non‑GAAP EPS $21,70–23,10.
- Kapital‑Allocation: Dividende $2,52/Share (Q1; +6% YoY); Buybacks ≤ $3 Mrd. angekündigt.
- Risiken: Steuerstreit (IRS NOPA für 2016–2018) und FDA‑Themen (Vorschlag zum Entzug von TAVNEOS) können bilanziell/materiale Auswirkungen haben.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- MariTide SWITCH: Studie mit ~300 Patienten, Run‑in auf wöchentlichem Semaglutid/Tirzepatid, Wechsel zu q8/q12w; primärer Endpunkt: Gewichtsänderung nach 52 Wochen.
- Tolerabilität: Management berichtet, dass 3‑Stufen‑Titration Übelkeit/Erbrechen weiter reduziert, lieferte jedoch keine quantitativen Raten.
- Regulatorik & Entwicklung: IMDELLTRA wird in real‑world‑Pilot mit FDA eingebunden; TAVNEOS‑Stellung bleibt offen, Amgen will weiter mit FDA diskutieren.
⚡ Bottom Line
- Bewertung: Positiver Call für Aktionäre: starkes Produktwachstum treibt Umsatz, Guidance wurde angehoben und Investitionen in MariTide/Onkologie/Olpasiran werden erhöht. Gleichzeitig bleiben bedeutende Risiken (steuerliche Auseinandersetzung, regulatorische Unsicherheit bei TAVNEOS, fortschreitende Biosimilar‑Erosion bei PRX/XGEVA), die kurzfristige Volatilität und bilanzielle Risiken erzeugen können.
Amgen — Leerink Global Healthcare Conference 2026
1. Question Answer
We're ready to get started. On behalf of Leerink Partners, I wanted to welcome you all to the session with Amgen. So very much my pleasure to welcome Peter Griffith, the company's CFO. And actually, in between Jasper and Peter is Casey, who runs IR. Jasper Van Grunsven, is that how you pronounce your last name?
It's very good.
My apologies. I got Jasper right, at least. So he runs rare disease for Amgen. So I thought we'd have Peter kick it off with some opening comments.
Dave, thank you, and good morning, everyone. We're so glad to be here as we always are here in South Beach. I have a few prepared thoughts that I'd like to share. So we exited 2025 with strong momentum across the portfolio. 13 products delivered double-digit growth, 14 exceeded $1 billion in annual sales and 18 delivered record performance. That breadth supported double-digit growth in both revenue and earnings per share in 2025.
The momentum is underpinned by our 6 key growth drivers: Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE and rare disease, innovative oncology and the biosimilars portfolios. Repatha, EVENITY and TEZSPIRE all grew over 30% year-over-year in 2025 and delivered record sales with each representing a multibillion-dollar global franchise. These medicines address large unmet needs where there are millions of patients yet to be treated and represent growth drivers not just for 2026, but for the rest of the decade.
Our rare disease portfolio delivered $5 billion in 2025 sales, up 14% year-over-year, driven by reaching new patients, geographic expansion and launching new indications. UPLIZNA is a great example of this, growing 73% in 2025, supported by the IgG4-related disease launch. We expect continued growth in 2026 as that launch progresses and we build on the recent generalized myasthenia gravis approval and launch. We also plan to initiate additional Phase III studies of UPLIZNA in autoimmune hepatitis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy later this year.
Our innovative oncology growth is being driven by our bispecific T-cell engager or our BiTE platform. IMDELLTRA, our DLL3 targeting BiTE has rapidly become the standard of care in second-line or later small cell lung cancer. With 3 Phase III studies in its early-stage small cell lung cancer underway, IMDELLTRA has the potential to reach many additional patients. We're also progressing xaluritamig, our first-in-class STEAP1 bispecific T-cell engager, with 2 ongoing Phase III studies in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. And we're also actively evaluating opportunities to expand xaluritamig into earlier lines of prostate cancer.
Our biosimilars portfolio generated $13 billion -- excuse me, it's accumulated cumulatively about $13 billion in sales. And in 2025, it generated $3 billion of product sales, growing 37% year-over-year. The momentum here is in part due to the strong uptake of PAVBLU, our biosimilar to EYLEA. Future growth is going to be driven by our biosimilar candidates to OPDIVO, KEYTRUDA and OCREVUS, which are all currently in Phase III development.
Let's turn to the pipeline. 2026 is going to be a year of disciplined data generation across multiple Phase II and Phase III programs that support long-term growth. We remain confident in MariTide's potential as a differentiated treatment for obesity, type 2 diabetes and obesity-related conditions. In a field featuring dozens of potential daily oral and weekly injectable medicines, MariTide stands alone as the only therapy in late-stage development to offer the paradigm-changing prospect of strong efficacy and favorable tolerability at monthly, every other month or even quarterly dosing.
The fully enrolled OCEAN(a)-Outcomes study of olpasiran, our potentially best-in-class small interfering RNA medicine targeting Lp(a) continues to progress. This is an event-driven study, and the aggregate endpoint accrual rate remains lower than initial predictions. While we recently pushed out our estimated completion date, our conviction in olpasiran remains very strong based on the genetic and epidemiologic evidence that has established elevated Lp(a) as an independent risk factor to heart disease.
Finally, we're advancing dazodalibep, our CD40 ligand targeting biotherapeutic with 2 Phase III studies in Sjogren's disease now fully enrolled and study completion expected in the second half of 2026.
Turning to a few financial updates. We see strong momentum in the business for the full year. However, in terms of quarterly phasing, historically, Q1 is lighter for us relative to subsequent quarters, and we expect that to be the case this year as well.
Let me remind everyone of a few points from our recent earnings call on the outlook for the first quarter. As we typically see with the United States insurance cycle, we expect a seasonal Q1 headwind from benefit plan changes, reverifications and higher patient co-pays. We also expect Otezla and Enbrel to follow their historical pattern of lower sales in the first quarter relative to subsequent quarters. I'd also add that as of January, Otezla now faces European generic entry. And for reference, European sales of Otezla were USD 282 million in 2025.
We continue to expect accelerated erosion in 2026 for Prolia and XGEVA, including in the first quarter because of a full year of biosimilar competition. Additionally, we saw approximately $250 million of inventory build in the fourth quarter of 2025 that could potentially impact first quarter sales. And consistent with lower Q1 product sales, we expect first quarter non-GAAP operating margin to be the lowest of the year and roughly consistent with the fourth quarter of 2025, which was approximately 43%. I also provided some commentary on the full year outlook on our recent earnings call, and I'd encourage you to reference the Q4 transcript for my full remarks.
And in closing, as we enter 2026 with strong commercial momentum across our diversified set of 6 key growth drivers and a Phase III pipeline that spans 4 therapeutic areas with meaningful depth and breadth, we're well positioned to deliver sustained long-term growth.
And with that, Dave, I'll turn it over to you.
Excellent. Well, thank you very much for that, Peter. Would love to have you talk a little bit about opportunities for growth beyond 2026 and what you think the investment community may be underappreciating?
Thanks. Great question, Dave, and I'll invite Casey and Jasper to hop in when they'd like to. They certainly have plenty to add here.
I would recap those 6 key growth drivers. I always think about those, and they're doing so well. So Repatha, we can talk about the VESALIUS study and the Outcomes data there. We can get deep into that. Jasper actually worked Repatha for a number of years and did a great job getting it going, about -- starting about 5 years ago, he was involved in that. EVENITY, what a great medicine, went through $2 billion last year, and there's so many -- that's such an underpenetrated market. postmenopausal women. This is a great medicine for that. And certainly, TEZSPIRE, getting through $1 billion last year, severe uncontrolled asthma. I would also add on that, I can't resist mentioning the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease study underway, Phase III. And that's, I think, the third leading killer of humans on the planet. So that's super important.
I think about the rare disease portfolio, too, Dave. And I just think about those medicines. I look at UPLIZNA and it's just doing so well, and Casey and Jasper can talk about even some of the additional studies beyond the successful gMG approval into the autoimmune area that we're thinking about with inebilizumab, that's close enough, which is the molecule itself for UPLIZNA. And so a lot going on there. We like to think about that.
I would say when you get to innovative oncology, I just have to pause for a moment and IMDELLTRA. This is a bispecific T-cell engager addressing a horrible disease, small cell lung cancer, where survival rates have been very challenging. This medicine has had a very rapid uptake. It's on our -- it's the first medicine to address a common solid tumor, and it's done it really well. I think we launched that in about May of '24, and it's been very successful. And that one, I certainly would hope over the long run, really continues to do well for patients with this very, very serious disease.
And then biosimilars. So through $3 billion last year, a strong year, certainly, PAVBLU was a contributor to that. But going forward, thinking about our molecules relative to KEYTRUDA and OPDIVO and OCREVUS that I talked about, that's strong, too.
So we've got the 6 key growth drivers. We've got a strong Phase III pipeline. So we're busy. We're investing. And of course, we'll talk about MariTide. We know we'll do that. As CFO, I'd just remind you, we've got 6 Phase III studies underway, and I'm glad we do, and they're important. But that certainly is a significant investment our shareholders are making in that -- what we expect to be a really, really important medicine in the battle against obesity disease and all the related indications and type 2 diabetes.
So I think there's a lot. It's the breadth and depth. It's the 18, the 14, the 13. So certainly, the 14 products that generated greater than $1 billion last year. And so we're just really 18 record, 13 double digits. Did I get that right? So it's kind of -- that's how I think about it, Dave, breadth and depth, driving innovation at speed and scale. That's what the company is doing. And we're busy. And we see this year as a super important year of execution excellence. We've got a great portfolio. We're fortunate to have a great pipeline and myself and our colleagues are focused on sustainability of that growth rate over the long term. Do you fellows have anything you want to add?
I'd love for maybe Casey to talk a little bit about MariTide. So you had mentioned monthly, every other month or quarterly dosing. But could you just provide a little bit more color, Casey, on how you get there? I think the first Phase IIIs just have monthly dosing that are reporting out early next year. So maybe if you could share some insights on how we should think about the potential for different dosing in the future.
Yes, sure. Happy to do so. Yes. So to set the context, Dave MariTide, as Peter said, has 6 global Phase III studies underway. We anticipate additional Phase III studies coming online this year in type 2 diabetes. The 2 that are most advanced are our 2 chronic weight management studies. That's where we're looking at monthly dosing over the course of 72 weeks. There's a short 3-step dose escalation period to initiate those studies. But think about that as driving patients towards their weight loss goal over the first 72 weeks with monthly dosing. Then with MariTide, and we established this through Part 2 of our Phase II chronic weight management study, we observed that with lower monthly dosing or with quarterly dosing, we were able to maintain weight loss that was achieved over the first 52 weeks for a subsequent 52 weeks.
And so we feel like there's many options once the patient is at their weight loss goal with MariTide to stay on lower monthly dose to potentially move to every 8-week dosing to potentially move to quarterly dosing to maintain the weight that they lost. And interestingly, particularly with the quarterly dosing in that second 52-week period, we saw MariTide was very well tolerated in the quarterly dosing. That was a question that we thought was important to answer since it was such a long time between doses, you could imagine tolerability kind of coming back to almost a treatment-naive situation, and that wasn't the case. We saw a very well-tolerated molecule. And that's been consistent with MariTide where it is once you're at target dose of MariTide, it's a very well-tolerated medicine. And obviously, we're quite encouraged by the data we've seen thus far and are investing heavily behind it, as Peter had indicated.
Excellent. That's great. So maybe we could pivot to UPLIZNA, Jasper. Would love to hear you talk about the long-term potential, including which indication is your favorite, i.e., might be the biggest percentage of the pie longer term?
That's an interesting question. Let me start with where Peter left off. Like if you think about Amgen's growth portfolio, like look at those numbers, I'm very excited about that. If you look at 18 products with record sales, 13 products with double-digit growth, that breadth is very exciting. If you bring that to the rare disease portfolio, we see similar numbers across all our franchises in rare disease. And UPLIZNA is a unique example in that. And UPLIZNA in last year grew 73%. And I always have to remember -- remind people of that 73% is driven by our base indication, which is NMOSD, which where we saw very good new patient growth, very strong adherence, which is important. And so it's driven by NMO and, let's say, 8 months of the IgG4-RD launch, which is a very exciting new indication, a very big unmet need, like we're the first FDA-approved therapy in that indication. And UPLIZNA has a fantastic profile there. I can talk about that a little later.
But what we see is very good strong uptake there. So we have over 500 active prescribers there in that indication, and that's breadth of prescribing. You expect rheumatologists to prescribe. We see GI specialists prescribe. But even beyond that, we start to see prescribing. So we feel very good about that. So that's our 73% growth last year is NMO full year, 8 months of IgG4. And then as Peter said, we have the gMG approval December last year, which basically means a launch this year. And that uptake has been very exciting as well.
gMG, of course, it's a busy area. But I always say it's a busy area with competition, but there's still a very big unmet need. And people don't often see that. But if you look at the existing therapies, patients cycle through them relatively quickly. Like I think more than 50% of patients only stays on a therapy less than 12 months. So that tells you there's still a significant unmet need. And when we talk to physicians and patients, they talk about unmet need in a way, hey, we need a durable therapy that doesn't have additional flash between dosing. And that's exactly what UPLIZNA offers in our opinion. And we see since launch, and it's very early, we see very good uptake, and we're particularly excited by the breadth of uptake. So we see both bio-naive patients, probably 50% of our new patients are bio-naive and 50% come from switch.
So if you put that together, we expect continued strong growth. It's honestly very difficult to say which of those indications would be biggest. I think all of them will significantly contribute to UPLIZNA and the rare disease portfolio. And then, of course, as we deeply believe in upstream CD19-directed B-cell depletion has a very good mode of action in autoimmune disease, we also have these other indications that Peter mentioned. So we think UPLIZNA is set for a very, very strong future growth.
Excellent. That's great. And so in gMG, obviously, it is crowded and will become more crowded. Could you talk about UPLIZNA's competitive positioning and just how you see its adoption?
Yes. So I just explained already that we still see that as a big unmet need. I explained that. And I just also explained what our insights were around what physicians and patients want. And what UPLIZNA offers, if you think about CD19-directed B-cell depletion, what we offer is we offer that very strong durable efficacy. That's one. Second, we have a very known and well-tolerated safety profile. And three, we have, in maintenance, twice-a-year dosing. And then we have a pretty broad set of sub indications in gMG as well.
So if you put that together, I think we have an extremely competitive profile. If you compare it with existing competition as well as future competition, I think we are very competitive if you just put that together. And that's what we see because we get patients uptake in bio-naive and we get patients uptake in switch.
Excellent. Excellent. So why don't we turn to TEPEZZA. So the company has a forthcoming subcutaneous version. Could you just discuss that product profile and how quickly you might be able to convert the market from IV?
Yes. So If you look at thyroid eye disease, it's good to know that we also feel there -- and again, it's the story that Peter said as well for many of our indications, but the penetration, so the unmet need is big. So the penetration is still only single digit. And that's mostly in the area of the chronic or low clinical activities score disease patients. So that's important to know. If you then think about the subcu formulation, we feel that subcu is a more patient-friendly sort of convenient formulation that specifically will help unlock in that chronic patient population, so we think it will significantly help. Of course, we have to wait until our Phase III read out before we can comment more on what the actual profile will be and how we will launch that subcu formulation. But we feel it will significantly help in unlocking that chronic patient population.
Excellent.
And Jasper, is it also fair to say that, Dave, we envision IV continuing, IV TEPEZZA continuing, but also bringing online a subcutaneous administration, which will help us, as Jasper was saying, to reach additional patients, particularly in that low clinical activity score setting.
Excellent. So why don't we turn to dazodalibep, if I'm pronouncing that correctly? So...
The CFO way to describe it is daz. You're beyond that, Dave. I just say daz.
Yes, that makes a lot of sense. Keep it simple. So it's clearly an important pipeline opportunity. If you could just share your thoughts on it and news flow ahead.
Yes. So dazodalibep, let's call it daz, indeed, is absolutely a very exciting asset for Amgen. And it starts like in rare disease, it starts with the unmet need. And we know in Sjogren's disease, there is very significant unmet need. We currently have around 350,000 patients diagnosed in the U.S. And if you look at the subset of patients or the subset of patients in that 350,000 diagnosed, we basically have 2 big groups. One is the 30% to 40% systemic disease groups, 30%, 40% of those patients has systemic disease. But another 60% to 80% of patients have some overlap between those groups, obviously, 60% to 80% of patients has only symptomatic disease.
But if you talk to physicians and patients, the unmet need there when it comes to dryness, fatigue, pain is very, very significant. And we've seen in our Phase II data that we show initial efficacy in both of those indications. So we feel we feel that looking forward to our Phase III trial that we have potentially a good profile there. And we're very excited about the unmet need is significant there.
Excellent. Excellent. And so you said the timing was second half.
Mm-hmm.
Excellent. Okay. Great. And just so that we understand sort of based upon your prior data, regarding adverse events, what are your expectations for antidrug antibodies and the risk of thromboembolic events?
Yes. Let me jump in on that one, Dave. So daz is a CD40 ligand targeting fusion protein. And it's specifically designed and engineered to avoid some of what we saw previously with other monoclonal antibodies that were targeting the CD40 ligand or CD40 pathway where there was platelet aggregation, thromboembolic events. And so in our Phase II study, we saw a favorable safety profile. It provided us the confidence to advance into Phase III. Obviously, in larger number of patients, we'll continue to watch the full safety profile of daz. But the way that we've engineered the molecule hopefully will allow us to avoid some of what others have seen with monoclonal antibodies targeting the same pathway, and we're optimistic for what Phase III can bring. But obviously, the data will inform us in terms of the potential of the molecule and its safety profile.
Excellent. That's great. And then why don't we just pivot back to MariTide, just given how important that product can be for the company. There's been a lot of changes in the market recently, obviously, greater pricing pressure. Lilly has had declared earlier this year that it's much more of a consumer market than they originally expected. And I guess would love to hear about -- if we think about the market being in 2 segments, commercial coverage and consumer. I would love to hear your plans for the consumer market. And then on the commercial side, we get questions about how Amgen will compete with the rebate wall from Lilly and Novo given their current dominance in obesity.
Yes. So let me start and then Peter and Jasper, feel to add on. So it starts with the evidence base that we're generating with MariTide. So 6 global Phase III studies underway, 2 in chronic weight management, 2 in obstructive sleep apnea, 1 in heart failure, 1 in ASCVD, both Outcomes studies and then obviously in type 2 diabetes as well. So we are working to establish a very comprehensive evidence base for MariTide. And we feel that's important both to characterize the molecule, but also to characterize the potential of reaching a number of different patients with obesity or obesity-related conditions.
That plays into how you think about entering the market. I would say, details to be determined in terms of our exact approach to the market, but we're watching carefully. We're well aware of the consumer element of this and thinking through how we can best position MariTide with respect to all of the different aspects of the obesity market and which, as you know, Dave, are rapidly evolving, and we feel a little bit advantaged to be watching how things play out as we think strategically about how to ultimately bring MariTide to market.
Maybe just for a minute. Casey, talk a little bit about the adherence because we think MariTide is characterized and the data turns out the way that we hope it does, that perhaps it's able to help patients and their adherence, given the adherence on the weeklies is not as strong probably as we would hope.
Yes, it's a good point. It's really why does monthly dosing matter in a way. And we see that there is -- that currently treatment burden and dosing frequency continue to be barriers to long-term persistence on therapy. I mean we feel like with a monthly or to maintain weight, a less frequently dosed molecule, we have a real opportunity to improve adherence, improve the patient experience.
And why does that matter? To your point, Peter, that matters because in order for patients individuals living with obesity-related conditions to experience the long-term benefit of that medicine, they have to remain on the medicine to achieve those health benefits, to improve their diabetes, to improve their cardiovascular outcomes, to improve their sleep apnea. These are chronic conditions need to be treated chronically. And we feel like a medicine with MariTide with its dosing frequency and long-term tolerability at favorable tolerability at target dose really helps to fit what we see is an emerging unmet need in the space.
Maybe just one add on and Jasper, I'll turn it to you then, is when you think about Amgen's history, Dave, with Repatha, with Prolia, the ability to generate delivery of important medicines to areas with significant unmet medical need, millions of patients. We have that history. It's not a perfect analog, but it's our commitment to trying to get these medicines that have huge impact where there is a significant unmet need to get them to those patients.
So we've built our capacity for that. We're building our capacity for that. We've got to guide out this year, $2.6 billion in CapEx. We're working hard on yield management. We're working hard on the science and manufacturing. We're working hard on making sure the devices are just right for doing this. So we're focused on that. The company has been focused on it for a long time. So Jasper, you've been trying to say something?
No, no, but it's like your question was on the commercial launch. And I think, Casey, Peter, you said it very nicely. If the profile of MariTide shapes up the way it does in Phase III, I think we have a very competitive profile. I just want to reiterate what you said, Peter, is like the commercial capability that we built in cardiovascular and cardiometabolic where we have like a track record over 10 years, getting Repatha to a very successful brand, I think, it's a very important base that we launched MariTide of, which is pretty unique if you look at all the competitors developing in obesity. Of course, we have formidable competitors with Lilly and Novo, but I think Amgen with this cardiometabolic franchise and footprint is really -- will be very competitive commercially as well.
Excellent. Well, we are actually about to run out of time, but I had one more question for Peter. So obviously, you have a strong balance sheet, a lot of flexibility. But how do you see the current M&A environment, meaning there are a lot of companies that are looking for attractive targets. And so it'd just be helpful for -- it would be helpful to get your perspective on that current environment and opportunities or challenges for Amgen in executing in that environment.
Sure. Just to level set and calibrate, we were able last year by the end of the third quarter to get back to the balance sheet that we committed to when we announced the Horizon deal in December of 2022. And Jasper and the team in rare disease did a great job integrating that and making it all work so well.
So let's just start with that and then just say as we take that -- the strong balance sheet and we think about M&A, in terms of inorganic activity, mergers and acquisitions, licensing, collaborations, partnerships, Dave, which we're structurally agnostic. We're always in the market. We're always looking, but we always stick to our principles. So our capital allocation hierarchy, number one is the best innovation, either internally or externally. And so we're committed to finding the best innovation.
Now let's get to your point, which is, can you get it at somewhat of an effective value for shareholders? Well, our first principle is are we the best buyer, collaborator, licensor, partner, which simply means when it's in our hands, can we add to it? Are we accretive to that? Can we model it a little bit better than everybody else in a realistic way. Number two, cash-on-cash returns. We always stick to that. Number three, do we have research in the area. If we've got research in an area, we think we do a lot better with any one of those structural inorganic opportunities. And fourth, can we integrate promptly? We think returns are generated by promptly integrating acquisitions and these other types of partnerships and licensing and collaborations.
But acquisitions in particular, and we showed that with Horizon. We were able to achieve accretion in the first full year. We achieved our pretax cost synergies of more than $500 million a little bit early. And as I said, we were able to strengthen that balance sheet early. So moving quickly, that fourth thought in our minds. So we always prosecute these. We want to have an opinion on everything, too. We think it's super important at Amgen that we see what's out there and what's available. And if it becomes transactable and it makes sense, we'll certainly participate, but we'll stick to our rigorous discipline in terms of how we look at these opportunities.
Excellent. Well, that's great. Right. To wrap up, thanks so much for being here. Appreciate it.
Thank you, Dave. Thanks for the invite.
Thanks for having us.
Thank you.
Transkripte auf Deutsch freischalten
- Alle Event Transkripte auf Deutsch
- Sofortige Übersetzung
- KI-Zusammenfassungen für die wichtigsten Insights
Amgen — Leerink Global Healthcare Conference 2026
Amgen — Leerink Global Healthcare Conference 2026
📣 Kernbotschaft
- Takeaway: Amgen betont Breite und Momentum: sechs "Key Growth Drivers" (Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, Rare Disease, Innovative Oncology, Biosimilars) treiben doppelte Umsatz‑ und EPS‑Wachstumsraten 2025; 2026 soll durch Pipeline‑Daten und kommerzielle Skalierung weiteres Wachstum folgen.
🎯 Strategische Highlights
- Rare Disease: UPLIZNA wuchs 73% in 2025; Expansion (IgG4‑RD, gMG) und weitere Phase‑III‑Starts geplant.
- Innovative Oncology: BiTE‑Platform (IMDELLTRA als SOC in 2L+ SCLC; STEAP1‑bispezifisch in Prostata) mit mehreren Phase‑III‑Programmen.
- Biosimilars & Invest:** Biosimilars kum. ~$13 Mrd; 2025 Produktumsatz ~$3 Mrd (+37% YoY); Pipelinekandidaten gegen OPDIVO/KEYTRUDA/OCREVUS; CapEx‑Plan 2026 ~$2.6 Mrd zur Skalierung.
🔎 Neue Informationen
- Data & Timing: Olpasiran (OCEAN(a)‑Outcomes) ist verzögert (Endpoint‑Akkumulation langsamer als erwartet); Abschlusstermine verschoben. Dazodalibep Phase‑III‑Programme in Sjögren sind voll eingeschrieben, Studienende erwartet H2 2026. MariTide: 6 Phase‑III‑Studien, Daten zu monatlicher Erhaltung und seltenerer Dosierung unterstützen Perspektive auf q1‑/q2‑/q3‑Dosing.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- MariTide‑Markt: Nachfrage nach Details zur Kommerzstrategie (Consumer vs. Payer) und Preis/Access; Management nennt evidenzgetriebene Route, konkrete Marktansatz‑Details "noch zu bestimmen".
- Sicherheit & Profil: Dazodalibep: Fragen zu Antikörpern/Thromboserisiko; Company verweist auf molekulare Engineering‑Ansätze und günstiges Phase‑II‑Safety‑Signal, beobachtet weiter in Phase‑III.
- Produktkonversion: TEPEZZA subkutan soll Patientenakzeptanz erhöhen; Marktkonversion und Launch‑Details abhängig vom Phase‑III‑Readout. Fragen zu UPLIZNA‑Indikationsmix und Wettbewerb wurden beantwortet mit Betonung auf Haltbarkeit der Wirkung und Twice‑yearly Dosing.
⚡ Bottom Line
- Fazit: Amgen präsentiert ein diversifiziertes Wachstumsprofil mit mehreren möglichen Blockbustern (MariTide, IMDELLTRA, UPLIZNA) und starker Biosimilars‑Momentum; kurzfristig sind Timing‑ und Phasing‑Risiken (Olpasiran‑Verzögerung, Q1‑Saisonaleffekte, Inventaraufbau, Biosimilar‑Erosion bei Prolia/XGEVA) sowie die noch offene kommerzielle Strategie für MariTide entscheidend für die Kursentwicklung.
Amgen — TD Cowen 46th Annual Health Care Conference
1. Question Answer
Good afternoon, everybody, and thank you once again for joining us for the 46th Annual TD Cowen Healthcare Conference. I'm Yaron Werber from the biotech team, and it's a great pleasure to moderate the next fireside chat with Amgen. With us today, returning from a hiatus from IR in an expanded role is Justin Claeys, Senior Vice President of Finance. To his right, really for the first time with us is Kave Niksefat, who is SVP of Global Marketing and Access. And to his right, needs no introduction, Casey Capparelli the new Head of IR and our guru on everything, Amgen. So gentlemen, thanks so much. Let me turn it over to you maybe for some opening remarks, and then we'll go into Q&A.
Yes. Thank you, and thank you, Yaron, again, for having us back at Cowen. We're glad to be here. So a few prepared remarks for us to open, and we'd like to share before moving over to Q&A. We exited 2025 with strong momentum across the portfolio, 13 products delivered double-digit growth, 14 exceeded $1 billion in annual sales and 18 delivered record performance. That breadth supported double-digit growth in both revenue and earnings per share in 2025. The momentum is underpinned by our 6 key growth drivers, Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE and our rare disease, innovative oncology and biosimilars portfolios. Repatha, EVENITY and TEZSPIRE all grew at over 30% year-over-year in 2025 and delivered record sales with each representing a multibillion-dollar global franchise. These medicines address large unmet needs where there are millions of patients yet to be treated and represent growth drivers not just for 2026, but for the rest of the decade.
Our rare disease portfolio delivered $5 billion in 2025 sales, up 14% year-over-year, driven by reaching new patients, geographic expansion and launching new indications. UPLIZNA is a great example of this, growing 73% in 2025, supported by the IgG4-related disease launch. We expect continued growth in 2026 as the launch progresses and we build on the recent generalized Myasthenia Gravis approval and launch. We also plan to initiate additional Phase III studies of UPLIZNA in autoimmune hepatitis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy later this year.
Our innovative oncology growth is being driven by our bispecific T-cell engager platform or BiTE. IMDELLTRA, our DLL3 targeting BiTE has rapidly become the standard of care in second-line or later small cell lung cancer with 3 Phase III studies in early stage small cell lung cancer underway. IMDELLTRA has the potential to reach many additional patients. We are also progressing xaluritamig, our first-in-class STEAP1 bispecific T cell engager with 2 ongoing Phase III studies in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer, and we are actively evaluating opportunities to expand xaluritamig into earlier lines of prostate cancer.
Our biosimilars portfolio generated $3 billion in 2025 sales, growing 37% year-over-year. Momentum here is in part due to strong uptake of [indiscernible] our biosimilar to EYLEA. Future growth will be driven by our biosimilar candidates to OPDIVO, KEYTRUDA and OCREVUS, which are all currently in Phase III development. Turning to the pipeline. 2026 will be a year of disciplined data generation across multiple Phase II and Phase III programs that support long-term growth. We remain confident in MariTide's potential as a differentiated treatment for obesity, type 2 diabetes and obesity-related conditions. In a field featuring dozens of potential daily oral and weekly injectable medicines, MariTide stands alone as the only therapy in late-stage development to offer the paradigm-changing prospect of strong efficacy and favorable tolerability at monthly, every other month or even quarterly dosing.
The fully enrolled OCEAN(a)-Outcome study of olpasiran, our potentially best-in-class small interfering RNA medicine targeting Lp(a) continues to progress. This is an event-driven study and the aggregate endpoint accrual rate remains lower than initial predictions. While we recently pushed out our estimated completion date, our conviction in olpasiran remains strong based on the genetic and epidemiologic evidence that has established elevated Lp(a) as an independent risk factor for heart disease. Finally, we are also advancing dazodalibep, our CD40 ligand targeting biotherapeutic with 2 Phase III studies in Sjogren's disease now fully enrolled and study completion expected in the second half of 2026. I'll now turn it over to Justin for a few financial updates.
Great. Thank you, Kave. And Yaron, it's great to see you again. Great to be back and join the conference. As Kave mentioned, we see strong momentum in the business in 2026. Given that we're now into March, I did want to remind everyone of some points on our quarterly phasing. Historically, Q1 is lighter for us relative to subsequent quarters. I'll highlight a few points on this from our recent earnings call where we gave some commentary on the outlook for the first quarter. As we typically see with the U.S. insurance cycle, we expect a seasonal first quarter headwind from benefit plan changes, reverifications and higher patient co-pays.
We also expect Otezla and Enbrel to follow their historical pattern of lower sales in the first quarter relative to subsequent quarters. I would also add that as of January, Otezla now faces European generic entry. For reference, European sales of Otezla were $282 million in 2025. We continue to expect accelerated erosion in 2026 for Prolia and XGEVA, including the first quarter because of a full year of biosimilar competition. Additionally, we saw approximately $250 million of inventory build in the fourth quarter of 2025 that could potentially impact first quarter sales.
And consistent with lower Q1 sales, we expect first quarter non-GAAP operating margin to be the lowest of the year and roughly consistent with the fourth quarter of 2025, which, as a reminder, was approximately 43%. Peter provided commentary on the full year outlook on our recent earnings call, and I'd encourage you to reference the fourth quarter transcript for his full remarks on that. In closing, we entered 2026 with strong commercial momentum across our diversified set of 6 key growth drivers and a Phase III pipeline that spans 4 therapeutic areas with meaningful breadth and depth. We're well positioned to deliver sustained long-term growth. Yaron, over to you for Q&A.
Great. Thank you so much. That was good to know. I think news about the Otezla generic as well. Okay, maybe, Kave, to you, first question since we have you on market access, which is critical. So Amgen has done very well financially and continue to -- pricing has been variable across assets, and you obviously have both rare, to oncology, to mass market. What's the secret sauce? What's Amgen's secret sauce on Access and negotiations and formulary placement?
Yes. I think from my perspective, Amgen has experience and access across a wide number of therapeutic areas. We're in 4 therapeutic areas now. We've got experience and access in over 100 markets around the world. We build in access as part of our strategies from early on in our pipeline to make sure we're generating the evidence that we believe makes our products competitive not just from a physician choice standpoint, but from a payer choice standpoint and evidence that helps us justify the economic value that our medicines bring going forward. I think that integrated approach from molecule inception all the way to on market and LOE has allowed us to perform very well from an access perspective, making sure that our medicines that we invent are accessible to patients at prices that are affordable to the health care system.
And is it -- it's how you negotiate access on an annual basis or how you negotiate access even on a portfolio basis? What sets you apart?
Yes. So again, I think access negotiations in general happen at a product level within a category versus the other therapeutic options that are there. And again, I think that body of evidence that we create either through clinical trials, the real world that we're able to bring the fact that we're forthright in thinking about access allows us to navigate those potential headwinds as a forethought rather than afterthought, Yaron?
Repatha, I think, is really -- has been one of the examples, right? I think Access was tough. There was 2 different SKUs. One of them was pulled and then Access has really improved dramatically plus the data continues to get enhanced. Obviously, the latest data is primary prevention. Technically, that was on the label already. But now you have Amgen 1 (sic) [AmgenNow ] at a monthly price of $239. How important is Amgen 1 (sic) [ AmgenNow ] ? Or is it just another vehicle, but overall, it's really the rest of the channels are going to be really the most important?
Yes. Thanks, Yaron. And we've named our program AmgenNow, not Amgen 1, but that's okay. We know there's a lot of these that are coming up. Let me talk a little bit about Repatha, and I'll build in the AmgenNow answer there, if you don't mind. I think Repatha is a great example of how Amgen's Access skills have come to really unlock a really critical medicine in the U.S. and around the world. There's over 100 million individuals around the world with elevated LDL despite the fact that they're on standard of care therapy.
Only about 5% of them today are on a PCSK9. As the market leader, most of those 5% are on Repatha. By opening up Access, we think we can continue to penetrate that very large population that is underserved today. And by bringing the changes that we've done in the U.S., for example, Repatha is now listed as a preferred therapy on virtually every formulary regardless of whether it's Medicare or commercial. Average co-pay is down to less than $50 a month. The over half of Medicare patients no longer need a prior authorization to get the medicine. And we've now got great data with primary prevention, 36% reduction in first heart attack, 25% reduction in MACE, 20% reduction in all-cause mortality that with that good access environment is allowing us to scale.
Now despite that great Access environment, we know that some patients remain uninsured or are in high deductible health plans or are on one of the limited number of plans that are still making it challenging to get Repatha. And that's where Amgen now comes in. It's a direct-to-patient offering, $239 a month, in line with the lowest price around the world for Repatha. And we introduced that program in October. So we've been on the market now for about 5 months. We've been very pleased with the uptake thus far. We've got over 5,000 patients in the U.S. using Amgen now to get their Repatha. And we see that as an additional channel, Yaron, that goes beyond the very well-covered insurance channel to make sure that any patient who wants Repatha, whose physician wants them to have Repatha is able to get and afford Repatha in the U.S.
There is increased competition. Leqvio is now waiting for its outcomes. It's Q6 months. I think the access there has been improving. And there's going to be a couple of orals, one a little bit more differentiated from the other, one is from Merck, the other one is from Astra. Any thoughts about how does that work in a competitive dynamic? And again, we're aware that the other 3 don't have outcomes yet.
Yes. So let's just start. If we look back at cardiometabolic markets, the history of them, we would say that, first and foremost, the goal here of us, and we think the goal of the field is to improve penetration into that 95% that is not yet on therapy rather than just fight over the relatively small patient population that has access to therapy today -- is on therapy today. When we look overall -- these additional entrants, we expect will grow the overall penetration of the market at a rate that's faster than share is consumed by them.
And so we think that, that increased share of voice will increase focus on LDL and increase treatment rates overall. In terms of the competitive dynamic, as you've said, we're really proud to have 2 outcome studies, both primary prevention and secondary prevention. These add to the mountain of data that's been created on Repatha. We've done over 30 clinical trials ourselves. There's hundreds of clinical trials that have been run with Repatha. We think that, that primary prevention data, which is unique to Repatha is a huge differentiator and allows us to continue to hold our competitive position as new competitors enter.
Can we maybe move to Tezi? So Tezi posted $1.5 billion to Amgen. The accounting is a little complicated, as everybody knows, because of the AstraZeneca relationship. It obviously sold more than that globally. That was up 52% year-over-year. And now CRS with nasal polyps was approved in October. For Dupi, CRS is now more than $1 billion in that brand. Where -- do you have any sense what percentage of new patients is Tezi getting and maybe overall share in asthma right now?
Yes. Yaron, I don't have those numbers off the top of my head. What I would say is that Tezi is the one molecule in the severe asthma class that can be used irrespective of eosinophilic or allergic status overall. It's the one medicine that can be used for all patients with severe asthma. That's been a differentiating factor for us.
It's been very competitive across the different phenotypes of patients that the other competitors are targeting overall. When we look at polyps, polyps is a really important indication. One, it's highly comorbid with severe asthma. And so it helps us continue to penetrate and win additional share of the asthma patients that also happen to have nasal polyps. It's also representative of a highly eosinophilic disease. And so with the great data that we showed with its high efficacy to prevent surgery, we think it helps us in both of those populations and further penetrate the market.
Okay. And then UPLIZNA launch, I think since its launch, more than 500 unique prescribers have written it for IgG4. The market right now based on claims is thought to be around 35,000, so not small at all. The feedback from clinicians, data looks really good. There was one question about what does it sequence relative to Rituxan because Rituxan is obviously a lot cheaper. And now you just got gMG approval, too. So maybe we'll start with IgG4. Do you have a sense how is it being used? And is there a large patient population that is now getting tapped? Or is it mostly for new patients?
Yes. So as you said, Yaron, we see the market the same way. We see about 35,000 patients diagnosed with IgG4 disease as of right now. This designation of IgG4-related disease is only about 10 to 15 years old, coding for it in the U.S. is only 2 years. So we do expect that, that could -- that number could evolve over time as additional treatments are used in the field.
As you've said, to date, we've had about 500 unique prescribers prescribe UPLIZNA. This is a very diverse disease that is viewed by a diverse set of physicians. And we see this as a patient finding and physician activating game -- ground game, which we've done quite well with TAVNEOS, for example. In terms of where it's being used, we see it used at all lines of therapy right now. We're seeing it as a first-line therapy. We're seeing Rituxan-experienced patients come in. This is an area where UPLIZNA is the first and only approved medicine for IgG4 with an 83% reduction, if I'm remembering my number correct, reduction in overall flares. And so we are seeing the community respond very positively to the disease, and we think uptake will continue across activating additional prescribers and finding additional patients.
And then for myasthenia gravis, any sense where the drug is going to get used?
Yes. So we got approved for myasthenia gravis in December. And so we've been now on the market for about 2.5 months overall. MG has about 80,000 to 100,000 patients. Competitive field, obviously, other biologics in the market already. Launch to date, about 50% of our prescriptions are coming from bio-naive patients, about 50% are coming from bio-experienced patients. We think the market is reacting to what we saw in ADVANCE, which was this was a market that was interested in a reliable therapy that had durability, efficacy and convenient extended dosing. And with UPLIZNA being twice a year after an initial induction dose of -- induction 2 doses, we think we've met that bar.
And so we're seeing uptake across the board, Yaron. I'd highlight as well that specifically in the bioexperienced market, given the frequency by which other therapies are offered, it's offering us a number of opportunities to play for switch. And that frequency is giving us additional shots on goal as patients progress and need to come back for reevaluation and retreatment.
Does it make sense to run a SWITCH study to help inform how to use the drug?
Yes. I think we remain interested in a number of things on UPLIZNA, Yaron. We're not going to announce a SWITCH study today, but we do know that, that is an area of interest. And like I said, the community is already appears to be switching without that study.
We've done a fair amount of work with physicians, and they are interested in using it broadly. 6 out of 10 right now are going on Vyvgart right away. And so the feedback -- the one challenge with UPLIZNA and their fans of the durability is that it's slower action. And so not all patients would qualify. Does -- how do you think that's going to ultimately fit into where you really get stable in terms of traction?
Yes. I think time will tell on the market exactly how that plays out. Look, physicians right now are excited to be getting experience with this medicine. We're excited to bring another option overall to patients around. And in due course, we'll see exactly how it plays out across the marketplace.
Let me actually zoom out. And when we talked about access overall, I neglected to ask about Europe because sadly, Europe is not as big a part of the market these days. Is -- are things stable in Europe now? Are they getting -- continuing to get more challenging? And are they -- are you beginning to see that they are willing to pay a little bit more for medicines?
Yes. I think last year was a bit of a wake-up call across the ex-U.S. markets around where the U.S. sits within the drug innovation ecosystem and how some of their systems have progressed. I'd say we're in constant discussions with governments around the world, making sure that they understand what the world looks like in a post most favored nation setting overall and advocating just like we've been advocating before that Europe, in particular, should recognize the value of medicines that we bring. We're seeing some governments start to react and start to think differently. We're seeing some that are not. But there's definitely -- the challenges remain in terms of access across Europe, and we're looking forward to engaging on those.
With PAVBLU was off to a really strong launch, but it's probably not going to remain the only biosimilar. It's a question of when the next ones will come, whether it's starting next year. As much as the launch has gone well, I think it's got less than a 10% share right now, roughly in the U.S. What is it going to take to really expand it further?
Yes. So we're really pleased with PAVBLU thus far. We -- last year, we think we did $700 million of total sales as the only biosimilar on the market.
I was thinking, by the way, of all anti-VEGF and bispecifics, not just EYLEA.
Yes. And overall, Yaron, I think the way we see this market continuing to evolve primarily based off new biosimilars entering, which, as you've said, we're expecting from what we've seen externally to occur at some point this year. Until that comes, we continue to be the only biosimilar on the market and compete with the innovator.
And is that this year in the U.S. or mostly ex U.S.?
I think time will tell you, Yaron. There's a lot of factors that affect how and when biosimilars enter, and I think we'll just have to watch how that landscape evolves.
Yes. Any -- maybe from a payer perspective also or a marketing perspective for MariTide, pricing in general has continued to come down. The Access has gotten more resolved, and now it's really about differentiation. As you think about MariTide maybe for maintenance, what do you think you need to show in any sense, how do you weave that into a clinical program?
Yes. So maybe I'll just start by saying that we're obviously aware of the pricing changes that have been underway. The price has evolved in line with our expectations. We continue to be very excited about MariTide. We think we have a differentiated asset, especially whether it's monthly or less frequent dosing. And as you got to see in Ohio, we're proud of the manufacturing capabilities that we have and think that those will give us the ability to continue to compete as price evolves.
In terms of the maintenance setting, it's obviously something that we're quite excited about. We provided some update earlier this year on our phase -- our Phase II, Part 2 data, which tested less frequent dosing. It's obviously a competitive market. In due course, we'll have an update with how we plan on using that data and how we plan on approaching the market from a maintenance standpoint in light of pricing and competitive dynamics.
As it relates to MariTide, I had 2 questions. One is by the time you get on the market, which I'm assuming is 3 to 4 years from now, how do you see the competitive dynamics having changed, assuming the only 2 other products on the -- other 2 companies are Lilly and Novo with expanded product lines? And how important do you think it is to be able to have approvals not for obesity or weight loss, but from an insurance standpoint to have approvals for the 7 chronic conditions that obesity is related to that result in a reduction of morbidity, mortality and cost.
Maybe we'll just restate the question for those on; the webcast.
Please go ahead.
Yes. I mean just to summarize. So I think the first question was how would we plan on competing given that there are folks on the market today, and we would be coming later. Just to clarify, we haven't commented on launch time lines. So we'll let you make your own assertions there. And I think the second part of the question we caught.
Yes. So -- and the second part of the question was, how do you plan on competing against other companies that have multiple offerings. So...
And do you think that it's important to have approvals not for obesity or weight. I don't personally don't care about the 16% or 19% weight loss or 22%. I think that the insurers are more interested in the docs in the 7 chronic conditions that obesity is related to where you can have a significant reduction in morbidity, mortality and cost.
Yes. So let me address that then in 2 parts. One, we're excited to be bringing a differentiated molecule to the marketplace. And we think that differentiation earns us a seat at the competitive table with what we're bringing, really focusing on efficacy that is in the mid-20s on weight loss and big impact on cardiometabolic parameters, including HbA1c, a tolerable medicine that we're looking to improve the initiation protocol with 3-step dose escalation and then finally, monthly or less frequent dosing.
In terms of the obesity-related conditions, that's an area we're very interested in. As we shared earlier, we are on 6 Phase III clinical trials, and then we were also looking to add type 2 diabetes. But our clinical trials for the related conditions are ASCVD, heart failure and sleep apnea. And then we believe that the whole suite of evidence will be important, not just for payers, but to compete in the class.
Maybe a question again, Kave, while we have you on Sjogren's. It's an area we've done a lot of work on. Technically, it's not an orphan market. But once you look at the patient population being RFRO positive, moderate to severe, naturally becomes an orphan market. Can a market like that, and you're looking at both systemic and symptomatic and you're the only company right now, and that's critical because 60%, 70% of patients are actually symptomatic. So everybody else is going for the smaller segment, albeit obviously important. Can it support premium pricing?
Yes. So Yaron, let me give you how we see the market, which I think might be just slightly different than as you see it, but we see about 350,000 patients that are RO or RF positive diagnosed. And we see this as a serious but also highly heterogeneous disease. Given that heterogeneity, we see room for multiple therapies in this market. And we think some will go in the first line, some will go in second or later line, some will go for the whole population, some will go for smaller populations.
And obviously, we'll have different value propositions depending on exactly where they sequence overall. So we see a lot of different routes to make this a viable marketplace. As you shared, we are studying in both the systemic and symptomatic populations separately. The systemic population, we see that as roughly 30% to 40% of the market. And then the symptomatic population, we see that as 60% to 85% of the market. Now that doesn't add to 100%. That's because some of these patients are both systemic and highly symptomatic overall. But we decided to run 2 different Phase III trials to cover the waterfront to understand the effect this medicine can have on both those populations.
The reality is when we talk to physicians, for the most part, they tell me, first, it's a Sjogren's patient. And you kind of have to really dig under to see how they're subclassifying between those 2 population types. We thought -- given the data we saw in Phase II, we'd study the entire population. So when they see a moderate to severe Sjogren's patient, they can hopefully, depending on the data, pull for dazodalibep. So it's an opportunity we're excited about. We've been excited about since the time of the Horizon acquisition, where we got this molecule. And both of those studies read out at the end of the year. And based off the readouts of those studies, we'll understand exactly what our path to market is. And really, are we positioning for a broad population or a smaller orphan subset population?
To your point, the symptomatology is fairly variable, anything from dry eye to fatigue to some arthralgia, -- it could be a lot more systemic and has a real tissue involvement. So that's why I'm trying to -- for me, it's a little hard to try to figure out the price -- if you look at some of the other companies working in this space, Sjogren's is probably going to be an add-on indication, and they're deep, deep in orphan pricing. I guess Novartis will be first, and we'll have to see how they price. But by virtue of the competition, it looks like they're going orphan, and that's maybe that's the opportunity. But the question is it severe enough?
Yes. I think, again, time will tell based off that Phase III data exactly where this product gets positioned and the size of the population that addresses to the opening point you made, I think this is an area where we will wait for the data and follow the data before making any commercial decisions.
Yes. Maybe finally, just a broad question. In general, pricing for biologics is going down. I'm talking about mass market and volumes are going up a lot. So to your point, Repatha $239 x 12, it's about $,3000 -- just under $3,000 a year. MariTide and obesity drugs now are anywhere between $300 and $400, $500 a month. And they require a lot of injections and a lot of injectors. So I guess my question with Amgen, I mean, you're making drugs that are costing $150, $200, $300 and making drugs that cost $3,000. How do you work on the margins?
Yes. Thanks, Yaron. I would start by saying that this evolution is exactly what we've expected. We certainly, I think, for years now, have seen that U.S. prices -- prices in the U.S. and around the world would face pressure over time. And our strategy has been volume-driven growth. So you're right to kind of square that circle, what you need is a manufacturing footprint and a capability where you can keep your cost structure under control and manage that. So that's something we've been doing for years.
If you look at Prolia and denosumab, I mean, that's a primary care medicine where we've been able to earn a very nice return. And I think credit to the manufacturing and the operations team, what they're very focused on year after year is driving more productivity and efficiency gains. And so that's definitely part of the game plan.
When Amgen launched the new sort of high-yield perfusion and high-yield manufacturing, does it normally go into all products or certain products get that and some of the other ones don't.
It's really product by product, kind of case by case.
But is it -- maybe final question, fair to assume that Amgen is making money in every drug?
I don't -- I mean we don't disclose the gross margin by product, but I think if you look at our overall results, I think they speak for themselves.
Well, team, thank you so much. Good to see you. We appreciate it.
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Amgen — TD Cowen 46th Annual Health Care Conference
Amgen — TD Cowen 46th Annual Health Care Conference
📣 Kernbotschaft
- Kernbotschaft: Amgen präsentiert starke 2025-Momentum mit sechs klar benannten Wachstums-Treibern (u.a. Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, Rare Disease, innovative Onkologie, Biosimilars). Das Management betont breiten, volumengetriebenen Wachstumspfad und fokussiert 2026 auf disziplinierte Phase‑II/III Datengenerierung zur Absicherung langfristiger Umsatzziele.
🎯 Strategische Highlights
- Access & Preis: Repatha ist jetzt auf fast allen Formularen bevorzugt, durchschnittlicher Zuzahlung < $50; Direct‑to‑patient‑Programm "AmgenNow" zu $239/Monat erweitert Zugang.
- Rare & Onkologie: UPLIZNA-Expansion (IgG4, gMG) plus weitere Phase‑III‑Studien; BiTE‑Plattform (IMDELLTRA, xaluritamig) skaliert in SCLC und Prostata‑CA.
- Biosimilars: Portfolio wuchs auf $3Mrd in 2025; Kandidaten gegen OPDIVO/KEYTRUDA/OCREVUS in Phase III.
🔍 Neue Informationen
- Aktualisierungen: Olpasiran (Lp[a]) hat verzögerte Ereignisakkumulation; geschätzter Studienabschluss nach hinten verschoben. Q1‑Hinweise: saisonale US‑Headwinds, ~ $250M Inventaraufbau in Q4/2025 und erwartete Q1‑Margen auf Niveau Q4 (~43%). Otezla: europäische Generikoeinführung läuft.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- Access‑Strategie: Wie nachhaltig ist AmgenNow vs. Formulary‑Coverage? Management nennt 5.000 Nutzer und sieht Programm als ergänzenden Kanal zur weiteren Penetration.
- MariTide/ Wettbewerb: Wie differenzieren gegen etablierte GLP‑1/weekly/monatliche Optionen? Fokus auf Verträglichkeit, Dosisfrequenz (monatlich/selter) und zusätzliche kardiometabolische Endpunkte.
- UPLIZNA‑Sequenzierung: Nutzung über Lines hinweg, etwa 500 verordnende Ärzte; Diskussion zu Switch‑Studien bleibt offen.
⚡ Bottom Line
- Fazit: Fireside Chat bestätigt breit abgestützte Wachstumsstory und mehrere potenzielle Mehrfachtreiber in 2026. Kurzfristig zu beachten: Q1‑Saisonalität, Inventar‑ und Biosimilar‑Erosionen sowie verschobene Olpasiran‑Timings. Langfristig bleibt Amgen auf volumengetriebenem, marginbewusstem Wachstumspfad — datenabhängig.
Amgen — Citi’s 2026 Virtual Oncology Leadership Summit
1. Question Answer
All right. Welcome to the afternoon sessions of Citi's Virtual Oncology Leadership Summit. My name is Geoff Meacham. I'm the Senior Biopharma Analyst here at Citi and Jarwei Fang from my team with me as well. We're thrilled today to have Jean-Charles Soria from Amgen, who is the Senior VP, Global Development in Oncology. We did this session last year, a lot of really good meat on the bone. We also have Casey Capparelli from the IR team. So guys, welcome. Thanks for joining us.
Thank you so much for the invitation
Yes. So I guess, Jean-Charles, we'll just kick it off with kind of the high-level questions on Amgen's kind of oncology approach. Maybe just talk through kind of as you see then the top priorities within oncology for Amgen on the R&D side, maybe what are the bigger opportunities? Are you guys good with the technologies you have in place. And now it's just a matter of moving the products through clinical development at a high level? Just wanted to get some perspective from you.
Yes. Thank you for that question, Geoffrey. Well, we have a framework that allow us to see how oncology or investments we'll be delivering. We believe that we are committing to bringing differentiated and transformative therapies. We don't want marginal benefit. That's one of the big rules. So there's one rule that we want to steal, to play both in hard-to-treat solid tumors as well as selected hematological malignancies. The third one is that we have at least two clear pillars in our modalities, one being the T-cell engagers and the other one being the precision therapies with our small molecules.
I would say on the T-cell engager front, we have invested for decades, and we are the only company with T-cell engager approved, both in hematological malignancy and solid tumor, and there is more to come there. The frontier of bringing T-cell engagers in frequent solid tumors is a very important one for us. On the small molecule front, we are strong chemistry -- teams have been able to get to very tough targets such as KRAS or PRMT5. That being said, we are also looking at diversifying our modalities, among which we believe ADCs as can play a role.
But we're very selective in where do we choose to play because it needs to be leveraging our own strengths and we're a biologics company with good chemistry understanding that makes, for instance, choosing other modalities, not the ideal fit for us. So that's the global framework.
Yes. Yes. And it's interesting, Amgen is one of the companies that can really add value along the entire way of the value chain. I think going back to the deCODE data, right, on the discovery side straight through to technology using BiTE and other platforms, I think that's somewhat unique. I mean, there's not necessarily a need to to do a deal to bring in new technologies, nothing that you guys don't already have, in-house, in a dramatic way, right?
Yes. Thank you for that comment, Geoffrey. I think resilience is an underrated virtue in pharma, like we have stick with T-cell engagers for a very, very long time. It's a little bit North Face or the Annapurna to bring them to solid tumors without HLA restriction and in frequent ones. We are very glad for the patients that are on IMDELLTRA is bringing transformative benefits in small cell lung cancer. And we are very hopeful to see xaluritamig potentially doing that in prostate cancer, a tumor type where immunotherapy is basically totally inactive. But we monitor the external environment, and we are convinced we don't have the monopoly of the best science, but we will do selective investments where we see it's complementary to our priorities, to our own pipeline, and it's truly transformational.
Yes. Well, you mentioned IMDELLTRA. So let's get into the market of product portfolio, and that's a good place to start. So full approval, extensive stage small cell lung cancer, but many other tumor types that it could go into. Maybe just help us with kind of the commercial backdrop here. How do you see kind of the next 12 to 18 months roll out on a geographic basis? And maybe help us with -- remind us of the other data sets to come that could further expand the label for this exciting medicine.
Yes, Geoff, why don't I jump in on the -- just the commercial aspects and then Jean-Charles, I'll turn it to you to highlight maybe just reflections that you've heard clinically from the approved indication, which is second line or later small cell lung cancer, but also maybe a few words on the development program.
So as I mentioned, Geoff, approved in second line or later small cell lung cancer that's full approval received last year in 2025. And in addition, NCCN guidelines have been updated to reflect IMDELLTRA's benefit in that setting. And so we feel like we have a lot of momentum commercially in reaching patients with IMDELLTRA, in fact, over 1,600 sites in the U.S. now administer IMDELLTRA, and the majority of our doses are provided in the community setting. That was an open question that we had, our ability to really reach patients that are treated with small cell lung cancer in the community setting.
And based upon what we've learned from BLINCYTO, we've really been able to do that in a fairly rapid fashion with IMDELLTRA. We have approval in Japan, pending approvals in other geographies based upon the Phase III study that generated full approval in the U.S. I mean, we're excited about the potential to continue to reach patients with this second line or later setting in the currently approved indication. But there's a lot more going on with IMDELLTRA even beyond the current approved settings. And Jean-Charles, maybe I'll turn it to you to talk a little bit more about that.
Yes. Thank you, Casey, for that context setting. We fit IMDELLTRA, we saw such a compelling activity on the basis of the Phase I, II that we launched multiple Phase III trials. And we have, on top of the already disclosed positive second-line Phase III trial, three other ongoing Phase III trials. One in the first-line metastatic setting in the maintenance setting, that's Trial 305, which is fully enrolled. We have another first-line metastatic trial, which is Trial 312 that is enrolling. And we -- that gives IMDELLTRA combination with chemo and PD-L1 upfront.
And then we have another Phase III trial ongoing in limited stage small cell lung cancer. So we really want to bring the value of this modality to the whole spectrum of the disease.
Just given the modality of this with being a DLL3. Jean-Charles, maybe help us with kind of the -- any other tumor types that you think could be suited here? I know obviously, the -- mostly the focus is on small cell lung cancer, but are there reasonable opportunities looking broadly across the lung or other tumor types?
Yes, certainly, Geoff. Thank you for that. Beyond I expand on other tumor types, we are also doing a lot of efforts to make this more convenient and friendly for the patients and health care providers. We are testing BLINCYTO subcutaneously that will alleviate a lot of the pressure on the beds. We are doing alternative testing, so not only Q2 weeks, but also Q3, Q4 weeks, those trials are ongoing, we are prospectively testing whether the monitoring can be reduced to shorter timeframes like 6 to 8 hours or even shorter. All of these will facilitate the uptake of this therapy in community-based hospitals and beyond.
But your question more specifically is, are there other tumor types in which these DLL3 T-cell engager could potentially play. And the answer is yes, we have reported data on the activity of our T-cell engager in neuroendocrine prostate cancer and that's a different type of neuroendocrine tumor versus small cell lung cancer. That's neuroendocrine differentiation on the therapeutic pressure. It happens when you have people with prostate cancer that had multiple lines of therapies and then you have a transformations to a standard endocrine form at the same way you can have EGFR mutant adenocarcinoma, the lung that develops small cell lung cancer transformation on the therapeutic pressure. Those are areas where potentially this asset could be developed.
Right. Okay. That makes sense. And then moving down the pipeline to, I would say, more recently marketed products like LUMAKRAS. Same thing there in terms of expanding the opportunity beyond lung into colon cancer. I know you guys have done some work on this over the past couple of years. Maybe give us a status update of where the Phase IIIs are going? I know you are still enrolling first-line lung in colorectal, but are there any other kind of line extensions that make you more excited as you look at LUMAKRAS as a brand that's still growing and impactful to Amgen.
Thank you for the question. LUMAKRAS is currently available in both second-line non-small lung cancer and third-line colorectal cancer in combination with our on Vectibix. Longer-term growth of LUMAKRAS will probably be driven by -- it's moving into earlier lines. So let's discuss lung and then colorectal. In non-small cell lung cancer, we have seen that the combination of LUMAKRAS with chemotherapy did led to durable responses with a very good manageable safety profile. And this was notably in treatment-naive patients with KRAS G12C mutation. So this is why we launched the CodeBreaK 202 Phase III trial that is testing the combination of chemotherapy with LUMAKRAS versus chemotherapy and pembrolizumab, that in KRAS G12C patients who are PD-L1 negative.
For the colorectal tumor types, the triple combination of LUMAKRAS, Vectibix and FOLFIRI, show very compelling objective response rate of around 55% with the disease control rate north of the 90%. And the responses were observed, regardless of the number of prior lines of therapy including progression [indiscernible]. And this is why we launched a first-line colorectal cancer that is currently enrolling and hopefully, will bring this therapy into that earlier line setting.
Okay. That's helpful. I think Jarwei from the team had a couple, we wanted to stick with marketed products with BLINCYTO, but then obviously, that has a pretty deep pipeline behind it. Jarwei, go ahead.
Yes, definitely, on BLINCYTO, you have a number of Phase III studies that are currently enrolling. One of which is, I believe, it's the Golden Gate Study for older patients with leukemia. I guess just thinking about the opportunity and also just the bar for efficacy that you need to see there, how do you think that represents the -- another leg of growth for BLINCYTO going forward?
Thanks for that question, Jarwei. I would say what we have come to realize with BLINCYTO is that as we move this asset to earlier lines of therapy, we see higher efficacy, better tolerability, and that's an important trend. And in fact, it's a blueprint that we are using for the development of IMDELLTRA, referring specifically to the Golden Gate Phase III study. This is in older adult patients, mostly 55 years and above with newly diagnostic B-ALL. And that is an indication where we have chemotherapy sparing regimens that are very important for those patients who have less tolerability. So that will bring a new perspective for BLINCYTO. We're also advancing subcutaneous blinatumomab who has the potential to improve convenience tolerability and efficacy.
And we believe this is going to be very important also for this asset. We have had Phase Ib data suggesting better efficacy at CIV. And we have other trials that are going to be -- we exploring this in a more registrational manner.
And so for the subcutaneous formulation of BLINCYTO, do you expect certain indications or certain age groups to see faster uptake? Or could you see a scenario where subcutaneous formulation kind of supplants the current route of administration, fully?
Well, we will be driven by the data, correct? And what the data told us in a very limited Phase Ib setting was that this potentially will bring more convenience and even higher activity. But you imagine the efferent number of trials, it took for BLINCYTO to be validated in later lines relapsed/refractory earlier. Now the first-line setting, you will need to do that movement for subcu at the same time. So let's see how the initial readouts pan out. But yes, that could be potentially a framework, Casey, anything to add on that?
No, I think you covered it. I would just quickly mention, Jarwei, I know we're focused on oncology, but we're also exploring blinatumomab in the space of autoimmune disease where B-cell depletion has been shown to be important in a variety of autoimmune settings. We have a couple of Phase II studies underway exploring blinatumomab, both in the SLE with and without nephritis setting as well as in refractory rheumatoid arthritis. And so potential to even move beyond oncology with the B-cell depleter like BLINCYTO.
I would like to add, Jarwei, that it makes complete sense mechanistically, correct? Because CD19 is B-cell antigen and B-cells produce antibodies. And if you suffer an autoimmune disease because you have auto antibodies, depleting the B-cells that produce those autoantibodies is rationalisticy very logical those -- the pad that Casey has highlighted for our own BLINCYTO in that setting. .
Got you. Makes sense. And maybe just one more, shifting back to IMDELLTRA real quick since we talked about BLINCYTO and the subcu formulation. Ease of access for patients and also reducing bed burden is definitely top of mind for community centers. Could we see later on as IMDELLTRA becomes more mature in its product cycle, that subcu might one day be explored as well? Or do you have to see BLINCYTO data first as a gating factor for the BiTE program, for BiTE platform rather?
Yes. Thank you. Well, in fact, we are exploring IMDELLTRA in a subcu Phase Ib trial that is ongoing because we are completely cognition of the barriers of patients being treated in community base hospital need to overcome and not competing for the beds, being able to provide subcu, being able to do Q4 dosing versus Q2 dosing or being able to have less of a follow-up after administration are some of the levers. We are very actively trying to pull through with prospective data and therefore, making IMDELLTRA more available.
Makes sense. And I think, Geoff, I think you have a few questions on prostate. Maybe we can move to that.
Yes, yes. Let's switch gears, Jean-Charles to xaluritamig, which is a super exciting product in prostate and Ewing Sarcoma, but there's a lot of investments you guys have made in prostate. Maybe just at a high level, talk through how you think the differentiation could play out. That's obviously a pretty crowded market, but so far, you've had some pretty compelling kind of mid-stage data. Maybe what makes you exciting as you turn the card -- prepare to turn the card over on larger-scale Phase IIIs and then move to market. .
Yes. Thank you for that question. What is really exciting for us with xaluritamig in prostate cancer is that it levers a mechanism of action that has currently no approval. There are no PD-1s, PD-L1 or CTLA-4s approved in prostate cancer. Patients with that disease are very well aware of that and really would like to see an immune-related asset that could bring sustained responses, that's number one.
And the second one is that we have seen very clear signs of efficacy, both in PSA 19 and PSA 50 but more importantly, in objective response rate for this asset. And therefore, we are going to do many things -- we are doing many things in our Phase III trials to differentiate ourselves in a very competitive landscape, as you rightly highlighted. First, we want to lead with the gold standard of survival evidence, especially versus highly active chemotherapy comparators.
We are designing our pivotal programs to generate overall survival in both the post-taxane and the pre-taxane setting, that's a bold bar in prospect cancer, but we are confident and we really want to make sure that we are having the right comparators with the right endpoint.
The second element is for us to speak to market. We have prioritized monotherapy development in the post-taxane setting because that's an area with very high unmet medical need, and we want to reach the patients very, very quickly. The third element I would say is we want to be differentiated in terms of practicability, meaning we don't need a biomarker gate and our breadth of addressable patients is extremely broad in the prostate cancer space. We don't need enrichment through PSMA or through PET or through a mutation or anything else. That's another element.
And finally, the chemo-free regimen for the pre-taxane setting is another pillar of differentiation. We are positioning ourselves as a potential non-chemotherapy option with survival advantage versus chemotherapy that's both twice because you're putting OS as an endpoint because you want to show that you can beat chemo without being combined with chemo. So those elements are very, very clear. And we believe in this combination, in that setting.
Finally, we want to remove a lot of the friction that comes from implementing a new modality with a new mechanism exception and new tolerability challenges for the clinicians. So as we are enrolling on our Phase II trials, we are working very much hand in hand with investigators to clarify the type of adverse events and how do we learn and moderate them and what is the optimal management of this therapy. Prostate cancer is a world where you have multiple players, whether it is Urology, the Nuclear Medicine doctors or Medical Oncologies. Those would be the key differentiator drivers.
Yes. Yes. I wanted to ask you on a couple of the comments as a follow-on to your response. When you think about prostate overall, it's a lot of different markets. And so I was wondering if there is a way to maybe take advantage of some of the differentiation. Would there be a regulatory incentive, for example, to maybe pursue accelerated approval for post-taxane just given the unmet need or chemo or hormone-free doing a head-to-head. Could you take advantage of faster regulatory pathways through that. I'm just trying to think of ways to maximize the novelty from a clinical development perspective with regard to the mechanism.
Thank you for that. We haven't shared any details of any of our statistical analysis. So I'm not going to reveal anything here. But I would reply to your question by saying that we are so convinced of the importance of this therapy that we are bringing in and this is completely under -- regarded by many investors to earlier lines. We are -- we have 3 ongoing Phase Ibs, one in the neoadjuvant setting. So before surgery. We have one in biochemical recurrence. And we have one in hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.
So we already changed the narrative. We are now waiting for our Phase IIIs to read out positive in castration-resistant prostate cancer, post-hormonal therapy, post-taxane. We are already testing it in the Phase Ib sitting in the earlier sites of prostate cancer. So we hope that we'll generate data that will help us then move to that setting in a registrational trial.
I mean, Geoff, I want -- just to build on what Jean-Charles is saying. One of the things that provides us confidence to do, as Jean-Charles described, is what we've observed with both BLINCYTO as well as IMDELLTRA. And that is when you move the T-cell engager earlier in the treatment paradigm into settings of lower tumor burden you really see impressive inflections in survival. And we saw that with BLINCYTO, we're seeing evidence of that with IMDELLTRA and that furthers our hypothesis and the rationale to pursue xaluritamig in the early stages of prostate cancer as well. We'll have to see what the data teach us, but that underpins some of the thinking that Jean-Charles just described.
Okay. That's helpful. Thanks, Casey.
Makes sense. And maybe just sticking on xaluritamig for a little bit longer. We often get questions on prostate cancer, but Ewing sarcoma is certainly one that isn't really brought up very often. And given you have a Phase Ib study and a pretty broad population going on in relapsed/refractory. Maybe tell us a little bit more about xaluritamig's opportunity there and why STEAP1 would be a good target for that type of indication. Jean-Charles, I think you're on mute.
I am on mute, thank you for letting me know. So in drug development, we always navigate this tension of what can we do for rare indications, but when you have an asset like xaluritamig, where the development plan in a common indication is there and its clearing is compelling. Going to Ewing sarcoma is something that was justified by the biology of the disease, the extremely high levels of expression of the target. And the true unmet need because if you fail the frontline therapy in Ewing sarcoma, and this is both for young adults and pediatric cases. It's not a good prognosis.
So we are very excited to bring this innovation in that setting and the trial is open and we are eager to see what it will bring. But the biology makes sense, the unmet need is there, and it's a rare disease, but we can justify doing it because we have already made an investment in the common tumor type.
Jean-Charles, let's switch gears to maybe the earlier to mid-stage pipeline. So AMG 193 in development for mTAT solid tumors. Talk a little bit about kind of what insights at Amgen has gained here given this -- the mechanism. I think it does showcase kind of Amgen's more discovery kind of angle here to bring a unique asset like this. But talk about the next -- what tumor types do you think is -- could this work for the best, based on the data that you have today, I know you have Phase Is in lung, but maybe lead us down to the path of where the science could go in terms of other tumor types.
Yes. Thank you. Thank you for that. We presented our data at ESMO presidential session and show activity across multiple tumor types, that we have focused the development more on long and gastrointestinal solid tumors. In lung cancer, we have a Phase Ib combining AMG 193 with different standards of care to see the combinability, that's an important one. In lung, we also are doing the randomized dose optimization to define what will be the recommended dose for registrational trials. And that one is ongoing. And it makes sense because it's a very big tumor type where the prevalence is significant. I mean, not significant at least good enough that you have enough patients.
And we are also combining AMG 193 with other standards of care in the setting of gastrointestinal tumors. And we -- I would just refer also to a trial in which we are combining AMG 193. We did the revolution medicine RAS inhibitor in pancreatic cancer. This is to tell you, we are following the science and the biology and combining with what makes sense as the standards of care in different tumor types or standards of care to be common in the case of tarlatamab.
Jean-Charles, are there lessons to be learned in the case of the mechanism here from resistance. In other words, can you find other dual mechanisms as you try to think about a combination sphere that could help mitigate the risk of that and maybe maximize the antigen activity.
That's a very good question. In fact, the biology of PRMT5 inhibition in the setting of the pent-up deletion is a new one, is a new frontier. We had the first generation inhibitors that were not really active, that had a lot of hemtoxicity, but squeezed inhibitors that are MTA-comparative are a new reality. And -- what we are discovering is that the biology of how the tumor response to that therapeutic pressure is pretty unique. We have not only objective response rates, but we have stable disease that become, with time, objective responses. That's not common in oncology to have that transformation. So it's an area where further investment in our understanding of science is yet needed and more to come as we unfold the results.
Yes. Yes. And I guess just as a follow-on to that, when you look at the tools that Amgen has in place, I mentioned the deCODE. Also the utilization of more AI driven. Talk a little bit about how that -- how technology has played a bigger role in maybe discovery, but also just trying to maximize the earlier Phase I data that you get that can maybe derisk a drug or give you a window into maybe other tumor types?
Yes, that's a very good question. We completely recognize how important the pace of change through technology and AI and machine learning is changing the world, the world of biology, the word of drug development, the world as a whole. And at Amgen, we are literally leveraging these tools from targeting identification and molecule design and generation of target antibodies to translational insights and better understanding our own clinical data. The tools will help us enhance our ability to analyze complex data sets.
You need to understand the complexity of putting those data sets in X5 is beyond human understanding, when you have very rich omics and radiomics and clinical data points. That's an area where patent recognition will be expedited through AI. Our goal is not just speed, it's also precision in improving the quality of our hypothesis and how we prioritize things and how we execute. You can imagine, for instance, how important it is to have an AI protocol uttering tool that will help you get protocols that are sharper with zero consistencies where we'll integrate amendments in an easier manner. Those are obvious ways.
With you AI has an amplifier of human expertise. These technologies really augment with our science and our drug developers, can generate in terms of creativity, in terms of experience, in terms of analysis. But we need to maintain extremely high standards. We are a regulated environment. So this needs to be done within defined guardrails. We are embedding AI and advanced analytics in most of our research engines, we are already seeing a shortening of the timelines as well as enhanced decision-making. And I'm very optimistic of what this will bring. It's accelerating quarter-by-quarter. It's getting better and better.
So maybe sticking onto the AI theme. Given the potential of your BiTE platform, how are you leveraging AI and maybe looking at other targets that you could look at, maybe your research into what other solid or liquid tumors that you maybe could target. Maybe give us a sense of the types of work you're doing to expand that platform and just make it even more fulsome than what we've already seen.
Yes. Thank you for the question. Obviously, creating new white space for T-cell engagers, but other modalities too, is extremely important, correct. We suffer in our industry from sometimes all going against the same targets. We were quite unique with DLL3 T-cell engager. There are many other modalities. So creative white space is very important. And it comes frequently through the very unique conversions of biology, technology and compute power. And I will give you a very clear example. We announced a deal with a company called DISCO Pharmaceuticals because they were ahead of us on understanding the surfaceome.
So the surfaceome is the reality of expression at the surface of a cancer cell of the different proteins, but people have a very simplistic view of how they are expressed. In fact, they create communities, they cluster together in certain ways. They have different densities. There are many new technological tools and AI tools that have helped tremendously accelerate the understanding of who is clustering with who and in which proportions that all of a sudden gives you a white space for new targets that would be dependent on the coexpression of an existing target. You can choose to say, what I want to know, who's the best and closest partner of DLL3 in proximity in a surface cancer cell.
Well, we announced a deal with DISCO Pharmaceuticals because they found a very interesting target in small-cell lung cancer. And that's an example of bringing in a very concrete way what the advancement of biology computing and technology can't.
Just as a follow-up to that, Jean-Charles, I know on bema, you guys aren't pursuing the gastric indication, but is FGF still an interesting target to you guys? Is there -- are there ways to go back to the drawing board using something like AI to maybe find some lessons learned here to try to redeploy into other tumor types. Just want to get your perspective on that.
Yes, sure. Casey, you want to start?
Happy to start. So for bemarituzumab, Geoff, as you mentioned, we've decided not to pursue regulatory submission in frontline gastric cancer. We're currently determining what the best next steps are for that program, and I think we'll have more to say beyond that. Jean-Charles, anything that you would add there in terms of...
Yes. We follow the science. So we need to understand what happened in the Phase III trials. So we are looking at elements from the biology that will explain some of the results, and we will share more down the line. But we follow the science train, not only for developing of assets, but also for analyzing some of the outcomes.
Okay. That's helpful. I guess in conjunction with use of AI and biomarkers. Just help us with kind of how much emphasis does Amgen have on things like novel biomarkers, diagnostics, things of that nature. I wasn't sure if there is an approach to embed more kind of discovery or bells and whistles, if you will, in a Phase I on more novel mechanism drugs like IMDELLTRA, like xaluritamig, that could help you down the road, right, more maximize treatment effect and minimize tolerability?
It's a great question. Thank you. We have a precision medicine department that serves all the therapeutic areas that is trying to bring that value. The value of better predicting what's the best biomarker package of an asset that will enter Phase I. Do we have molecular predictors of efficacy, but also the reverse translation of when you see an extreme responder or you see emergence of resistance, what is driving that? So we really believe in the value of that and we are investing. There are many frontiers, correct, in oncology, one of them being the availability of some of these markers in the blood versus the tissue.
The tissue is the issue very frequently in oncology. Everyone wants the tissue and people get very small biopsies. So that's a frontier where we have interest, and we hope to advance radiomics and combining radiomics with our old omics from deCODE and combining that with additional single cell analysis or clinical data to create if you want a more comprehensive multidimensional data set of clinical points is another one where we are investing.
Yes. And just the last question, just along those lines Jean-Charles. With regard to, say, cell and gene therapy, are you -- that hasn't historically been a major focus from Amgen, but is that a sort of modality or technology that I think, overtime, Amgen could develop? Or are you pretty comfortable with the bispecific and T-cell engager and pDC. You have a lot of tools right now in the tool chest. So I guess that's the question. Do you add more? Or do you maximize kind of working out?
Thank you for that question. Our pillars on T-cell engagers and small molecules are not meant to be exclusive. So we will invest where it makes sense and leverage our strengths. I mean ADCs is one area which could make sense because we are a very strong biologics company and have good chemistry. But on the cell therapy front, that's a completely different modality and quite competitive. I mean, it's around T-cel engagers, correct. We are happy to see our T-cell engagers bringing benefit for solid tumor patients. We have not seen cell therapy deliver that in solid tumor patients. So cell therapy with other complexities in terms of the production, the availability, the cost. So we are very pragmatic. We follow the data points. And that is the answer I will give it to you. We will follow the science, but be very selective. Amgen is very disciplined in what it does. So we are not spreading and making beds everywhere. We are selectively making certain beds.
Makes sense. Okay. With that, we're out of time. So Jean-Charles, thank you so much, Casey, as well. I appreciate the input guys. Super helpful conversation.
Thank you for inviting us.
Yes. Thank you for having us today. Good to see both of you.
You too.
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Amgen — Citi’s 2026 Virtual Oncology Leadership Summit
Amgen — Citi’s 2026 Virtual Oncology Leadership Summit
🎯 Kernbotschaft
- Kern: Amgen setzt auf differenzierende, transformative Onkologie‑Therapien mit zwei klaren Säulen: T‑Zell‑Engager (bispezifische T‑Zell‑Aktivatoren) und präzisionsbasierte Small‑Molecule‑Programme. Kommerziell sichtbare Dynamik rund um IMDELLTRA (US‑Zulassung 2L+ SCLC) und mehrere laufende Phase‑III‑Programme.
🚀 Strategische Highlights
- Modalitäten: Fokus auf T‑Zell‑Engager und Small Molecules; selektive Ergänzungen (ADCs) nur wenn komplementär zu internen Stärken.
- Kommerz: IMDELLTRA bereits flächendeckend in US‑Community einsetzen (>1.600 Sites); internationale Zulassungen in Arbeit.
- Pipeline‑Priorität: Verschiebung in frühere Linien für BLINCYTO, IMDELLTRA, LUMAKRAS und xaluritamig; Ziel ist Überlegenheit bei Überleben (OS) statt nur Response‑Raten.
🔭 Neue Informationen
- IMDELLTRA: Phase‑III‑Programm erweitert: Trial 305 (Erhaltung) vollständig rekrutiert, Trial 312 in Rekrutierung, zusätzlich Limited‑Stage‑Studie läuft.
- Formulierung: Prospektive Subkutant‑Studien für BLINCYTO und IMDELLTRA zur Verringerung von Betten‑/Monitoring‑Aufwand sind aktiv.
- Sonstiges: AMG‑193 (AMG‑193) zeigte ESMO‑Daten; Bemarituzumab: Zulassung in Magenkarzinom nicht weiterverfolgt, nächste Schritte offen.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- Marktzugang: Wie skalieren IMDELLTRA‑Dosen global und in Community‑Settings? Management betont schnelle U.S. Aufnahme, weitere Zulassungen folgen phasengesteuert.
- Formulierungen: Subkutane Varianten und verlängerte Dosierungsintervalle (Q3/Q4) als Schlüssel zur Uptake‑Beschleunigung; Daten noch ausstehend.
- Registrierung & Risiko: Zu xaluritamig fragten Analysten zu OS‑Endpunkten und beschleunigten Wegen; Amgen teilte keine statistischen Details und verweist auf laufende Studien.
⚡ Bottom Line
- Fazit: Der Auftritt bestätigt Amgens klare R&D‑Fokussierung: T‑Zell‑Engager plus präzise Small Molecules sollen Wachstumstreiber sein. Kurzfristig stützt IMDELLTRA die Kommerzialisierung, mittelfristig sind mehrere Phase‑III‑Readouts (IMDELLTRA, LUMAKRAS, xaluritamig) entscheidend; Ergebnisrisiken bleiben abhängig von Zulassungen und Formulierungsdaten.
Amgen — Piper Sandler Virtual Novel Targets in Immunology Symposium
1. Question Answer
All right, everyone. Good afternoon. This is David Amsellem from the Piper Sandler Biopharma Research team and a happy almost Friday to everyone listening in. So in the next 25 minutes, we're going to be speaking with Amgen and lots to talk about when it comes to immunology and inflammation. We're delighted to have CMO, Paul Burton. We also have from the IR team or the Head of the IR team Casey Capparelli as well. Thanks, gentlemen, for joining us.
So I know there's a lot to talk about. And last week, there were some new developments in terms of new clinical trial initiations and also new data. So I'm admittedly going to bounce around. But one product I wanted to start with, Paul, if you don't mind, is UPLIZNA. So obviously, you had the label expansions last year. But you did discuss last week plans to initiate Phase III studies in autoimmune hepatitis and also chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy later this year. So I guess a high-level question here. You got a B-cell depleter in UPLIZNA. So maybe talk about your rationale here for moving ahead with these 2 clinical settings and help us better understand the rationale for B-cell depletion in both of these clinical settings.
Great. David, look, thanks for having us. I think as a company, we have strong experience in B-cell depletion. We have BLINCYTO which has had data from a number of centers, looking at patients with RA as well as systemic sclerosis, showing clinical improvement there. And we also have a master Phase II protocol actually enrolling patients both with SLE or rheumatoid arthritis, looking at both UPLIZNA and BLINCYTO. And so UPLIZNA is a remarkable medicine, 6-monthly dosing, excellent safety profile. And both autoimmune hepatitis, AIH and CIDP are conditions where pathogenic B cells seem to play a central role, probably through autoantibody production, but immune disregulation as well. And so UPLIZNA being a B-cell depleter targeting CD19 is interesting because it's able to really target a broad spectrum of B-cells, pre B-cells, mature B cells and then plasmablasts.
And we think it's this breadth of its activity that is able to bring about diverse range of improvement in disease driving autoantibody conditions. So AIH is characterized by liver inflammation and that can cause progressive scarring and loss of liver function, CIDP, disabling immune-driven neuropathy that damages peripheral nerves, myelin. And both of these diseases have quite a lot of similarities with IgG4-related disease as well as generalized myasthenia gravis, where UPLIZNA because of its B-cell depletion activity has been able to show durable and really quite profound clinical benefit. So it's really this scientific basis where we've had proven effectiveness of UPLIZNA that makes us think that AIH and CIDP are really important unmet medical needs where UPLIZNA could play very strongly. And so that's why we're interested now in tackling those diseases.
And then one more quick question before I kind of move on to other parts of the I&I portfolio in terms of just how you think about the sizing of these to populations? Just help us better understand how you think about that, particularly relative to gMG and IgG4-related disease. And I mentioned IgG4-related disease because our understanding of the population is it looks to be a good bit bigger than what we thought it might be. So I'm kind of asking a similar question about these 2 populations and how are you thinking about that?
Yes. I think IgG4-related disease is interesting. When you have an impact for medicine, I think physicians are more likely to diagnose and to treat. And so that's important. For CIDP, we think the pool in the U.S. is around 35,000 patients. So that would be the prevalent pool with maybe about 7,000 to 10,000 incident new cases diagnosed a year. AIH is probably larger than that, but it's difficult to get an absolute number on it. But that just gives you a kind of a ballpark sense of where we are.
Okay. All right. That's helpful. So let's talk about Daxdilimab. So you announced -- or the team announced last week, positive results in -- Phase II discoid lupus, so just wanted to take a step back here. So Daxdilimab, I think it was acquired by the Horizon transaction, if I'm not mistaken. It did fail a Phase II study in SLE. Obviously, it worked in particularly challenging cutaneous manifestation with lupus. So I guess with that in mind are -- as you think about a product like this a plasmacytoid dendritic cell depleter, are these kind of cells more prominent in cutaneous manifestation of lupus? Or maybe put differently, can you talk to the mechanistic rationale behind the success in discoid/cutaneous lupus, but the failure in SLE.
Yes. So as you very rightly say, David, Daxdilimab is a first-in-class molecule that targets something called immunoglobulin like transcript 7 protein or ILT7. And it seems that, that is involved in driving plasmacytoid dendritic cell function and in turn interferon production. So Daxdilimab is essentially a plasmacytoid dendritic cell depleting agent, just like we've talked a little bit about in a different setting with UPLIZNA, which obviously goes after B sales. So SLE is an autoimmune disease. It tends to affect the skin, joints, kidney, the nervous system as well with autoantibody production and often you get complement depletion.
Discoid lupus is a skin manifestation. So it's similar to lupus, but it has SLE, but it has a different underlying pathology. It's driven, as I said and you said as well by plasmacytoid dendritic cells, interferon production in the skin, which leads to this dermatitis. And so we think because of that biology and the pathology that Daxdilimab would be a good potential therapy for discoid lupus. And in fact, as you say, we did do a Phase II study of Daxdilimab in those patients with discoid lupus. It met the primary endpoint, which was really a reduction in disease severity index at week 24. And it also met the key secondary endpoint, which was looking at investigator-assessed global assessment of disease activity.
We also have a smaller study, a Phase II study in just 12 patients with dermatomyositis where it also showed clinical benefit. So while, it didn't show the efficacy that we were hoping for, as you say, in SLE, we think that this positive Phase II in discoid lupus, coupled with the biology, coupled with the pathophysiology in that disease makes us feel confident that we can take this molecule into that setting and hopefully provide some clinical benefit there in these patients with discoid lupus. So we're excited about that.
Is the plan to move right to Phase III? And do you evaluate discoid lupus specifically? Or do you look at a broader population with cutaneous manifestations of lupus?
It's a great question. And I would say we're still thinking about exactly that we want to be very thoughtful. This is a difficult disease with few treatment options. We think we have a very attractive asset here. So I think we probably need a little bit more time just to continue to look at the data and plan the Phase III and then we'll share those plans in due course.
Okay. And then looking at Daxdilimab more broadly, can you just talk generally about other autoimmune disease settings where you think a product with this mechanism could play a role? And maybe just I'll ask bluntly, are you thinking about other potential indications for Daxdilimab regarding its development?
Yes, certainly, we'll be very methodical and very thoughtful in that anywhere where plasmacytoid dendritic cells, interferon production may have a role. We'll obviously think about but we're going through that whole process now. So I think we need just a little bit more time, and I will be able to comment more on that.
Okay. And then I wanted to spend a little bit of time on dazodalibep, which your CD40-directed treatment. So I believe the enrollment in your pivotal is wrapped up. Before we talk about Sjogren's, which I think is a really interesting space, can you talk to the underlying mechanistic rationale here?
Yes, absolutely. So for dazodalibep, the CD40, CD40 ligand axis, there's a common theme here, I think, David, in many of the diseases we've talked about, the CD40, CD40 ligand axis really drives B-cell activation cytokine production. And there is good evidence that it's active in Sjogren's syndrome. And so dazodalibep is a fusion protein that inhibits CD40 ligand. And by blocking this pathway, we think that we can interrupt the upstream immune activation that contributes not only to autoantibody production, but then in turn as well the downstream inflammatory cascade that you see in Sjogren's disease or Sjogren's syndrome. We think that mechanistically, dazodalibep is well suited to Sjogren's disease because it's heterogeneous and there's frequently immune activation across all of these different disease manifestations in that syndrome.
Okay. So I know you're running the 2 Phase IIIs, one is moderate-to-severe systemic disease activity. The other is a different population...
High symptomatic burden.
High symptomatic burden, it's low systemic disease activity. They're very different populations. So I guess what -- there's 2 questions I have here. One is how are these 2 different groups managed? And I guess, secondly, how could the drug be beneficial in both of these groups given its mechanism of action.
I think the answer to the first part, today, Sjogren syndrome is really managed symptomatically. So you have good oral care, tear replacement, analgesia for the pain. And sometimes, you can use glucocorticoids and steroids. So there's really not a good definitive treatment for it. We did publish the results in 2024 of our Phase II study, which also looked at these 2 groups independently within that study. And we were able to see an improvement in disease activity index as well as patient-reported outcome. And so that gives us confidence that going in now to this Phase III study that enrolls those 2 groups of patients.
But if the medicine behaves as it did in Phase II, we would hope to see a successful clinical outcome there. I think what we know about the disease is that CD40, CD40 ligand axis is active across both of those types of manifestations of Sjogren's. So I think you can have one therapy that is able to attack that underlying pathophysiological mechanism and bring about clinical improvement, albeit in 2 different subsets of the disease.
Is there a path to approval in 1 of the 2 subgroups or maybe put differently, do you have to have success in both studies to be in a position to file?
I think we would have to wait and see -- wait and look at the data and see how compelling it is. Again, we were successful in the Phase II in both groups and so we'll be hopeful that we'll be there as well.
Okay. And then on the competitive landscape or potential competitive landscape because there's a lot of white space here. But what are your thoughts on the FcRn directed treatment nipocalimab in Sjogren's and how you think as dazo stacks up versus that agent?
Just to remind everyone, we're hoping to have results from our Phase III study in the second half of this year. And I think, honestly David, we'll have to wait, it's just around the corner, really to see that and then how it compares. I would say that we are the first therapy to demonstrate efficacy in Phase II in both of those groups that you mentioned and that we're now studying them definitively in Phase III.
Okay. Okay. So let's -- let's talk about TEZSPIRE and all things, TSLP, lots going on. So I wanted to start with the label expansion for TEZSPIRE in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. So this is a little bit of a commercial question and a little bit of a science question, which is how you see the product fitting into a treatment landscape relative to IL-4, IL-13 directed treatment and also the IL-5, I mean, I guess -- or maybe asked differently from a mechanistic perspective, how do you see the fit and also how TEZSPIRE could have an advantage in the nasal polyp indication?
Yes. Okay. So CRS with nasal polyps is a heterogeneous inflammatory disease. It often coexists with asthma, other respiratory conditions as well. And as you say, most therapies target the single or double downstream Th2 cytokines, IL-4, 5, 13. But those therapies do not address the upstream drivers like TSLP, which is involved in epithelial dysfunction and immune activation. And I think we've talked about this in the past. What's so exciting about TEZSPIRE is that it attacks TSLP right at the top of the inflammatory cascade. And so that gives it a differential profile. So upstream therapy can take out multiple inflammatory pathway. It's not only cytokine production downstream but also these diseases are often mediated through inflammatory cells, particularly eosinophils being recruited and activated.
So if you can control TSLP, you really can control both of those different pathways. And I think that mechanism we've seen has given strong adoption and confidence in some of the prescribers. In the -- just to remind everybody as well in that Phase III WAYPOINT study that underpinned the approval of TEZSPIRE in CRS with nasal polyps were able to show statistically significant clinically meaningful reduction in nasal polyp severity. Almost complete elimination of the need for surgery and a big reduction in the use of steroids versus placebo. So I'd say in summary, we think we're well positioned to reach more patients due to the differentiated mechanism, upstream mechanism of action. It's broadly applicable across multiple different patient phenotypes and that's widely appreciated by prescribers today rather than a single downstream pathway.
And one thing we hear a lot about is the extent to which is coexisting, a lot of coexisting asthma and nasal polyps. So -- is it your view that having nasal polyps in the label is something that actually can enable you to reach more asthma patients with TEZSPIRE?
Yes, it is. I mean we think that about the coexistence of chronic rhinositis and severe asthma is probably about 20%. So the overlap is large and really highlights a significant overlap between the 2 diseases, underlying pathophysiology that is both cytokine as well as [ eosinophilically ] driven and really supports the clinical value of TEZSPIRE in these 2 indications.
And then just touching a little bit more on asthma. What are your thoughts on the implications of the availability of an ultra long-acting biologic? I mean we have the -- we have now once or twice a year, depemokimab, that product recently is approved. I know it's mechanically different, but how do you see that impacting TEZSPIRE, if at all?
I mean I think these new agents, I think, are going to have to demonstrate safety, durability and meaningful clinical benefit. And so until we see those data I think it's difficult to comment on that. Our focus really is on execution. We have approved indications where the medicine is really showing excellent benefit, and we have other indications in development. I think what I can say is that with low penetration in severe asthma and the recent approval now for CRS with nasal polyps plus these additional Phase III studies we have underway, COPD, esenophilic esophagitis, we think that TEZSPIRE really has great potential to be a durable growth driver well beyond 2026 into a very large population of patients.
So let's talk about EoE. I know that study is not far away from reading out. But I had a couple of questions here, maybe we can tackle in the 5 minutes we have left. One is just talk to the nature of the unmet need and specifically biologic penetration here. And I guess where I'm going with the question is, we've got DUPIXENT available. We -- but there's a lot of corticosteroid management, of course, so just trying to get a better sense of how you're framing the unmet need, the underlying opportunity, particularly given the TSLP mechanism here?
Yes. So for eosinophilic esophagitis, we have not formally characterized the epidemiology of the disease. But when you look at the literature, here in the U.S., some databases would say that has a prevalence of about 1 in 700 people. I think it does represent an important and a high unmet medical need. The therapy today is proton pump inhibitors, surveillance maybe still reduce as well. So there's not a clear definitive therapy for the disease. And I think the fact that it is clearly a [ eosinophilically ] driven. And effectiveness and efficacy that TEZSPIRE has shown in those types of diseases that we've just talked about, it's very exciting.
And so as you say, the Phase III study is enrolled and we hope to have data being available in the second half of this year as well. I think in terms of comparisons, again, I'd be hesitant until we see the data to really make comparisons with other agents. But the data really are just around the corner second half of this year, and then I think we'll be able to define its profile and compare it to other therapies.
One quick follow-up here just in terms of data. And I know it's may be a hard question to answer, but one of the endpoints, co-primary endpoint, one piece of that is the dysphagia symptom questionnaire. So help us contextualize what kind of improvement here would be considered clinically significant. I mean I think the other endpoint is eosinophil count. So -- but I'm just trying to better understand on the DSQ, how you think about what would be clinically significant.
Yes. Well, look, again, I think we'll have to see the results of this study. And then I think we're going to have to talk to regulators. We talk to physicians and groups who are here in the U.S. and around the world. And I think it's oftentimes with these patient-reported outcome physician assessments, it's a discussion on the totality of data, the two endpoints together and really what do they see as the important difference there.
Okay. I wanted to just ask a general question about TEZSPIRE and just TSLP directed treatments and your plans beyond the core or what I call the core of asthma, nasal polyps, COPD and EoE, I mean, those are certainly, those are big populations in the aggregate, but are you thinking even more expansively about your TSLP franchise and other indications?
I would say we agree with you. I think they're big populations, the medicines being shown to really provide profound clinical benefit. I think for us now, it's about execution to build in those populations. As I said, we're still building penetration, and we have a lot of headroom. So we're not pursuing other indications for TEZSPIRE at this time. We do have AMG 104, which is an inhaled TSLP antibody fragment, and that may also have utility. We've tested that in Phase II. So we like TSLP as a target. We clearly have a great medicine for it. We want to execute there and then think about perhaps the inhaled agent as well.
Yes. So in the minute we have left, I wanted to ask about the inhaled agents. I know the enrollment in the Phase II is complete, so potentially another readout this year. But my question here is sort of 2 parts. One is your thoughts regarding the challenges of adequately delivering a biologic into the airways into the lungs. And then how you think you overcome those challenges? And then I guess the second question is, if you have data that you like and you want to move forward, maybe jumping ahead where does an inhalable TSLP fit in within the asthma armamentarium?
So look, I think mechanism of delivery, it's proven with other agents. We've conducted the Phase I. It was a small Phase I, it was like 104 patients in the first part and the second part of it, it's 77. It did show effectiveness, efficacy there, consistent with what we've seen with TEZSPIRE. So I think that's encouraging as well. We think that for more severe asthma inhaled corticosteroids, beta agonists are clearly sort of foundational therapy. But then something that, again, can attack right at the top of that inflammatory cascade, taking out cells as well as cytokine mediators could really have an important role in managing asthma and delivering a therapeutic right to the site of insult being converted into injury through TSLP production. So the Phase II is expected to complete in the first half of this year and so we'll have more data soon, and we'll be excited to share with.
And then just real quick, do you think it's potentially the 104 could be another option ahead of injected biologics. I mean is that one way to think about it?
Yes. I think it is. We'll obviously have to see the data. Think about it with experts, but yes, it certainly has the potential for that.
Okay. Well, I wish we had more time, but this has been great. Thanks so much, Paul. Thanks, Casey, and thanks to everyone listening in. But yes, this is an exciting year ahead in terms of readout. So more to come. But yes, thanks again, and really appreciate your time and wrap things up.
Thanks, David.
Thanks David.
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Amgen — Piper Sandler Virtual Novel Targets in Immunology Symposium
Amgen — Piper Sandler Virtual Novel Targets in Immunology Symposium
📣 Kernbotschaft
- Kern: Amgen betont Fortschritte im Immunologie-Portfolio: UPLIZNA (CD19‑gerichtet) wird in Phase‑III für autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH) und CIDP vorangetrieben; Daxdilimab (ILT7) zeigte positive Phase‑II‑Daten in discoider Lupus; dazodalibep (CD40‑Ligand‑Inhibitor) steht kurz vor entscheidenden Sjögren‑Phase‑III‑Ergebnissen; TEZSPIRE (TSLP – Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin) erhielt Zulassung für Nasenpolypen und liefert mehrere Lesungen 2026.
🎯 Strategische Highlights
- UPLIZNA: CD19 (B‑Zell‑Marker) mit 6‑monatiger Dosierung; rationale: breite B‑Zell‑Depletion trifft Autoantikörper‑getriebene Erkrankungen; CIDP‑Prävalenz US ~35.000 (Schätzwert).
- Daxdilimab: ILT7 (immunoglobulin‑like transcript 7) zielt auf plasmacytoide dendritische Zellen; positive Phase‑II in discoider (kutaner) Lupus, Phase‑III‑Planung steht noch aus.
- Dazodalibep/TEZSPIRE: CD40‑Achse in Sjögren‑Studien; TEZSPIRE differenziert als „upstream“ TSLP‑Inhibitor, ergänzt Indikationsaufbau (Asthma, COPD, EoE, Nasenpolypen).
🔍 Neue Informationen
- Studien‑Status: Phase‑III‑Initiativen für UPLIZNA in AIH/CIDP noch dieses Jahr geplant; Daxdilimab: erfolgreicher Phase‑II‑Signal in discoider Lupus, Phase‑III‑Design wird erarbeitet.
- Pivotal‑Readouts: Dazodalibep‑Einschreibung abgeschlossen; Sjögren‑Phase‑III‑Ergebnisse, sowie TEZSPIRE‑EoE und inhalierte AMG‑104‑Daten werden in H2/2026 erwartet.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- Populationen: Nachfrage nach Größenabschätzungen für AIH und CIDP; Management nannte ~35.000 Prävalente für CIDP, AIH unsicherer, aber größer.
- Mechanismus: Warum Daxdilimab in discoider Lupus wirkt, aber nicht in systemischem SLE — Antwort: stärkere Rolle plasmacytoider dendritischer Zellen/IFN‑Signal in kutanen Formen.
- Regulatorik & Wettbewerb: Ob Zulassungswege in Sjögren‑Subgruppen getrennt möglich sind; Manager vermeiden verbindliche Aussagen bis zu Phase‑III‑Daten; Konkurrenz (z.B. FcRn‑Inhibitoren) wird abgewartet.
⚡ Bottom Line
- Implikation: Amgen präsentiert mehrere potenzielle Near‑term‑Werttreiber (Phase‑III‑Starts/Readouts H2/2026). Diversifizierte, „upstream“ und „cell‑targeting“ Ansätze reduzieren einzelnes Indikationsrisiko, aber entscheidend sind die anstehenden Phase‑III‑Ergebnisse und regulatorische Entscheidungen; Anleger sollten Readouts und konkrete Phase‑III‑Designs eng verfolgen.
Amgen — Q4 2025 Earnings Call
1. Management Discussion
My name is Julianne, and I will be your conference facilitator today for the Amgen Q4 2025 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] I would now like to introduce Casey Capparelli, Vice President of Investor Relations. Mr. Capparelli, you may now begin.
Thank you, Julianne. Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to our fourth quarter 2025 earnings call. Bob Bradway will lead the call today and be followed by a broader review of our performance by Jay Bradner; Murdo Gordon; and Peter Griffith. Through the course of our discussion today, we will use non-GAAP financial measures to describe our performance and have provided appropriate reconciliations within the materials that accompanied this call. We will also make some forward-looking statements, which are qualified by our safe harbor statement. And please note that actual results can vary materially.
Over to you, Bob.
Okay. Thank you, Casey, and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us today. Today, we'll cover full year results for 2025 and provide a preview of what to expect from us in 2026.
Amgen delivered strong operational performance across the board in 2025. And you can see that in the breadth of our business. Note that 14 of our products achieved blockbuster status with sales of $1 billion or more, 13 products delivered double-digit sales growth and 18 products achieved record results for us. The strength of that broad portfolio enabled us to post double-digit growth in revenues and earnings per share for 2025.
Looking to 2026, I would highlight 6 areas of momentum. Three of these, Repatha, EVENITY and TEZSPIRE all grew by more than 30% year-over-year in 2025. These medicines have a few important things in common. First, their highly effective, innovative therapies that address important public health needs. Second, their leading products in their fields. And third, while each of these products represents a multibillion-dollar global franchise already, they address areas of large unmet medical need, where there are millions of patients yet to be treated. In this sense, they represent growth drivers not just for 2026, but for the rest of the decade.
In rare disease, our portfolio generated more than $5 billion in sales in 2025. Here, too, many of our medicines are early in their life cycle and positioned as leaders in their respective categories. Growth has been fueled by reaching new patients, expanding into additional geographies and launching new indications. We see further opportunity ahead as we scale these therapies. UPLIZNA exemplifies this growth opportunity with approvals in IgG4-related disease and generalized myasthenia gravis in 2025.
Our innovative oncology portfolio grew at 11% year-over-year in 2025 driven by our BiTE or bispecific T-cell engager medicines. We're particularly excited about IMDELLTRA which has rapidly become the standard of care in patients with second line or later small cell lung cancer, supported by unprecedented survival benefits.
We're an industry leader in biosimilars. Our biosimilars portfolio has contributed more than $13 billion in sales since the launch of our first medicine there in 2018. With $3 billion in 2025 sales, this business is an important contributor to our organization and poised for growth with the next wave of biosimilar launches. You can appreciate the depth of our business through the lens of our research and development activities. 2026 will be a year of disciplined data generation from a number of exciting Phase II and Phase III programs that will pave the way for long-term growth at Amgen.
Our confidence continues to build in MariTide as a differentiated treatment for obesity, type 2 diabetes and obesity-related conditions. In a field featuring dozens of potential daily oral and weekly injectable medicines, MariTide stands alone as the only therapy in late-stage development to offer the paradigm-changing prospect of strong efficacy and favorable tolerability at monthly, every other month or even quarterly dosing. In addition to MariTide, we remain excited about olpasiran and what it might represent for patients with elevated Lp(a) a heritable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We see olpasiran as an opportunity to build on our leading positions in cardiometabolic disease.
It shouldn't be lost on any of us that Repatha, olpasiran and MariTide together would represent a very compelling set of cardiometabolic medicines to expand our leadership in the treatment of serious chronic diseases well into the next decade. Beyond the pipeline, there's a great deal of enthusiasm about the convergence of technology and life science. And based on what we're seeing at Amgen, we believe that enthusiasm for convergent innovation is well placed and will have significant impact on how we discover, develop and commercialize medicines.
As always, I thank my Amgen colleagues around the world for supporting our mission to serve patients. And with that, let me turn it over to Jay for an update in R&D.
Thank you, Bob, and good afternoon, everyone. Fourth quarter capped off a year of strong disciplined execution across R&D. Throughout 2025, we advanced multiple late-stage programs, delivered 5 key regulatory approvals and strengthen the evidence base supporting our marketed medicines. Taken together, these contributions demonstrate real scientific rigor and illustrate the breadth of opportunity ahead.
Let me begin with MariTide, which continues to develop a meaningful and very encouraging ways. The MARITIME Phase III program is rapidly advancing with strong enthusiasm from investigators and participants. Both of our Phase III chronic weight management studies are fully enrolled and our ASCVD and heart failure outcome studies are progressing well. In parallel, we continue to expand the clinical landscape of MariTide across obesity-related conditions. As we began enrollment of our 2 Phase III sleep apnea studies In adults with and without positive airway pressure therapy. Altogether, we now have 6 global Phase III studies underway with MariTide collectively designed to deliver a comprehensive evidence base.
In addition, as we shared last month, we've completed part 2 of the MariTide Phase II chronic weight management study. We also completed the first 24 weeks of the Phase II type 2 diabetes study that enrolled participants with and without obesity. Results from these 2 studies further increase our confidence the MariTide can represent a new paradigm in obesity, type 2 diabetes and other obesity-related conditions. We believe MariTide has the potential to expand what's possible for patients. Availing an opportunity for monthly or less frequent dosing. MariTide's strong efficacy, infrequent dosing and excellent tolerability to target dose has the potential to further enhance the patient experience and therefore, treatment persistence, a major unmet need in the field.
Beyond obesity and general medicine, the fourth quarter brought a landmark contribution to cardiovascular health for Repatha. In November, full results from the Phase III VESALIUS-CV trial were presented at the American Heart Association Scientific session and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine. This study enrolled more than 12,000 patients without a prior heart attack or stroke, testing the impact of Repatha for LDL-C lowering when added to optimize lipid therapy, namely statins, with a median follow-up of approximately 4.5 years.
In VESALIUS CV, Repatha demonstrated a 25% relative risk reduction in the composite of coronary heart disease death, heart attack or ischemic stroke and delivered a 36% reduction in heart attack with no new safety signals observed. These data clearly demonstrate that intensive LDL-C lowering with Repatha can meaningfully reduce the risk of a first cardiovascular event. Reinforcing its role across the full continuum of cardiovascular risk.
Turning to olpasiran, our potentially best-in-class small interfering RNA medicine targeting Lp(a) the fully enrolled OCEAN A outcome study continues to progress. As previously discussed, this is an event-driven study, and the aggregate endpoint accrual rate remains lower than initial predictions. As the study matures, we will update on the date for primary analysis as appropriate. Our conviction in olpasiran to reduce cardiovascular risk conferred strong grounded in compelling genetic and epidemiologic evidence that establish elevated Lp(a) as an independent risk factor for heart disease.
Moving to rare disease. The fourth quarter was highlighted by important regulatory momentum for UPLIZNA. In November, the European Commission approved UPLIZNA for the treatment of adults with active IgG4-related disease. And in December, the FDA approved UPLIZNA for the treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis in adult to our anti-acetylcholine receptor or antimusc antibody positive. These approvals built on strong Phase III data, demonstrating durable efficacy, a steroid-sparing benefit with every 6-month dosing. This research further extends the impact of CD19-directed B-cell depletion across serious autoimmune diseases.
More broadly in B cell depletion, where we have a number of proof-of-concept studies underway, we expect to initiate 2 pivotal studies this year. The first is for patients with autoimmune hepatitis, a serious disease characterized by persistent liver inflammation that can lead to progressive scarring, loss of liver function and ultimately, liver failure. The second that is chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, or CIDP, a disabling immune-mediated neuropathy that damages peripheral nerve bilan resulting in worsening strength, worsening sensation, and for many patients, substantial impairment in daily activity.
With UPLIZNA, we are targeting these diseases at their root cause by depleting pathologic B cells that drive disease through secreted autoantibodies. Given the strong efficacy of UPLIZNA in other settings, we're excited about the potential to bring a meaningful new option to patients with these 2 devastating conditions.
We are also advancing dazodalibep our CD40 ligand targeting biotherapeutic with both Phase III studies in [indiscernible] disease now fully enrolled and study completion expected in the second half of 2026. We're pleased today to announce positive Phase II data with daxdilumab, a first-in-class plasmacytoid dendritic cell depleting monoclonal antibody targeting ILT7, for the immunoglobulin-like transcript Devin protein. This study in patients with primary discoid lupus arosomatosis met both primary and key secondary endpoints with an attractive safety profile.
Encouraged by these data, we are working to advance daxtilimab to the next phase of development in this setting. In inflammation, the TEZSPIRE Phase III program continues to advance with ongoing studies in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and eosinophilic esophagitis, where we expect study completion in the second half of this year.
We recently announced the decision to terminate the rocatinlimab development and commercialization collaboration with [indiscernible] with significant breadth and depth across all 4 therapeutic areas, we took a portfolio decision to focus resources on other late-stage programs. Rocatinlimab will return to our partners at [indiscernible] who will assume full ownership of the program.
Turning to oncology. In November, the FDA granted full approval to IMDELLTRA for the treatment of adult patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. This approval represents a meaningful advancement for patients facing a disease that has seen very little innovation for decades. To extend the impact of IMDELLTRA, we are presently advancing this medicine as combination therapy in front-line extensive-stage small cell where we observed unprecedented survival in early phase clinical trials.
Further, we are also advancing IMDELLTRA with an ongoing Phase III study of limited-stage small cell lung cancer. It's joy to see IMDELLTRA, like BLINCYTO, becoming a standard of care in the management of advanced cancer. Our first-in-class [indiscernible] directed bispecific T cell engager zalaritomig, continues to advance through Phase III development in prostate cancer.
Beyond prostate cancer, we have recently initiated a Phase Ib study in relapsed or refractory in sarcoma, a rare malignancy with high STEAP1 expression and patients in an urgent need for targeted therapy. Across IMDELLTRA, BLINCYTO and Zalaritomic, we continue to see meaningful long-term impact from our bispecific T cell engager platform. We remain committed to bringing transformative and innovative therapies like these to patients with cancer.
To close out oncology, given the previously announced results from FORTITUDE 101 and FORTITUDE 102, we have decided not to pursue regulatory approval for bemarituzumab, our FGFR2b targeting monoclonal antibody in first-line gastric cancer. The overall efficacy did not meet our expectations. We observed an emerging signal of punitive survival benefit in a subset of biomarker to find patients. We expect to share these findings with the scientific community in the future.
As with rocatinlimab, we took a portfolio decision to focus resources on our other late-stage programs. Across biosimilars, both ABP 206 and ABP 234 biosimilar candidates to OPDIVO and KEYTRUDA, respectively, have completed enrollment in each of their comparative clinical studies supporting continued progress of the next wave of our biosimilar portfolio.
Before closing, as described in our press release, we are engaged in an ongoing dialogue with the FDA regarding Tamio our medicine for the treatment of a rare and severe disease, ANCA-associated vasculitis. We will update you on those discussions as necessary.
Now let me finish by saying that 2025 was a year of consistent execution, real scientific progress and disciplined decision-making. We expect 2026 to bring another year of strong execution disciplined data generation and new scientific advances as we continue to progress our robust pipeline.
I want to thank our colleagues across Amgen for their continued focus on patients, and their commitment to advancing innovative medicines for serious diseases. With a broad and deep pipeline, we are well positioned to deliver sustained long-term growth.
I'll now turn it over to Murdo for the commercial update.
Thanks very much, Jay. In 2025, we delivered 10% sales growth with 13 products achieving double-digit or better performance. 14 products exceeded $1 billion in annual sales and 18 products achieved record sales. These results underscore the strength and growth potential of our portfolio and demonstrate the disciplined execution of our teams serving patients globally.
Starting with General Medicine, Repatha sales grew 36% year-over-year in 2025, surpassing $3 billion. This performance was driven by growing urgency to treat patients in both secondary and primary prevention. Today, more than 100 million people around the world still need effective LDL-cholesterol lowering. And Repatha remains the first and only PCSK9 inhibitor with outcomes data for patients in both high-risk primary and secondary prevention. As Jay mentioned, the landmark VESALIUS CV trial showed a reduction in the risk of first major cardiovascular events by 25% in high-risk patients. These data strengthen Repatha's position as the most evidence-backed therapy in the PCSK9 class and support this critical role in earlier and more intensive LDL cholesterol management.
Given these results and our leadership in this category, we believe there's now a clear opportunity to update clinical guidelines and quality measures. We expect these changes will encourage cardiologists and primary care physicians to manage LDL cholesterol more proactively alongside lifestyle modification and reduced cardiovascular risk in both primary and secondary prevention.
In the U.S., we continue to improve patient access to Repatha with broad formulary coverage and the launch of Amgen Now, our new direct-to-patient program. Amgen now offers a simplified lower cost cash pay option for patients to access Repatha. Following a successful launch, we've announced plans to expand this program to additional medicines and we're excited to make our therapies available through Trump Rx, helping improve affordability for Americans. EVENITY sales increased 34% in 2025, reaching $2.1 billion in sales. EVENITY remains the only treatment that simultaneously builds new bone and reduces bone resorption, a dual mechanism that has proven to rapidly reduce fracture risk in the postmenopausal women.
In the U.S., EVENITY sales grew 41%, driven by higher volumes from both established and new prescribers. EVENITY leads the bone builder segment with over 60% market share and is now growing faster than the category overall. To date, approximately 300,000 U.S. patients have been treated with EVENITY with a 33% increase of new patients in just 1 year. Increased investment has helped accelerate this growth, which we expect to continue. Despite strong progress, nearly 90% of the 2 million women at very high risk of fracture remain untreated, presenting a clear opportunity for EVENITY to drive growth and impact.
Prolia delivered $4.4 billion in sales in 2025, an increase of 1% year-over-year. In 2026, we expect accelerated sales erosion driven by increased competition as multiple biosimilars have launched globally. Our rare disease portfolio grew 14% year-over-year to nearly $5.2 billion and 19% in the quarter. With strong performance across the portfolio. [indiscernible] sales increased 73% year-over-year to $655 million, reflecting growing patient demand across all 3 approved indications. In December, UPLIZNA received FDA approval for the treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis, marking an important milestone for patients with this chronic debilitating disease. Hourly physician response has been strong across both bio-naive and switch patients. Prescribers have noted the benefits of a business upstream B-cell mechanism, targeting the root cause of the disease and it's also has demonstrated safety profile and the convenience of its twice yearly dosing.
Uptake of UPLIZNA for use in IgG4-related disease continues to grow since the launch in the U.S., nearly 500 specialists, including rheumatologists, gastroenterologists, among others, have prescribed UPLIZNA. In addition to the more recent launches, UPLIZNA continues to lead in NMOSD and remains the most prescribed FDA-approved therapy in the U.S. for this condition, supported by consistent new patient growth and strong adherence across treatment cycles.
TEPEZZA grew 3% to $1.9 billion in 2025 driven by higher net selling price. Over 25,000 patients have received treatment since launch in the U.S. with growing interest from both new and returning prescribers. We continue to see increased prescribing by endocrinologists and a broadening base of specialists. In Japan, approximately 1,200 patients have been treated since launch, reflecting growing awareness of the burden of thyroid eye disease among both patients and prescribers. We plan to launch TEPEZZA in additional markets in 2026, expanding access to this important therapy globally.
TAVNEOS sales were $459 million in 2025, an increase of 62% year-over-year driven by strong volume growth. More than 7,000 patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis have now been treated with TAVNEOS with over 4,000 health care professionals prescribing the therapy since its launch in 2021. We an associated vasculitis is a serious, potentially life-threatening disease that can cause significant organ damage is not well controlled and has limited therapeutic options. We remain confident that apneas is an important and effective medicine based on clinical data, real-world evidence and its favorable benefit risk profile.
In inflammation, TEZSPIRE sales grew 52% year-over-year to nearly $1.5 billion for the full year. TEZSPIRE is well positioned to reach more patients in the United States due to its differentiated TSLP mechanism that targets multiple inflammatory pathways driving severe uncontrolled asthma, including in those with coexisting chronic rhinositis with nate rhinosinusitis with nasal [indiscernible]. TEZSPIRE substantially reduced the need for surgery in this population, reinforcing its value in eosinophilic disease. TEZSPIRE is now the leading therapy for new-to-brand patients amongst allergists in severe uncontrolled asthma, fueled by strong prescriber confidence and continued expansion across respiratory specialties.
Otezla sales increased 7% year-over-year to nearly $2.3 billion for 2026. We expect sales erosion driven by unfavorable pricing in the U.S. and generic launches, particularly in the EU. Our innovative oncology portfolio, which includes BLINCYTO and Delta, Lumicras, Vectibix, KYPROLIS, Nplate and XGEVA grew 11% year-over-year, generating $8.7 billion in full year sales.
IMDELLTRA delivered $627 million of full year sales, fueled by strong clinical conviction and rapid adoption across care settings. Over 1,600 U.S. sites now administer IMDELLTRA with the majority of doses provided in the community setting. IMDELLTRA was granted full FDA approval in the fourth quarter, supported by compelling data from the Phase III [indiscernible] trial. NCCN guidelines also recognized IMDELLTRA as the highest recommended therapy and it has become the standard of care in the second-line setting, reinforcing its leadership position in small cell lung cancer.
BLINCYTO grew 28% year-over-year to over $1.5 billion in full year sales, driven by broad prescribing across both academic and community segments. Blincyto is widely recognized as the standard of care in combination with multi-agent chemotherapy for patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative B-cell ALL. Our biosimilar portfolio delivered another strong year with sales increasing 37% to $3 billion.
Our expanding biosimilar portfolio provides meaningful top line growth, durable cash flow and broad patient access to high-quality cost savings for biologic medicines. PAVBLU, a biosimilar to EYLEA continues to gain momentum, reaching $700 million in sales in 2025. Adoption continues to build among retina specialists who value the products ready to use prefilled syringe format and the reliability of Amgen's manufacturing and supply chain. We delivered strong results in 2025 with continued momentum across our priority growth brands, and we look forward to serving even more patients with Amgen products in 2026.
Now I'd like to hand it over to Peter.
Thank you, Murdo. We're pleased with our execution and performance in the fourth quarter and for the full year 2025, and we remain on track with our long-term objectives. The financial results are shown on Slides 34 to 36 of the slide deck. Murdo has covered our strong revenue growth across the portfolio. For the full year, we delivered a non-GAAP operating margin of 46%. We continue to invest in advancing our pipeline with non-GAAP R&D spending increased 22% year-over-year for the full year to a record $7.2 billion. This reflects increased spending on an unprecedented number of opportunities in our late-stage pipeline, including continued investments in MariTide, olpasiran, [indiscernible] and rare disease. In addition, we closed several business development transactions in the third and fourth quarters, resulting in roughly $300 million in incremental R&D spending.
Full year non-GAAP other income and expense was $2.1 billion. We continued to strengthen our balance sheet with $6 billion of debt retired in 2025. Our non-GAAP tax rate increased 1.4 percentage points year-over-year to 15.9% for the full year, primarily due to changes in earnings mix. We generated $8.1 billion in free cash flow for the full year, reflecting operational momentum across the business and rigorous management of working capital, all while continuing to invest in innovation. We're leveraging AI across the value chain to accelerate therapeutic discovery and late-stage development, optimize manufacturing and improve customer engagement allowing us to drive productivity at speed and scale.
We executed capital expenditures of $2.2 billion in 2025. Our capital expenditures reflect significant investments across the United States including Ohio, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island and California to support continued volume growth in our commercial brands and to prepare for pipeline product launches, including Maritime. In addition, we returned capital to shareholders through competitive dividend payments of $2.38 per share in the fourth quarter, representing a 6% increase compared to 2024.
Let's turn to the 2026 outlook on Slide 37. We expect our 2026 total revenues in the range of $37.0 billion to $38.4 billion, and non-GAAP earnings per share between $21.60 to $23. Our revenue range reflects continuing strong performance from our 6 key growth drivers. Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, our rare disease, innovative oncology and biosimilars portfolios, positioning 2026 as a springboard year for future growth. We expect this growth in 2026 to more than offset anticipated declines from increased denosumab biosimilar competition, price declines for certain other products in 2026 and continued increases in 340B program utilization.
As you model the first quarter of 2026, consistent with historical trends tied to the annual United States health insurance cycle, we expect a seasonal headwind to sales, driven by benefits land changes, insurance reverifications and higher patient co-pay obligations. We also expect Otezla and Enbrel to follow their historical pattern of lower sales in the first quarter relative to subsequent quarters and expect additional impact from denosumab biosimilar competition in Q1. Additionally, note that we saw roughly $250 million of inventory build in the fourth quarter of 2025 that could potentially impact first quarter sales. For total company revenues, we expect lower mid-single-digit year-over-year growth in the first quarter.
For the full year, we expect other revenue in the range of $1.6 billion to $1.8 billion reflecting our commitment to investing in the best innovation while also driving execution excellence, efficiency and prioritization across the organization, we project the full year non-GAAP operating margin as a percentage of product sales to be roughly 45% to 46%. This guidance does not include any potential business development transactions that may occur throughout the year. We expect non-GAAP R&D expense to grow low single digits excluding the roughly $300 million of business development transactions in 2025.
We continue to execute 6 global Phase III clinical trials for MariTide, advance additional late-stage assets, and invest in the best innovation while maintaining disciplined resource allocation. In line with lower product sales in the first quarter, we expect Q1 non-GAAP operating margin to be the lowest of the year and roughly the same as Q4 of 2025. We anticipate non-GAAP other income and expense to be about $2.3 billion to $2.4 billion in 2026. We expect a non-GAAP tax rate of 16% to 17.5%. We expect share repurchases not to exceed $3 billion in 2026. We expect capital expenditures of about $2.6 billion in 2026. This is consistent with our capital allocation priority to invest in our business and scale manufacturing capacity for volume growth, including preparing for MariTide launch. We remain focused on delivering sustained long-term growth and creating value for patients and shareholders by doing what we said we would do, advancing innovation in areas of high unmet medical need and maintaining rigorous financial discipline.
I'm grateful to work with all of our colleagues worldwide to serving patients. This concludes the financial update. And now I'll hand it back to Bob for Q&A.
Okay. Thank you, Peter. And as I hope you all appreciate it now. I think we ended '25 with our track record intact for having delivered against the objectives that we set for you at the beginning of the year. We're determined to do the same now in 2026. So we're entering the year with momentum, excited about what we see ahead.
Let's open up the call to questions, Julian. We'd be happy to entertain any of our callers now.
[Operator Instructions] Our first question comes from Michael Yee from UBS Financial.
2. Question Answer
It looks like guidance is growth for the year despite the biosimilars. Obviously, obesity is top of mind for everybody, and you've disclosed some information on MariTide recently. I was wondering and curious to ask your view of the portfolio overall in obesity given that for like today are disclosing combinations with monthly or monthly and then combinations and how you see this playing out given you're focused on MariTide, but not so for about the rest of the portfolio there.
Okay. Thank you, Michael. We'll take a stab at answering your questions. Connection wasn't great, but I think we got most of what you were trying to ask, Jay, do you want to kick off?
Yes, I'd be happy to. Thanks, Michael. The Amgen's really made for this moment, developing MariTide across so many different indications, a leading cardiovascular company, also a leading respiratory disease company, and there are so many opportunities there for MariTide. We've been in obesity, as you know, a long while all the way back to the left in days and enjoyed stable discovery leadership team since that time. Internally, we have another clinical stage asset, called AMG 513. We have yet to disclose the mechanism of that medicine is progressing in Phase I clinical investigation. And preclinically, we have a rather exciting set of rising programs that are both increasing base as well as nonincrease in base, both injectable as well as oral medicines. And the aperture is always open for innovation on the outside.
I think you should expect us to be competing broadly in the field, Michael.
Our next question comes from Yaron Werber from TD Cowen.
I have a question actually about dazodalibep for primary Sjogren�s Syndrome. It looks like both studies are now fully enrolled, and you're saying completion in the second half, the only company with both the systemic and the symptomatic study in Phase III based on the Phase IIs, would -- should we expect the data this year? And do you want to give us any color on the reliability of the Phase II into the Phase III, just given it's a tough condition.
Thanks, Yaron, and thanks for noticing about dazodalibep. This is a very exciting medicine in the portfolio. This is a CD40 ligand targeting biotherapeutic and the CD40 pathway has long been postulated to be driving the inflammatory cascade in Sjogren's Syndrome. The challenge is only that the biology is somewhat ambiguous. And so we take a really nice and incisive approach with dazodalibep disease. As you noted, the 2 Phase IIIs that we have opened in Sjogren's syndrome will be in moderate to severe symptomatic activity. That's our population on as well as in patients with a very high symptom burden. That's population 2. Sjogren's has been very challenging for drug development, but here we find this hypothesis is quite compelling.
The second study has already completed enrollment of patients. This is the MariTide in the burden group with low systemic disease activity. and we expect completion of the trials later this year, and we'll inform later about our plans to communicate this information. As for reading through the reliability of Phase II into Phase III, there have been historic challenges here. but the performance against this SDI score, which is the clinically utilized as well as regulatory paradigm for approval was 1 of the first medicine ever to improve an STI score in that disease space. So we're confident going into Phase III, I can't wait to look at the results.
Our next question comes from David Amsellem from Piper Sandler.
So I had a couple of line-related questions. Can you talk about the extent to which the underlying IgG4-related disease population is larger than what literature has suggested historically and what that means for the underlying opportunity? And then secondly, I know it's early in gMG, but just -- can you talk about how the product is being used to date? And what kind of role do you think it's going to have in the -- in an admittedly more crowded treatment armamentarium?
Yes. Let's -- don't we tackle this in 2 parts. Jay, if you take the first part and then maybe, Murdo, you can jump in on the second.
There is, in medicine, an experience where the availability of a targeted therapy a really effective therapy can actually increase the incidence of a disease through awareness of the disease, why take a diagnosis unless you have reason to intervene effectively. And that may, in the fullness of time, be the case here, limiting a precise description of the epidemiology, even over the last 5 to 10 years is the lack of really coherent registry data as well as appropriate coding that would allow such an analysis from electronic medical record data. And so I think it's a good question. I think it's a moving object, and we'll have better precision on that in the few years to come.
Murdo, what are your in things? I think that's a very clear description, Jay. I think the availability of the ICD-10 coding as you alluded to, is really about a 3-year presence in the market. Right now, we estimate the diagnosed population to be in the neighborhood of 35,000 and that could grow. As you outlined, there are mentions in the literature of higher numbers. However, we're obviously focused on those that are already diagnosed already in care, and we're trying to build that awareness that you spoke of. Again, so far so good. UPLIZNA is doing extremely well in its uptake in IgG4-related diseases. We see a nice breadth of prescribing across a number of different specialties that see these patients because of the end organ involvement in the inflammatory condition. And we'll continue to make sure that we do our part to improve that awareness, improve that diagnosis.
These patients undergo a very complicated patient journey in that this disease can mascara as many other things. But so far so good, and we're happy to be able to help these patients finally get a treatment, the only 1 FDA approved that can help with their symptoms and obviously, the long-term health outcomes particularly for their target organs.
Just on UPLIZNA and GMG, we're very pleased with the initial uptake. As you said, David, it's very early in the launch. But what we're pleased about, and I mentioned this in my opening remarks, is that roughly half of the patients who are being treated are bio-naive patients and the other half coming from switches from other therapies. As we've said before, this is a large but still quite dissatisfied category where the current treatments have limitations whether that be dosing inconvenience, whether that be duration of efficacy and perhaps some waning efficacy in this category. And so far, what we've seen is a very strong interest in UPLIZNA for its mechanism as well as for the convenience that it represents for patients. So so far, so good, excited about UPLIZNA overall in the broader rare disease portfolio.
Our next question comes from Salveen Richter from Goldman Sachs.
Just a follow-up here on UPLIZNA. Walk us through what's giving you confidence here and moving forward with a Phase III study in CIDP and the opportunity in that indication. And if you could also just separately touch on Repatha and how you're thinking about potential impact from the launch of Merck's oral PCSK9 and how you're adapting your commercial strategy there?
With 2 ends of the spectrum there from the very rare to the very common. So let's do -- Jay, you do the first question, and then Murdo, you can take the second.
Thanks, Salveen. We are, as Murdo shared, very bullish about UPLIZNA. Specifically this unique mechanism of action that targets and depletes the CD19 pathologic B-cell These, as you surely know, CB19, the B cell compartment is evident on mature B cells like CD20 targeted by rituximab and other medicines of that type, but also the pre B cell, the more naive B cell, the cell that expands and elaborates many of these auto antibodies. And so now seeing efficacy of UPLIZNA in so many immunoglobulin related disorders, like IgG4-related disease, like myasthenia gravis, the chance to bring it to additional autoantibody-mediated immune conditions, it's just a great chance to help patients with these severe diseases.
In some cases, there are signals from CD20 that we intend to follow up with a broader, more active and hopefully much more convenient UPLIZNA. Autoimmune hepatitis, which I mentioned earlier, is associated with autoantibodies you see ANA, you see anti smooth muscle, you see anti actin, you see anti LC1. And the same is true, though, to a lower proportion with CIDP as well, where maybe 5% to 10% of patients will have autoantibodies to what are called a pair of nodal proteins of 155 and CMTM1, I could go on for a long time. And so this biology being driven by the compartment that UPLIZNA targets makes for a really great chance to extend the benefits of targeting B cells in both of these conditions. Murdo?
Yes. Just the size of the opportunity here is interesting. Roughly the prevalent pool in the U.S. is estimated to be about 35,000 patients, maybe 7,000 to 10,000 incident new diagnosed cases per year in the U.S. So hopefully, we can develop this drug and offer some benefit for these patients. which is yet another steroid intensive condition, and we believe that we can do better than that. So let's hope for that best outcome in those clinical trials. On Repatha, I alluded to what our strategy is in my opening remarks. We are excited by the landmark data that were revealed at the American Heart Association last year in November where we can now clearly promote Repatha for the prevention of first heart attack or first stroke in a high-risk patient population and/or a high-risk primary prevention population.
And so that is our focus right now, and we are the only PCSK9 that has both secondary and primary prevention data in our label the Vesalius data are being met very positively by both cardiologists and primary care physicians, in particular, for the primary care physician for the diabetes patients that were enrolled in the trial who did very well -- so we are focused on making sure there's high awareness of these data. Repatha enjoys great access, broadly preferred on national template formularies by PBMs and health plans around the country and around the world. And of course, we know that there is an immense amount of trust now in the profile by prescribers. And for the millions of patients that have received treatment and are taking Repatha, there's strong acceptance that every 2-week injection to lower cholesterol to the 45 milligrams per deciliter target dose that was achieved in the Repatha arm in VESALIUS so that patients can reduce their cardiovascular risk.
So we've got a lot to talk about. We've maintained all along that there is a lot of room in this market for other therapies to come in, but they will not have the data package and profile that Repatha has established, and we'll continue to remind prescribers and others about that. Thank you.
Okay. Let's go to the next question.
Our next question comes from Mohit Bansal from Wells Fargo.
Congrats on the growth progress here. Maybe like just again, the question on PCSK9 and Repatha at this point. So Murdo, can you please remind us what percentage of your prescriptions are coming from primary care at this point. And with the VESALIUS data, like how do you see the primary care segment of the market evolving over time?
Yes. Thanks, Mohit. I put a number out before the VESALIUS data promotion started where roughly 40% of our prescriptions were coming from patients who were considered primary prevention patients who have not yet had an event where physicians were looking to lower those patients LDL-cholesterol. I would imagine that, that will increase and grow over time. What we are seeing is equal interest, quite frankly, from cardiologists who are excited by the VESALIUS data and the consistency of both the primary endpoint, the secondary endpoint, the MI subgroup, quite frankly, the overall incidence of death in the trial was also something that attracted attention from specialists.
So the cardiology group has seen this as an affirmation of what they were already doing and being aggressive in treating LDL cholesterol. And primary care physicians, as I mentioned, are much more intent and aligned to adding Repatha the optimized statin therapy that most patients are on. As for how much, we don't give product-specific guidance, but hopefully, you can tell, I am extremely excited about the momentum that we have on Repatha right now. I'm really pleased with the execution of our teams around the world. We've made incremental investments in advance of the opportunity of promoting the VESALIUS data, and I expect that momentum to continue.
Our next question comes from Louise Chen from Scotiabank.
I wanted to ask you about TEPEZZA and your thoughts on another potential competitor coming to market. And then also where you stand with AMG 732 for Ted.
Okay. Great. Maybe again, we could do this in 2 chunks. Jay, do you want to talk about the clinical piece and then Murdo talked about the commercial piece.
Thanks, Louise. TEPEZZA is proving to be just a very important medicine for the management of thyroid eye disease. We have established a very strong evidence base in both the high clinical exclusivity score lower clinical activity score, patient populations and are quite proud of this data generation and also the apparent impact that it's having on patients being treated today. We have an ongoing subcutaneous Phase III clinical study in moderate to severe active TED fully enrolled, as we had shared, and we expect to complete this study in the second half of this year. So we have a really terrific medicine that's increasingly a standard of care that's helping a lot of patients and a strong data set that it sits on top of.
Before handing off to Murdo. I'll just quickly comment on AMG 732. Thank you for noticing. This is an IGF-1R targeting monoclonal antibody, also achieves subcutaneous administration. Phase II studies enrolling initially studied to moderate to severe and active TED, and we'll have more to say on that in the future. Murdo?
Yes. Thanks, Jay. As Jay mentioned, we're expanding our treatment for patients with thyroid eye disease into the lower clinical activity score patient population, who tends to be managed by different specialists than the higher clinical activity score patients. We have historically been able to drive very strong penetration with ocular plastic surgeons and general ophthalmologists. We are expanding our prescribing base to include endocrinologists. We made investments. The beginning of last year, and those investments are starting to return now by an increased base of endocrinologists prescribing. So that's in the U.S., and we expect that we'll continue to broaden or treatment of the low clinical activity score patients while maintaining our share of the higher clinical activity score patients. But also our international launches. Our launch in Japan has gone extremely well. We're seeing nice uptake there. We're seeing a very well-received product for higher clinical activities for patients, and we're in the process of launching in multiple markets around the world as we speak. So overall, TEPEZZA will be a good growth driver for us this year.
Our next question comes from Terence Flynn from Morgan Stanley.
I had one on the MariTide Phase III program. Appreciate all the details today, but just was wondering if you have any update in terms of how to think about the design of the type 2 diabetes CVOT trial, particularly the control arm, as I know that's something that you guys were debating here post the -- seeing some of the data from some of the competitors, but just wondering how you're thinking about control arm in that setting.
Sure. Jay, do you want to...
Sure. I'm happy to share, Terence. We're just thrilled by the opportunity to develop MariTide for patients with type 2 diabetes. And this is really where we see a potential paradigm shift in the management of that disease. In my medical training, we practice with insulin and insufficient orals and titrating dosing. And here, we have a medicine that can be dosed monthly. We've seen efficacy in chronic rate management by monthly. We've recently described maintenance approach using quarterly dosing. This is just the new paradigm in the management of diabetes. We've shared the major insights at JPMorgan from the Phase II type 2 diabetes study, which is ongoing. There are additional parts to this trial. It's importantly given us an experience with low BMI patients and also seeing A1c across the dose range. And so the robust findings of this trial position us very well to start to pursue Phase III clinical investigation. The specific design of these studies, control arms and the patients recruited will be a subject for a future engagement.
Our next question comes from Chris Schott from JPMorgan.
Just another MariTide question and just on the topic of less frequent than monthly dosing. It certainly seems like there could be a trade-off here where even more infrequent dosing would obviously be a huge benefit even if it was associated with a bit less weight loss. I guess so as you think about just pushing the program beyond monthly, what profile do you think you'd need to see for that to have a role in the market? Are there minimum efficacy bars you're looking at? And just in general, what is your confidence about the ability to push this beyond monthly?
Okay. That's an interesting question. Murdo, do you want to take a shot at what we think we see in the marketplace and why we believe MariTide has the potential to address what is emerging as a very large unmet need in the field.
Yes, I'll make a few comments here, Bob. Thanks for the opportunity. I think it's pretty clear as we look at the market as it exists today, that there's dissatisfaction with the weekly GLP-1s. And I think you can actually see that in a fairly dramatic way with the advent of oral sema and how rapidly it's been taken up in the market. That tells you that clearly, patients and prescribers are looking for other opportunities. Now what I like is the opportunity that we have to deliver -- what has been mentioned a couple of times in this call as a paradigm-changing therapy. And that's the ability to come into a weekly market bring a monthly therapy that can achieve similar weight loss in a very well-tolerated regimen. And then for those patients who achieve their weight goal for them to convert to every 8 weeks or every 12-week dosing regimen to maintain that weight and/or the metabolic benefits of their therapy. And I think that's a pretty compelling offering. I think that we're targeting that kind of profile, and we'll have multiple ways of generating data to that effect.
Chris, maybe we have Jay just address the piece as well. Go ahead.
Yes, Chris, thanks for the question. If you don't mind, I'm going to reject part of the premise of your question. This idea of less frequent dosing being an absolute trade-off for efficacy. We're not certain that we will see that. Having observed the large majority of patients maintaining weight on low dose and on quarterly dosing. In the field of obesity, they call this a defended fat mass and the capacity to avoid weight regain is a sign that the reset of body weight has been achieved. We have seen with all medicines to date, dose-ranging effects on weight loss. And here, we might expect to see schedule ranging effects on weight loss that would be individualized for patients. And so I wouldn't necessarily assume that we'll see a big trade-off with less frequent dosing of maritime.
Our next question comes from Umer Raffat from Evercore ISI.
I'm really, really lost today. I'm trying to figure out what happened all of a sudden why did FDA decide to ask you to pull the [ ChemoCentryx ] drug? Was there some litigation or some correspondent -- like what prompted it in the first place? And then if I dig in a little more specifically, they're saying that 9 patients need to be readjudicated. Is that referring to the primary endpoint on week 26 remission or the week 52 sustained remission I asked because the week 26 endpoint was not inferior anyway. So even if you re-adjudicate those, it's still not inferior. So I'm just really lost today.
Okay. Well, Jay, you've addressed the question. You may want to just start at the high auto to remind people what TAVNEOS is say a few words about the disease that it addresses. It's obviously a very small product in our portfolio relative to the other things we have going on. But it may be a medicine that's less familiar to most of our colors.
Yes, sure. Thanks, Umer. And just by way of background then. ANCA-associated vasculitis is a group of very serious, rare and destructive inflammatory illnesses that targets blood vessels and can, therefore, damage via organs like kidney, lung, skin, nerves, even heart. On the prior treatment paradigm for TAVNEOS was quite toxic, cyclophosphamide chemotherapy with azafioprine and rituximab, accompanied by long-term steroid use and chronic use of steroids proved very common, but also very challenging, hypoglycemia, lipodystrophy, bone health, mood disorders, immune suppression and then enter TAVNEOS. This is an oral complement Factor Xa receptor blocker, and so it blocks complement-mediated destruction.
We acquired TAVNEOS from ChemoCentryx in 2022 after we've been on the market for a year. Based on approval for the ADVOCATE Phase III study that you referenced as published in the New England Journal. This established the efficacy of TAVNEOS over prednisone steroid tapering for sustained remission out to 52 weeks when it was added to induction therapy with at that time, standard of care, rituximab and cyclophosphamide. As we shared, the FDA requested a voluntary withdrawal in January 16 we were surprised by this, there were concerns raised by the process followed by ChemoCentryx to re-adjudicate primary endpoint results for 9 of the 331 patients. And we're in discussions with FDA, and we'll answer questions as we talk with them.
Our next question comes from Alex Hammond from Wolfe Research.
So you did a strong quarter with Hale. I guess, how do you kind of expect to maintain this leadership position when other manufacturers launch their biosimilars in the second half of the year. I guess essentially, can you kind of help level site growth expectations for this year?
Well, obviously, we're not giving guidance on an individual product, Alexandria. But Murdo, go ahead and talk a little bit about the strong performance that we've observed so far with our biosimilar [indiscernible].
Yes. I think what we've been able to do thus far is establish good inroads with the largest national retina specialist networks. And I think what I would say is they tend to want to pick a product that they know allows them to manage their patients effectively. We think we've got a great device that helps them do that. We obviously are competing effectively against the innovator. And given that we have a lot of biosimilar experience, we'll compete effectively when others enter the market whenever that may be.
Okay. We'll take 1 last question as we're right up against the bottom of the 30-minute mark here or the hour. So why don't we take 1 last question? And then as always, Casey and his team will be around to answer questions if we didn't get to you on this call. Julian, last question.
Our last question will come from Courtney Breen from Bernstein.
I am going to bounce you back to MariTide. And just as we think about maintenance and that kind of less frequent dosing opportunity, can you describe how you might think about the role of this product in the market? Is it only post MariTide white loss? Or how should we be thinking about kind of that switching opportunity and the type of data that you might demonstrate for that positioning over time.
I can imagine there's probably a lot of interest in that. Murdo, do you want to share any thoughts at this point?
Well, thanks, Courtney. Obviously, we think we've got -- as has been said now many times, and I'll repeat it again, a product that changes the paradigm of weight loss diabetes, ASCVD, heart failure management. And we see it as both an effective product to start patients on to get to wait goal and also for patients who receive the medical benefit of their treatment need to be on these therapies for multiple years. This opportunity for MariTide profile to deliver a convenient, well-tolerated efficacious regimen that could be monthly, could be every 8 weeks and could be quarterly. We think that's really exciting. And then, of course, as you hinted that, there may be patients out there on other therapies that want to switch to something as convenient and as well tolerated as MariTide. So -- the answer is all of the above.
Okay. So again, thank you all for your interest. I appreciate you joining our call. Just reiterate if we didn't get to you, please reach out directly to Casey and his team. In the meanwhile, I hope we've left you confident about the momentum that we're carrying into 2026. And again, I would just reiterate that we're excited about the year that we have in prospect here. A year, which, as Peter has described, we view as a springboard to the future growth here at Amgen. So excited about the hand that we have and look forward to sharing with you during the course of the year. Thank you.
This concludes our Amgen Q4 2025 Earnings Conference Call. You may now disconnect.
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Amgen — Q4 2025 Earnings Call
Amgen — Q4 2025 Earnings Call
📊 Quartal auf einen Blick
- Umsatzwachstum: 2025 deutlich zweistellig, Management nennt für das Jahr eine organische Sales-Steigerung von rund 10%.
- Blockbuster: 14 Produkte >$1 Mrd. Umsatz; 13 Produkte mit zweistelligem Wachstum, 18 Produkte mit Rekordverkäufen.
- Repatha: +36% YoY, mehr als $3 Mrd. Umsatz in 2025.
- Marge: Non‑GAAP‑Betriebsmarge 46% für 2025.
- Cashflow: Free Cash Flow $8,1 Mrd.; Non‑GAAP R&D $7,2 Mrd. (↑22%).
🎯 Was das Management sagt
- Six Growth Drivers: Fokus auf Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, Rare Disease, innovative Onkologie (BiTEs) und Biosimilars als Treiber für 2026 und darüber hinaus.
- MariTide‑Strategie: Breite Entwicklung über Adipositas, T2D, CV und Schlafapnoe; Positionierung als monatliche (oder seltener) Alternative mit guter Verträglichkeit zur Verbesserung der Therapietreue.
- Disziplin & Technologie: Weiterer Ausbau von AI in Forschung, Fertigung und Vertrieb; gezielte Kapitalinvestitionen zur Skalierung der Produktion.
🔭 Ausblick & Guidance
- Umsatz 2026: $37,0–38,4 Mrd.
- EPS (Non‑GAAP): $21,60–23,00.
- Marge & Kosten: Ziel Non‑GAAP‑Operative Marge ~45–46% (als Anteil der Produktumsätze); Non‑GAAP R&D soll moderat wachsen.
- Kapitalallokation: CapEx ≈ $2,6 Mrd.; Aktienrückkäufe ≤ $3 Mrd.; Non‑GAAP Steuerquote 16–17,5%.
- Kurzfristiges Risiko: Q1‑Saisonalität (Versicherungswechsel) und etwa $250 Mio. Inventaraufbau können Q1‑Wachstum dämpfen (erwartet mittlere einstellige Rückgang YoY Q1).
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- MariTide: Hauptfokus auf Dosierungsfrequenz (monatlich vs. alle 8–12 Wochen), Positionierung als Ersttherapie vs. Wechseloption und Mindest‑Efficacy‑Bars für selteneres Dosieren.
- Repatha & Wettbewerb: Nachfrage nach Primärprävention nach VESALIUS‑CV; Diskussion um Marktreaktion auf mögliche orale PCSK9‑Angriffe und Beibehaltung der Formulary‑Zugänge.
- Rare Drugs & Regulierung: UPLIZNA‑Expansion (gMG, IgG4) und Pläne für CIDP/Autoimmun‑Indikationen; Unsicherheit zu TAVNEOS wegen FDA‑Dialog über Re‑Adjudikation einiger Patientenfälle.
⚡ Bottom Line
- Fazit: Amgen liefert 2025 ein breites, wachsendes Portfolio und spricht 2026 mit klaren Umsatz‑ und EPS‑Zielen an. Pipeline‑Kandidaten (MariTide, olpasiran, BiTEs, UPLIZNA) sind langfristige Chancen; kurzfristig bleiben Biosimilar‑Druck (Denosumab), Q1‑Saisonalität und einzelne regulatorische Unsicherheiten Beobachtungspunkte für Aktionäre.
Amgen — 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
1. Question Answer
So good afternoon, everybody. I'm Chris Schott from JPMorgan. And it's my pleasure to be introducing Amgen today. From the company, we have Chairman and CEO, Bob Bradway. Bob, Happy New Year, and thanks for joining us today.
Looking forward to the presentation. We're going to do a presentation on stage, and we'll do a breakout to a Q&A session after that. So, over to you, Bob.
Okay. Very good. Thank you, Chris, and good afternoon, everyone. It's wonderful to see you here and a pleasure to kick off 2026 with all of you. And we're excited about 2026 at Amgen. We're see this as a springboard year for us with quite a lot of exciting in particular clinical data being generated at Amgen in 2026.
So let me jump straight in. You're familiar with the elements of our safe harbor. But just briefly, for those of you who perhaps don't know Amgen as well as some others, let me just point out that we are active in the 4 general therapeutic areas that you see represented here, and in particular, focused on addressing the diseases, where the unmet medical need remains high, such as those that you see on this slide.
And we address these diseases with first-in-class, best-in-class innovative medicines like those shown on this slide as well as our branded biosimilars. And off the back of these products over the course of the last decade, we've delivered very consistent revenue and earnings growth, as you see reflected on this slide.
And we've done that with a number of high potential products delivering growth throughout this period as -- as well as products that are in areas that remain underpenetrated, creating significant ongoing opportunity for growth. So while growing the top line, we've also, I think, established our reputation for rigorous operating and financial discipline, enabling us to deliver earnings growth, as you can see here, well in excess of revenue growth.
Now before turning to 2026, I just thought I might spend a moment to summarize for you where we were, how we performed in 2025. And I thought I might start by reminding you of what we said at this time last year and then pointing out what we did during the course of the year. So a year ago, we told you, you should expect us to deliver attractive financial performance and over the course of the year through the 9 months that we've reported already in 2025, we grew revenues by 10%, paced by the 14 blockbuster products that we feature at Amgen today.
We delivered 14% earnings per share growth. So we said we would deliver financial growth, and that's exactly what we did. We also said that we would expect to generate regulatory approvals across a number of different programs. And again, that's exactly what we did in 2025 with 5 successful FDA approvals.
We said that we were enthusiastic about the prospects for MariTide and would rapidly enter into Phase III clinical development with that program. And we have indeed initiated 6 Phase III programs for MariTide over the course of the past year.
Repatha is a core growth driver for us, addressing as it does, the largest contributor to public health problems on the planet. In particular cardiovascular disease and we said we were excited to demonstrate the benefit of Repatha in primary prevention, which is precisely what we did with the Vesalius data in 2025 demonstrating, for example, the 36% reduction in the risk of a heart attack for those who had never had a previous heart attack.
So really impressive ongoing performance clinically for Repatha. Biosimilars has been a feature of Amgen's business since 2018, and we said that you should expect growth of that franchise in 2025, and we reported 42% year-over-year sales growth for that part of our business through the first 9 months.
And then finally, we said that we would expect off the back of our very strong cash flow generation to strengthen the balance sheet and once more, that's just what we did in 2025, paying down more than $6 billion in debt.
Our outlook for 2026 is colored by our excitement and belief in the 6 growth drivers that you see on this slide, in particular, the 3 products, Repatha, EVENITY and TEZSPIRE each of which, again, still underpenetrated medicines that are innovative therapies that provide a very large clinical benefit for patients that are suffering from the challenging diseases reflected there with heart disease, for Repatha, osteoporosis and bone health disorders for EVENITY and of course, severe asthma for TEZSPIRE.
In addition to those 3 products, we have 3 portfolios that offer attractive growth in '26 and through the end of the decade. Our rare disease business, our innovative oncology business and our biosimilars business, and I'll talk a little bit about each of those in just a moment. But before I do, I wanted to just spend a few more moments with our on Repatha, EVENITY and TEZSPIRE.
Again, Repatha is a product that's performing very well. It was annualizing at about $3 billion at the end of the third quarter. It was growing as you see on the slide, 33% over the course of the year and is a product, which now especially after the sharing of the data from the Vesalius trial is well positioned to grow through the end of the decade.
There are more than 100 million people around the world who are at risk of heart attack or another major adverse cardiac event because of the fact that their LDL levels are too high. And the penetration thus far of that body of patients has been in single percentage digits. So there's considerable opportunity for us to improve public health by reaching more and more patients, who are at risk of heart attack or stroke with Repatha.
EVENITY, again, continued its track record of strong growth, up by more than 30%. And of course, this is a therapy which has proven to be very effective in women, who are at high risk of an osteoporotic fracture. And there are 2 million such women in the United States. And again, the penetration of this population of patients also remains relatively limited.
So considerable opportunity for us to grow EVENITY by reaching more and more of those women, who are at risk of a life-changing fracture that could be prevented with a therapy like EVENITY. And then TEZSPIRE, another attractive product, innovative, first-in-class, only in class medicine that addresses the needs of patients that have severe or uncontrolled asthma.
In addition, to what we've seen in asthma, we demonstrated in a Phase III clinical trial, very, very compelling results for patients that suffer from chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. And so that adds another important opportunity and gives us further encouragement about the prospects that we might see from the study that's underway in COPD and another study as well that's underway in eosinophilic esophagitis.
So TEZSPIRE is performing very well and has all the hallmarks of a medicine that will go on and make a big difference for many, many patients in a number of different important diseases, where the unmet medical needs remain very high. Now alongside these brands, we have a very important franchise in rare disease and our rare disease portfolio approached $5 billion last year and is a business that was, again, growing very attractively during the course of the year.
These products are still at an early stage of their life cycle. And I think that is most clearly illustrated by UPLIZNA, which was the leading brand for the treatment of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder at the start of the year. And during the course of the year, we gained approvals for 2 other autoimmune conditions, 1 known as IgG4 related disease and the other, of course, is in myasthenia gravis.
And we're very encouraged by the early uptake from prescribers and patients for UPLIZNA in IgG4 and also very optimistic about what this medicine can represent for patients that are suffering from generalized myasthenia gravis. So that's a good example of how we expect to be able to grow our rare disease franchise by expanding into new indications with efficacious biologics like UPLIZNA.
Innovation, of course, is a hallmark of our rare disease business, but it's also a hallmark of our oncology business. And in oncology, in particular, the innovation associated with Amgen, which is our bispecific T-cell engaging franchise had a very strong year in 2025 and encourages us about the outlook for 2026 and the decade beyond.
I would, of course, highlight in that regard IMDELLTRA, which is a medicine for small cell lung cancer, a bispecific T-cell engaging medicine for small cell lung cancer. And in small cell lung cancer, IMDELLTRA very quickly established itself as a standard of care in second line or later therapies.
And we are in clinical development now seeking to move IMDELLTRA into earlier lines of therapy and very encouraged about the Phase I data that we've seen in those settings and very encouraged about what this medicine might represent for small cell lung cancer patients, who went decades without any real meaningful innovation on their behalf.
Of course, BLINCYTO is the medicine that inspired us to have such confidence in IMDELLTRA. And BLINCYTO is, of course, the standard of care in first-line B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, where we've demonstrated spectacular benefit for patients, including those whose disease was refractory -- refractory and recurrent -- so that's the standard on which we have based our other T-cell engaging therapies and we, for example, are very encouraged about the early data that we see in prostate cancer with a medicine that we call Zaluridamig, which is the first and only of its kind, addressing a target that is prevalent on prostate cancer patients known as STEAP1. So that's a program that's in Phase III -- II Phase III trials now. And again, we're excited to see what we might be able to do on behalf of patients with that new approach.
I want to shift gears to our biosimilar portfolio. And again, here, I would point out that in addition to noting that our business grew 42% last year in this area. It may be lost on some of you that this franchise now, which we first entered in 2018 has contributed about $13 billion of revenues for us overall.
So $3 billion annualized through the first 9 months of 2025 and an aggregate $13 billion contribution to Amgen, since we entered that area. And I think, again, it nicely illustrates our skill at providing complex biologics across a large number of patients globally.
On the next slide, I just simply included on 1 page the summary of the products that give us reason to believe that 2026 and the rest of the decade will be years of exciting growth for Amgen. And again, I think the characteristic of that growth for us will be medicines that have a large effect size where the unmet medical need remains very, very significant.
Now shifting away from our in-line brands to our pipeline. I would point out here as well that we're very excited about the deep and broad pipeline that we have, and we believe that the pipeline of Phase III programs, which are shown here, will pace the next wave of growth for Amgen. You can see, of course, that we're very active in general medicine with -- 2 medicines that are attracting a great deal of interest in 2026.
1 is Olpasiran, which is directed against Lp(a), which, again, we all believe to be a residual risk factor in cardiovascular disease, and we're excited to be able to see data there in the future on that franchise and from that Phase III trial. And then, of course, MariTide, which is our differentiated approach to obesity, diabetes and obesity-related conditions.
In inflammation and rare disease, we would expect to continue building on our established platforms and the way I described a moment ago with TEZSPIRE and UPLIZNA. We have enjoyed decades of leadership in inflammation and increasingly now in rare disease, and we're excited about the prospects there. And of course, as I've briefly already discussed, we expect some exciting results from our clinical data in oncology as well in 2026.
With respect to MariTide, let me just point out that our confidence continues to build in MariTide and our belief that MariTide can represent a new paradigm in the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes and obesity-related conditions is high, and that confidence is underscored by our belief that we compare strong efficacy with the potential for monthly or even less frequent dosing.
And that approach offers a clear path to long-term maintenance. And we think that, that will offer a very compelling combination for patients, prescribers and payers. And so again, we believe that we have a differentiated approach, and that conviction is the catalyst behind our rapidly enrolling 6 Phase III studies.
I should point out that in addition to those 6 Phase III studies, we expect as well that we will soon begin a Phase III program in type 2 diabetes. Now I think as we're all increasingly aware, the today's injectable in treatment therapies have set a high efficacy bar. But the real world experience, I think, reinforces challenges.
In particular, we continue to see meaningful treatment discontinuation and I think what that discontinuation highlights is some of the disadvantages of the dosing frequency and treatment burden that exists with existing medicines. And in an area like this where persistence is everything because, of course, it's sustained treatment that drives sustained outcomes, we think MariTide is really well suited to the challenge.
So I would also point out that our newest Phase II data strengthens our belief in the story in 2 particular ways. First, in chronic weight management. We've seen that lower monthly dosing or even quarterly dosing can maintain weight loss and do that while sustaining the cardiometabolic benefits that we saw in the Part 1 of the Phase II data.
And I would also point out that in the second year of treatment, we observed that nausea and vomiting rates were very low indeed, supporting our conviction that this is a medicine that will have a favorable maintenance profile.
In type 2 diabetes, we're particularly excited. And again, our data here support our conviction that this medicine, MariTide has the potential to be an efficacious monthly treatment which has been a long-standing goal for the field in type 2 diabetes. So again, stepping back, we think MariTide has the potential to expand what's possible, particularly as it relates to durability and treatment convenience over the long term.
I'll include some data here, I won't go through these slides, but again, I would simply reiterate that we believe that this medicine has the potential to be the first of its kind, which is a monthly treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes, and that's based on the data that we've seen that leads us to believe we can achieve robust and meaningful reduction in both HbA1c and weight with monthly MariTide based on, again, the first 24 weeks of that Phase II study.
The safety and tolerability in this setting of patients, again, is very consistent with what we've observed in general for the GLP-1 class. And we were really encouraged by the favorable improvement in cardiometabolic parameters for these patients. And then in chronic weight management, again, I would simply underscore that -- we have reason to believe there are many ways to win, when it comes to maintenance therapy with MariTide through either lower dosing or less frequent dosing and in particular, quarterly dosing, which we studied in that Phase II trial.
Moving off the pipeline to other areas of focus for us at Amgen. I would point out that we continue to be very excited about where we see opportunity to innovate and in particular, where we see opportunity to incorporate technology and artificial intelligence in ways that are enabling us to do our business better day in and day out. And we're finding that across all of the platforms of our company.
When it comes to capital allocation, capital allocation at Amgen is something we think about proactively, not reactively. Our focus is on investing in innovation, internal and external innovation, also investing in manufacturing, which we consider to be a source of competitive advantage at Amgen. We have throughout our history, invested in manufacturing in order to be able to reliably safely supply complex large molecules to patients all around the world, and we will continue to do that in line with our, kind of, stated and announced capacity expansion plans.
And then we have, again, the benefit of a strong balance sheet and strong cash flows to enable us to invest in both our most attractive internal and external innovation, and we will continue to do that. I thought I might just highlight 2 recent early-stage deals that might have escaped your attention.
I highlight these in the case of dark blue, because it's an example of something that we expect to see more of. This is a greater technology, in this case, applied to cancer target. But -- you've heard us talk through the years about our conviction that the field of what we call inducible proximity platforms is opening a number of new opportunities for us, and this is an example of that from a business development transaction that we undertook a few weeks ago.
And then I also wanted to highlight Disco, it too is an early-stage collaboration, but noteworthy because, again, we have made a commitment with our bispecific T-cell engaging to identifying cell surface antigens of relevance to that approach to treating disease, and we're excited about the collaboration with Disco for what it represents in that regard.
So to sum up, as we enter 2026, again, we're excited to find ourselves with multiple high potential products that we think are still an attractive early stage in their life cycle. We enjoy a leadership position in a number of important disease areas, where the unmet medical need remains very high. We've demonstrated our ability to grow consistently through time, including through patent exploration, which as many of you know, is not something that's common.
In fact, it's very rare in our industry. We've done it before, and we expect to do it again. And again, we've achieved that on the back of the strong innovative products that we have, the timely biosimilars and, of course, the rigorous operating and financial discipline that we've developed at the company. So we're excited about 2026 and the outlook for the long term, and I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Chris, you can bring that presentation down? Or do I need to click.
Yes, they'll throw it down. So yes...
We'll leave. I'll give you a second to come over here.
Thank you. Excellent. Well, maybe we'll -- I'll let you settle in there for a second. We'll kick off the conversation with obesity, probably no surprises there. Can you just help us set the stage initially in terms of your latest thinking around the broader obesity market and how that's going to evolve over time as we think about things like price, cash pay versus reimbursed business and just as you think about where Amgen is going to end up fitting into that landscape as it evolves?
Well, I think, again, what we see is that the medicines are working. They're working in ways that perhaps were not expected. They're working in ways that the patients, prescribers and payers can see. And so the good news is what we're witnessing globally is that medicines that make a big difference for patients that are struggling with diseases like obesity and have a very attractive, bright future. And we expect to be part of that bright future.
So whether it's through cash pay or whether it's through reimbursed product offerings or a combination of both. We think that this is an area that makes sense for us as a company and, importantly, makes sense for society. I think that, again, the data here will become compellingly clear over time that preventing and treating disease like obesity and the related conditions and maintaining control over type 2 diabetes in the way that we think can be done with a medicine like MariTide is in society's interest.
I think we can prevent and forestall a lot of the kind of chronic disease, which today is a cause of such difficulty for the health care systems in the United States and all around the world. So it's an exciting time, Chris, for us. And I hope for the field.
Yes. Great. Touching based on the Part 2 data that you highlighted today. Maybe first, any additional color you can provide on tolerability. It sounds like...
As I said, these the medicine, as we hoped and expected would be very well tolerated in the second year, and that's what we observed. So we have seen that when patients reach the target dose, the medicine performs very well and patients don't seem to have the kind of disruptions that perhaps the weeklies are causing them.
So we also know and we expect to continue to see that lower doses and that stepping through lower doses to target dose improves tolerability. And so again, we'll seek to demonstrate that in Phase III clinical development.
Great. And maybe a similar question on the weight maintenance data, as you think about the different arms. So you think about monthly versus quarterly any just directional color? Were those similar levels of weight loss or?
Well, again, we'll get into the details when we have the Phase III data. But what I would say is that the Phase II chronic weight management data that we have, which were designed -- the part 2 of the study was designed to be qualitative in nature to be informative to help us think through the Phase III development program. I would say that the data, again, underscore our reason for having confidence -- high confidence in this medicine both in an induction setting.
So getting patients to lose a meaningful amount of weight, but then also in maintaining that weight loss. And so the way I would characterize it, Chris, is we think there are many ways for patients to win with MariTide in many ways from lower dosing to less frequent dosing. And again, I think it was broadly understood that we would look at the quarter -- question of quarterly and we did look at the question of quarterly dosing, and we think that's going to be 1 of the many ways that patients might be able to win with MariTide.
And based on this data, should we expect any changes or additions to that Phase III program? Or is this largely consistent?
No. It's largely consistent with what we had expected. I confirm for you that we are moving forward in type 2 diabetes with again, what will be the first of its kind, a monthly or less frequent treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes. So we're very excited about that. And I think you should expect that we will continue to look for ways to differentiate and to identify patients that will benefit from a medicine with the kind of durability profile and tolerability -- long-term tolerability profile that we expect from MariTide.
On that type 2 diabetes opportunity, the monthly is unique. Just how do you think about approaching that market where maybe the GLP-1s are a little bit more entrenched and established versus obesity. Is that -- is that a more challenging market to go after, just given the state of development or...
Well, I think the good news with type 2 diabetes is that the clinical community is alert to the importance of treating these patients and preventing them from going on to develop the long-term complications of chronic type 2 diabetes. And I think again, the good news is the clinicians and the patients and the payers have for some time been hoping for a longer-acting medicine than those which are available.
And based on what we've seen, we think we have that longer acting alternative now for patients. So I think those who want to manage their disease with something other than a weekly injection. Those who want to manage it, for example, with a monthly or less frequent injection will, for the first time ever have that option available to them.
So we're excited, again, to get those Phase III data and then to let prescribers and patients and payers see the data and figure out for which patients and in what settings this represents an improvement over what's available today.
Great. Maybe 1 last one. You've kicked off a number of Phase III programs. Just talk about how quickly these have enrolled and how we think about that implies for...
Well, again, I think that's a subjective question, but subjectively, we're excited by how rapidly they've enrolled. So we had expectations for what we might be able to do. And what I would say is we're on track with what our ambitious expectations were for enrollment. And again, I think that gives us confidence that the physicians, who are enrolling patients in this see the ongoing unmet medical need and see the potential attractions of MariTide.
Great. I know there's been a lot of focus on MariTide and it's highlighted here. The rest of the pipeline -- what are you most excited about? Because I know it's a growing number of assets that are in late-stage development. But if you were to highlight a couple of what were the ones...
Well, again, I think the way to perhaps think about it is in the general categories that I referred to. So we have in general medicine in addition to MariTide, Olpasiran. That's a medicine that reduces by 95% to 100%. The thing that is considered the residual risk factor in cardiovascular disease. So for those who perhaps aren't as familiar with it, the notion is that 1 in 5 people are at high risk of heart disease and in particular, heart attack because they have high levels of what's called Lp(a).
And Lp(a) is not something you can modify with exercise or diet. Unfortunately, it's a genetic attribute and other therapies don't meaningfully move that needle. So we have 1 that lowers it 95% to 100% is dosed quarterly. And we think if it demonstrates that it can meaningfully reduce cardiac events, that's going to be a very, very important development for the field.
So we're excited about that. And Obviously, when you look at the other 3 areas, in inflam, as I mentioned a moment ago, we're building on the established presence that we have in that field. And Olpasiran is represents an example of what we're looking to do. So Olpasiran is our medicine that deletes immune cells that are a cause of autoimmune disease, and we now have approval in 3 different disease areas, and we will continue to look for other disease areas, where we think that by depleting these so-called B cells, we can help prevent patients from suffering the long-term consequences of their autoimmune disorders. So a lot to be excited about there.
Obviously, TEZSPIRE has performed beautifully. Every clinical study of TEZSPIRE has reflected the potential of that anti-inflammatory medicine, again, first-in-class unique medicine. So I know clinicians and patients are excited to see the COPD data they looked good in Phase II, but we need to see in Phase III, whether we can achieve what we did in an earlier trial.
And then, of course, Sinopec esophagitis. So there's an awful lot to get your arms around. And again, just in Phase III alone at Amgen, we have quite a bit going on. I think if you're a cancer specialist, you're probably watching with great interest to see what we can do with early-stage patients with small cell lung cancer. I think, again, that will be a great day for the industry and certainly a great day for Amgen and for patients, if we're able to show that in early lines of therapy, we can prevent this what has most often been a death sentence from being that.
So again, it was possible with BLINCYTO in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. We'd love to see that repeated in small cell lung cancer and even in prostate cancer. But I think that in terms of the next big chunk of data, small cell lung cancer is probably the area, where we'll have data most quickly.
Great. Can I go back to Lp(a). We looked at Repatha. It took a few years. We've obviously got a ton of momentum going -- should I think about Lp(a) being a market that will take some -- also some time to develop? Or is this 1 that just because of the characteristics and lack of alternatives could evolve a lot faster?
Well, I think it's one that certainly needs to develop a lot faster for the benefit of those patients that have this risk. If you think about atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, it really wasn't until a medicine like Repatha, which was able to so profoundly lower the LDL that became possible to talk about meaningfully preventing first events in the way that we did with Repatha where, again, we showed a 36% reduction in first heart attack by taking patients that were otherwise considered to be on an optimized therapy of statins plus other agents.
Even for those patients, we could reduce by 36% the risk of heart attack. And so that gave and gives, I think, people to hope that maybe we can take those diseases, which are the leading killers of people on the planet and begin to relegate them to some other status. Like maybe this is no longer needs to be the disease we all fear the way many of us grew up fearing it. But the residual piece of that is, we believe, is Lp(a). So if -- if that residual piece falls in a clinical trial that's able to demonstrate, we can prevent events by lowering this LP(a), there clearly will be a bolus of patients, who know that because of the family history and other events that they may have had prematurely that they are at risk. And I would hope that they won't delay in going on treatment.
So we'll have to see, Chris. Let's look at the data. Let's see how loudly the data speak the case for the medicine. But there's no question there will be a lot of attention paid when those data become available.
Excellent. Latest in terms of when we'll see that? Any updates there?
Well, this is an event-based trial. So we're tracking events and we'll see, it's unlikely to be this year, but sometime next year, we should know. And in the meanwhile, we'll continue to execute that trial and do our very best to make sure that we gather all the information needed so that when we have the prescribed number of events in hand, we can see what the answer is.
And maybe a final 1 on this, just differentiation for Olpasiran versus competition. How are you thinking about that?
Well, again, we think we have the most efficacious agent, 95% to 100% reduction of Lp(a). So if reducing Lp(a) in adulthood is sufficient to prevent cardiac events, we should see it. And we think we have a convenient dosing regimen with quarterly dosing. So -- we think it's a medicine that's really well suited to the patient population that's at risk of this disease. And we think the -- again, the medicine is really well suited to answer the clinical question, which is can you reduce events by reducing LP(a)?
Great. On the end market portfolio, there's a couple of quick questions there. First, EVENITY. What's allowed for this really rapid ramp and uptick of that drug? And I kind of think of this as like a slower growth category. This is obviously top in the case here...
I think I would perhaps point out a few things. First, EVENITY is the most potent bone-building agent ever studied in the clinic. So this is a medicine that's used for women who are at a very high risk of osteoporotic fracture. Of course, the fastest-growing segment of our population are women that are postmenopausal and therefore, at high risk of osteoporotic fractures. So we have a demographic wave, which is leading to there being more and more women that are at risk of these osteoporotic fractures.
And again, we have a medicine that has demonstrated itself to be very, very effective in preventing those catastrophic fractures. I say catastrophic, I think it's sometimes lost on us in society that north of 25% of the women, who fall and fracture a hip in the postmenopausal after menopause, die within the 12 months after that event. And so especially for those women, who could have avoided such a fracture by protecting their skeleton with a medicine like EVENITY, there's an urgency to treat.
So the good news is the medicine has demonstrated its safety and efficacy profile. And I think the market is speaking, the market finds that to be an attractive safety and efficacy profile.
On UPLIZNA, can you talk a little bit about the new indications and how you're thinking about kind of those developing as we think about the next year or 2?
Yes. So again, UPLIZNA is a medicine that deletes a subset of immune cells that cause autoimmune diseases. That's the basis of its first approval, which is in NMOSD, which is, again, a very debilitating autoimmune disorder, where UPLIZNA is the leading biologic prescribed for the treatment of that disease. It was approved last year for, again, IgG4-related disease, which is, again, a really devastating disorder in which the cells of the immune system attack organs in the body, creating flares and long-term chronic conditions that can be really devastating for patients.
So -- it's a disease that didn't get its diagnostic code until 2023. So it's not all that well known in the physician and clinical community. Fortunately, the patient groups are increasingly well organized and well informed, and we're working hard with them to try to educate prescribers and physicians what to look for.
And I think 1 of the things we have observed is we're surprised by the range of physicians who are seeing these patients. And so on the 1 hand, that's a challenge for us because we need to educate perhaps a broader range of physicians than if it were the case that it was a simple specialty that's seeing these patients. But I think, again, it illustrates the opportunity, which is that there may be more patients that are suffering from this disorder than we thought.
So we want to do our level best to help educate the clinical community and again, those patients. So that if they have this condition, they can benefit from UPLIZNA, which profoundly reduces the risk of a flare. And then in December, the FDA approved UPLIZNA, again for generalized myasthenia gravis. And I think there are a couple of things that are notable in that disease first, the therapy works across both classes of gMG patients.
So there are some medicines that only work for 1 of the groups of patients that suffer from myasthenia gravis. We have the benefit of working across the full spectrum of those patients. We have a very convenient dosing regimen for those patients. And the clinical data suggests a deep and durable and even perhaps deepening response over time. So this is an area, again, where we expect both to benefit from the churn that occurs in this community clinically, but also expect to be prescribed for a number of patients who are encountering therapy for the first time.
So UPLIZNA is again, proving to be a very attractive medicine in the way that we thought it would be when we acquired it now several years ago. And I think it's a medicine that plays really well to the strengths of Amgen, which are particularly in the area of large molecule biologics and unraveling novel biology like that, which we're doing with UPLIZNA.
Excellent. I think we're out of time. So Bob, I really appreciate the comment.
Thank you -- thank you much.
Appreciate it.
Thank you all.
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Amgen — 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
Amgen — 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
📣 Kernbotschaft
- Kern: Management betrachtet 2026 als "springboard" — Jahr mit vielen klinischen Readouts. MariTide (monatliche/vierteljährliche Dosierung) steht im Mittelpunkt als möglicher Differenzierer. Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, Rare, Oncology und Biosimilars liefern Cash zur Finanzierung von F&E, Fertigungsausbau und selektiven Kooperationen.
🎯 Strategische Highlights
- MariTide: Sechs gestartete Phase‑III‑Programme; Anfang eines eigenen Phase‑III‑Programms in Typ‑2‑Diabetes; Phase‑II‑Part‑2 zeigt Erhalt von Gewichtsverlust bei monatlicher/vierteljährlicher Dosierung und niedrige Übelkeitsraten im 2. Jahr.
- Repatha: Weiteres Wachstumspotenzial nach Vesalius‑Daten (36% Reduktion erster Herzinfarkt); geringe Penetration in Zielpopulation bietet Upside.
- Biosimilars: Starkes Wachstum (42% YoY in 2025 bis Q3); seit Markteintritt ~$13 Mrd. kumulierte Umsätze; stabile Cash‑Quelle.
- Onkologie: Bispezifische Programme (IMDELLTRA) etablieren sich, Verschiebung in frühere Therapielinien läuft; Zaluridamig in Prostata‑Phase‑III.
🔍 Neue Informationen
- Pipeline‑Update: Keine explizite Änderung der Finanz‑Guidance; Fokus bleibt auf datengetriebener Wertschöpfung. MariTide‑Phase‑III läuft wie geplant; Typ‑2‑Diabetes‑Programm angekündigt.
- Olpasiran: Event‑gesteuerte Studie; Lesbarkeit der Endpunkte wird voraussichtlich nicht in 2026 erfolgen, Zielauslese "sometime next year" (ereignisabhängig).
- BD & Tech: Zwei frühe Kooperationsdeals (induzierbare Proximity‑Plattform, Disco) und Betonung von KI sowie Fertigungsinvestitionen als Wettbewerbsvorteil.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- MariTide‑Toleranz: Nachfrage zur Verträglichkeit und ob niedrigere oder seltener dosierte Erhaltungsregime vergleichbare Wirksamkeit liefern — Management verweist auf positive Phase‑II‑Signale, Details warten auf Phase‑III.
- Enrollment: Tempo der Phase‑III‑Rekrutierung — Management beschreibt Einschreibung als "on track" und zügig, was als positives Signal für Interesse gilt.
- Olpasiran‑Timing: Wann mit einem Ereignis‑Readout zu rechnen ist und wie sich Olpasiran gegenüber Konkurrenz differenziert (95–100% Lp(a)‑Senkung, vierteljährliche Dosis).
⚡ Bottom Line
- Bewertung: Präsentation ist daten‑ und pipelineorientiert: positives Risiko‑Ertragsprofil, falls MariTide, Olpasiran oder Onkologie‑Readouts überzeugen. Stabile Cash‑generierung durch Kernprodukte und Biosimilars reduziert kurzfristiges Finanzrisiko. Hauptrisiken: klinische Outcomes, Marktzugang/Pricing und erfolgreiche Kommerzialisierung neuer Indikationen.
Amgen — Citi Annual Global Healthcare Conference 2025
1. Question Answer
Citi - 2025 Global Healthcare Conference. So my name is Geoff Meacham. I'm the senior biopharma analyst. I have Jarwei Fang with me from my team as well. So we're thrilled to have Amgen with us today. We have a couple of folks here. We have Peter Griffith, EVP and CFO. We have Kave Niksefat, Senior VP, Global Marketing and Access; and then Casey Capparelli from the IR team. So guys, welcome. Thanks for joining us.
Thank you, Geoff. Thanks for having us.
So I guess, Peter, we'll start off with you just with respect to the trends this year. You've had some standouts. It doesn't look like the denosumab headwinds were as bad as people originally thought. It looks like Repatha is still growing very nicely. So how do you kind of look at the momentum going into '26 on the back of these trends sort of extrapolatable to '26.
Good. Thank you, Geoff. Great to be here. And I would introduce our colleague Omari Wise, our Treasurers in the audience, too. So we brought the full team, here for Citi.
And maybe what I'll do is I'll answer a little bit of that question and then flip it over to Kave. And then Casey's got a quick add on R&D, just to kind of kick things off a little bit, if we could, would be fantastic.
Look, we've got good momentum in the business. So to answer your question, 10% revenue growth through the first 9 months of the year, and that is inclusive of 11% product sales growth, driven by 14% volume growth. What I would also add is in the third quarter, we had 12% revenue growth, driven by 14% volume growth also. My point being is the volume growth is very strong, and that's been our strategy since about 2019 when prices started declining in the industry, net prices and we adopted a really a volume-driven growth strategy. So that's going well this year. It means more patients are getting more medicine.
We continue to invest in innovation and science at Amgen and our capital allocation hierarchy enabling longer, healthier lives. And we also have a strong long-term growth outlook that's driven by the four therapeutic areas and the breadth and the depth in those four therapeutic areas.
So we think we've got a strong foundation and good momentum this year. Geoff, as you point out, we're encouraged by momentum in the business. We're encouraged by momentum in the pipeline. We feel great about that. And Casey can explain a little bit more about that. But so far, so good, strong debt paydown on the debt we took down in connection with the Horizon acquisition. We're delighted to be in rare disease, Kave will fill you in on that.
Our capital allocation hierarchy that I mentioned before, continues to be strong. And we spend where we should. And this year, Geoff, in addition to a strong performance on the top line, we're investing in the business. So 31% up year-over-year in the third quarter in non-GAAP research and development. We had roughly $200 million of business development in that third quarter. So without that, we're about 19% up, still a strong allocation of capital innovation. Our guide for the year in non-GAAP R&D you're familiar with is in the mid-20 percentages. So we continue to do what we want to do, which is work on innovation. And having said that, Kave, I'll flip it over to you for maybe a drive by on the in-market portfolio, which is doing so well.
Yes. Thanks, Peter. As Peter mentioned, we've got six major growth drivers that we have in hand. The first three address major public health concerns. So starting with Repatha, we've had 30% year-over-year growth over the first 9 months of the year, and we have recently shared the VESALIUS-CV primary prevention data in hand that will drive our continued growth going forward.
There's over 100 million patients in the world that have uncontrolled LDL-C. Penetration rates of PCSK9 therapy remain quite low, which offers plenty of opportunity for future growth.
Moving on to EVENITY. It also had 30% growth year-over-year with particular strength in the U.S. and Japan. In the U.S., we've got a 60% share of the bone builder market with EVENITY. But over 90% of the 2 million women who are at very high risk of fracture still are untreated today, again, leaving ample room for growth going forward.
Finally, TEZSPIRE grew 50% year-over-year in 2025, and we've now achieved $1 billion of sales within the U.S. within this year in severe asthma. We recently got approval for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and have ongoing Phase III trials in COPD and eosinophilic esophagitis, which will continue to add to the growth story.
Moving on to our fourth growth driver, rare disease. We're now annualizing at close to $5 billion a year and grew 12% year-over-year. This is a very young portfolio of four products UPLIZNA, TEPEZZA, KRYSTEXXA and TAVNEOS. UPLIZNA has grown 50% year-over-year on the back of a strong launch in IgG4-related disease and continued strength in NMOSD. And we've got an upcoming PDUFA date on December 14 in generalized Myasthenia Gravis, which we expect will continue to drive the growth of UPLIZNA going forward.
Innovative oncology has grown 11% year-over-year on the back of our bispecific T-cell engagers, BLINCYTO and IMDELLTRA. IMDELLTRA has now become the standard of care in second-line small cell lung cancer, with over 1,400 sites of care, both in the academic and community setting, now leveraging the product in the United States. We've got ongoing Phase III trials to extend IMDELLTRA's impact to earlier lines of therapy. And then finally, our biosimilar portfolio grew 40% year-over-year is now annualizing at roughly $3 billion.
Since its inception in 2018, the biosimilar portfolio has produced $13 billion of cumulative revenues. PAVBLU in particular, continues to gain traction as the only approved biosimilar to EYLEA. So with that, those are our six major growth drivers in the in-line portfolio, I'll turn it over to Casey for a drive by on the pipeline.
Yes. Perfect. Thanks, Kave. And just one clarification on TEZSPIRE 50% growth year-over-year through the third quarter?
Correct.
Shifting gears though to the pipeline. So Repatha. Kave mentioned the VESALIUS Phase III study, and that's an outcome study in high-risk patients without -- who have yet to have a cardiovascular event. Repatha when added to optimized lipid-lowering therapy, reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in this population by 25% and reduce the risk of heart attack by 36%. And really remarkable results that we're quite well received by the field, and we think provide a lot of momentum for Repatha going into the primary care setting.
If we shift gears to MariTide, MariTide is rapidly advancing in Phase III. We have six global Phase III studies underway, two in chronic weight management that are both fully enrolled. Additional studies in cardiovascular disease, heart failure and obstructive sleep apnea are also progressing very well.
Turning to Part 2 of the Phase II study as well as the Type 2 diabetes Phase II study for MariTide, we're working through the data for both of those studies and expect to provide an update in the new year.
If we stick in general medicine, but move to another product, olpasiran, that's Lp(a) targeting siRNA molecule also in Phase III development. We continue to have strong conviction behind olpasiran in and its potential to reduce cardiovascular risk by reducing Lp(a) another way to further reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in those individuals that have elevated Lp(a).
As Kave mentioned in IMDELLTRA, advancing in Phase III studies. We presented some very impressive data earlier this year, demonstrating almost a doubling of survival relative to existing standard of care through Phase Ib studies in frontline and also in the frontline maintenance setting of small cell lung cancer. So really impressive data there. We have ongoing Phase III studies in those settings that we're really hopeful will demonstrate a benefit for patients.
And then lastly, to round out our bispecific T-cell engagers that are continuing clinical development. We have xaluritamig, which is in Phase III in prostate cancer. Two studies ongoing and enrolling well as well as additional Phase I studies underway where we're exploring xaluritamig in earlier stages of prostate cancer, similar to how we've approached IMDELLTRA going late stage first and then looking to advance the program into earlier-stage settings. So with that, Geoff, we'll turn it back to you.
Yes. Perfect. That's a great background, guys. Thank you. I guess we'll have a couple of commercial questions and some pipeline questions, but maybe we'll still keep it a bit higher level. Peter, from a policy perspective. I know some companies have announced the agreements with the administration on manufacturing and all the MFN kind of stuff. Where is Amgen as of now with respect to that? Talk a little bit about capital allocation priorities with regard to kind of internal versus external too in that context?
Good. Let me cover the capital allocation internal and external, Geoff and how we're contextualizing that and then I'll turn it over to Kave, who's been on point for us for a lot of the activities in Washington, D.C.
And so when we think about capital allocation internally and externally, you're all familiar with Amgen in the sense that our #1 capital allocation priority is innovation, the best innovation, whether it's internal or external. So in the environment we're in, Geoff, and we think about the tailwinds of demographics and so forth going forward. Innovation is more important than ever. The world needs more innovation, not less. So we're continuing to put our #1 allocation to that.
I mentioned research and development and how we are allocating that this year, mid-20 percentages year-over-year to R&D. We did say at the end of the third quarter, that while we had a bit of a step change in R&D from '24 to '25, because MariTide six global studies, as Casey referred to, are up and running, we wanted to make sure everybody understood we don't expect the same type of step change going forward because that's a big number. So we've got xaluritamig. We've got olpasiran. We've got MariTide Phase III, if you go back to -- we wrapped up VESALIUS and Repatha and studies in rocatinlimab and benralizumab and so forth. So that's -- we still have an increase in R&D or we're thinking about continuing to allocation rather is a better way to say it into R&D in an important way in '26.
And externally, it's a great question. We had roughly $200 million in some business development activities in the third quarter. We think it's a great opportunity and a great time to make sure we're on alert, which we always are. We've always got a wide aperture in terms of business development, structurally agnostic as to what we do, size, we're agnostic. And so we'll continue to keep that open and see what's out there. We have kept it open actually even during the period after we acquired Horizon. We've just got high standards now. And so we're careful about where we allocate capital.
And so that's how we're thinking about capital allocation internally and externally. I would just say internally, too, it goes without saying we've got a capital expenditure guide of $2.2 billion to $2.3 billion this year that we're locking down and finishing up. We've made some announcements. I think is as you've noted, in North Carolina, Ohio and continuing to build on to those facilities to make sure that we have a network capacity that's optimized. And certainly, for all of our products with 14% volume growth we need to. And so we allocate capital to that. And of course, that includes thinking ahead over the coverage of the earth to MariTide and that coming along. So that's capital allocation, Kave. Maybe it'd be great to get an update on how we're thinking about the activities in Washington and so forth.
Yes. So Geoff, just as we have in prior administrations, we're engaging heavily with this administration. We're obviously in receipt of the President's letter. From July, we've seen the deal announcements that have been made by other companies along with the generous demo. I would say, overall, we've had positive relations with this government going back to the first administration where we announced the 60% list price reduction on Repatha, the first time around. Following the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we've invested over $40 billion of capital in both manufacturing and R&D in the U.S. and have largely a U.S.-based manufacturing network today. And of course, a few months ago, we announced the introduction of Amgen Now, our direct-to-consumer program, the first offering of Repatha at $2.39 a month, lowest price in the developed world overall. .
What we're continuing to engage and have productive conversations, nothing to announce at this point other than we continue to have these productive discussions and appreciate the President's goals of trying to increase affordability for patients out of pocket in the U.S. and making sure that foreign nations are paying their fair share for the innovation that we bring.
Let me follow that up, Kave, with the recent announcement on GLP-1 as of a month ago. So you guys have, I think, what, eight Phase III, eight or nine Phase IIIs for MariTide in the obesity diabetes space. So how does sort of the pricing volume assumptions in that, does that inform kind of your long-term investments in MariTide as you look forward.
Super quick clarification. I think we're six, the three at this point that have been announced. It's a great question, Geoff. I'd say that Amgen has a long history of being able to navigate the pricing and in the U.S. and highly competitive categories going back to inflammation and our original product there, ENBREL. I'd say, overall, we have expected pricing to evolve in the marketplace that would go along with additional demand generation and what's been spelled out from the administration and the current companies thus far is in line with our expectations going forward. And so we remain very confident and very excited about the MariTide opportunity and look to continue to expand the market, which while large today continues to be underpenetrated with a new monthly or less frequent option.
And maybe earlier, you highlighted some of the growth drivers that are in the portfolio path EVENITY being a few of them. And obviously, with Amgen Now highlighting a direct-to-consumer access for Repatha, maybe just thinking about how do you see that evolving with MariTide potentially coming into play as well? Is that going to become more of an important driver for you guys going forward? Or is the current form of increased access or innovative access models pretty set for the time being?
Yes. I think, look, it's premature at this point to talk about access models for MariTide, especially in such a competitive environment. But I do think Repatha offers a good Amgen blueprint for how we can access large populations from an access driven growth perspective. We've got coverage on nearly 100% of formularies at this point. 95% of Medicare patients pay a low fixed co-pay for the product, generally $50 or less, less than $2 a day. And then in the commercial market, we've got 50% of patients that no longer face a prior authorization for Repatha and, of course, continues to be very affordable with our co-pay card $15 a month.
The addition of the direct-to-patient option opens up access for those folks that are not insured or for specifically patients who cannot get access to Repatha in their insurance construct for their intended use. For instance, primary prevention or primary hyperlipidemia and open that channel up in a meaningful way. It also gives us experience for direct-to-patient options in the future, would we expand that to other products.
So I believe this will be an important attribute going forward. Obviously, in the existing obesity space, it is a very important attribute. Having said that, we still believe that patients with these serious diseases should be covered by their insurance and should be able to access these medicines within the co-pay constructs that are available in their insurance marketplace.
Can I just follow that up, Kave. So Amgen Now, some companies have rolled out more of a consumer portal, if you will. And I wasn't sure if the timing of the Amgen Now is sort of in kind of in response to maybe the industry doing more of a consumer-facing or if it was more related to, say, let's preload the market MariTide and then maybe other products going forward? Or maybe it's probably a combination of both.
Yes. I'd say it's a combination of all of the other Geoff. I think we had long been contemplating a direct-to-patient option for Repatha knowing that some patients still could not access the product through their insurance or directly. The way we've implemented this is primarily with partners such as GoodRx to make sure that it was available at the local pharmacy rather than direct from a portal. But I think there's an experience set there that will benefit us on multiple products going forward.
That makes sense. And then maybe I know we'll talk more about commercial later, but I just wanted to touch real quick on biosimilar headwinds and offsets. I mean, for Q3, the erosion for denosumab really wasn't quite as bad as many anticipated. So maybe just give us a sense of how expectations should be said looking forward, and then also just as offsets to the erosion, you kind of touched upon assets from the Horizon portfolio and with the upcoming PDUFA for UPLIZNA coming up as well. How will that further lever up UPLIZNA's momentum and help offset the erosion on the P&L.
Yes. So let's start with denosumab. So we had biosimilar entry in the U.S. earlier this year. At this point, we've got four biosimilars that have entered the U.S. market for Prolia and XGEVA. And progression of the competitive dynamics to date have pretty much been exactly in line with how we expected. And a reminder, that expectation was built on our experience of being in the biosimilar marketplace either defending against biosimilars or launching biosimilars ourselves for the last 10 years. .
Looking forward, we expect the competitive intensity to increase as additional competitors enter the market. And therefore, we would expect that Prolia and XGEVA revenues will decline as that competitive intensity increases.
Having said that, as we've shared before, we expect different erosion curves for XGEVA versus Prolia. That's because XGEVA operates in the oncology space, which is highly consolidated and has a lot of experience with biosimilars. There's analogs available, both from Amgen and others in that space. Prolia, on the other hand, is administered by a large variety of HCPs, many of whom do not have large consolidated practices or biosimilars experience with biosimilars previously.
In addition, I'd like to remind everyone, we also have EVENITY in the bone space. EVENITY grew 30% year-over-year last year. And differentiated from Prolia, EVENITY build bone, Prolia maintains the bone that is built. Therefore, the products are complementary. We continue to promote EVENITY to the bone marketplace, including all of the HCPs that are in bone health. And as part of that, we also continue to support Prolia with those physicians. And so we expect those erosion curves to look different going forward, but obviously, more intensive competition increase.
Now to offset that, we would look to all six of the growth drivers I discussed earlier. So Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE continue to grow going forward in those underpenetrated markets. Rare disease continues to grow, especially for UPLIZNA with increased use in IgG4, which has only been on the market now for about 6 to 8 months and myasthenia gravis going forward. in addition to innovative oncology led by IMDELLTRA and BLINCYTO and then finally, our biosimilar portfolio. So we see all of those continuing to grow to give us a good springboard for 2026 and beyond.
Can I just ask maybe on the rare disease success with Horizon, right? So you guys historically have not been in rare disease. And so -- but you've done a number of deals, CHEMOCENTRYX is another one. that really has grown your portfolio in quite a dramatic way. Would you think about like BD or sort of strategies for external growth where does rare stack up kind of in the priority? Do you feel like you have more commercial capacity to add more assets? There are just a lot -- it's a ton more and rarer than there are in other but they're sort of niche or kind of verticals?
Right? I think that's a great question, Geoff. We -- as I said earlier, BD, we keep the aperture open I think you make a really good point is -- we are really glad we're in rare. I think Amgen was made for rare. We have a lot of the rare diseases. They're autoimmune-related and Amgen has just terrific research in that area. I think Kave, correct me if I'm wrong, I think technically BLINCYTO was a rare drug at one point. Correct.
And I think one of the first couple of drugs at Amgen many, many decades ago was filed as a rare I don't want to say which one, EPO or NEUPO. But long story short, we talked a lot about getting into rare. So going forward, we -- there's opportunities there to interrogate we're very interested in. We think it's worked out really, really well. We're so happy with our colleagues that came over from the Horizon team. Thank you. And so we're very pleased with that. And we'll continue to keep that aperture wide open and rare.
As you know, there's -- in the earlier stage companies, not just in rare but a little more widely, there's quite there's quite a bit available right now. There's opportunities for companies like Amgen to go and we're structurally agnostic, licensing, collaborations, partnerships, acquisitions, all of the above. So we're always thinking about that. We'll continue to think about that.
Kave, are those products easier to manage from a market access reimbursement perspective, fewer competitors, but sometimes like it's a much higher price point.
Yes. I would say, in general, in the U.S., rare disease has got lower levels of management than broader diseases overall outside the U.S. There are some incentives available from a market access perspective that can bring those forward. But look, we've built some really nice capabilities for go-to-market on rare disease. And to Peter's point, we're quite confident those capabilities can be applied to additional diseases going forward.
Okay. So I know we have a lot of questions, but it's important to touch upon some of the pipeline stuff that you guys have cooking. And maybe, Casey, I wanted to come back to a point you made earlier, which was on Mirati's Phase II Part 2. Expectations previously were for data in year-end '25. And as you mentioned, we can expect that now in 2026. Just wanted to get a sense of maybe what led to the timing change? And then maybe you'll help remind us what can we expect from the data? And what might you present in.
Sure. So to take the timing question. As I said in my remarks, we're working through the data for both the type 2 diabetes study as well as Part 2 of the Phase II study with MariTide and we'll expect an update in the new year, really nothing more to say beyond that. With respect to Part 2 of the Phase II study, it's principally a maintenance study. And the reason for that is severalfold. One, following Part I or 52 weeks of treatment individuals that had lost 15% or more of their body weight, we're eligible to continue into Part 2. Rough over 90% of individuals offered that opportunity decided to move forward and participate, which we feel is a good vote confidence for wanting to receive a second year of MariTide treatment.
All of those individuals were then rerandomized based upon where they were in Part I of the study into new arms of Part 2. And that includes both individuals with and without type 2 diabetes that participated in Part I. So you get a little bit of a mixed population and then you have obviously, a subset of the individuals in Part I that moved into Part 2.
Because of that, the study is more descriptive in nature. It wasn't designed to drive comparisons of weight loss between the various arms of the study. it will certainly teach us more about MariTide. It will teach us more about what happens after 52 weeks of MariTide treatment if you move to a lower monthly dose or if you move to a quarterly dose if you stop MariTide treatment and move to placebo, but those findings will help to inform our planning. But as I said, weren't designed necessarily to provide a lot of exquisite detail trying to differentiate between those various arms.
Casey, I just ask a quick follow-up on that. So the dosing and strategy in Part 2 is fully captured in the ongoing Phase III, so right?
So the ongoing Phase IIIs are what I would call initial treatment with MariTide. So were you go through a 3-step dose escalation to a target dose and then you receive MariTide out through 72 weeks. The difference with Part 2 is it will help us to think about MariTide in the maintenance setting. So after you've lost in this case, in Part 2, 15% or more of your weight -- is there an opportunity to maintain that weight loss with MariTide and it will inform how we think about other aspects of Mirati's profile in addition to what the ongoing Phase IIIs are exploring.
And as you get the full data from Part 2 and you have a better idea of the maintenance opportunity. Do you think then you'll -- will that be the tipping point? So okay, let's go after more indications maybe outside of obesity diabetes in terms of the number of trials?
Yes. I would say we're constantly watching the field. I mean it's remarkable the number of obesity-related co-morbid diseases. And so we're in heart failure. We're pursuing obstructive sleep apnea, looking at an outcome study in cardiovascular disease. We'll see where the field and where data that we generate leads us and I would say more to come there. If we see an opportunity to invest and meaningfully benefit patients with MariTide we'll look to do that.
And maybe just to expand on some of the opportunities beyond obesity. You mentioned some comorbidities. But there is a presentation at CTAD that will come later today, and I think a lot of the community is going to be focused a lot on and that's in Alzheimer's disease. And given MariTide potential for long-term dosing potential, could there be an opportunity for MariTide being investigated in Alzheimer's disease?
Yes, Jarwei, it's a good question. It's I'd come back to what I said before. We'll watch how the field evolves. And if we do see an opportunity to benefit patients with MariTide outside of where we're currently focused, we'll think about whether to pursue that opportunity or not. It's early days in obesity-related clinical research. And I think we and the field will learn a lot more in the coming years, and we'll look to make the right moves if the opportunity presents itself.
Sorry, maybe just on a clarification point. I'd imagine that the label that you guys would pursue for MariTide would be for chronic weight management. And that may be a specific label for weight maintenance might not be necessary. However, knowing that would a dedicated weight management study for a Phase III, would that be needed in order to fully elucidate data using the dosing levels in the Phase III?
It's a good question. It's something that we're obviously talking about internally will be informed by ongoing work that we're doing with MariTide and more to come there.
Moving down the pipeline, and there's a ton there. So that's a good place to be. So on olpasiran, I know you guys have -- you don't have meaningful large-scale Phase III data for a few more years. But obviously, the Novartis data point we're going to get on Lp(a) in 1Q. Does that inform again your -- the pace of investment or the addition of newer trials for Lp(a)? Or are you guys sort of set the stage and then we'll see what happens in 1Q, but I mean I wasn't sure if Amgen is going to react or I don't think Lilly is either, but based on the initial cut of the Novartis data.
I think we and the field will be interested in seeing data from the first Phase III study with driving reduction of Lp(a). There's some differences between Amgen's molecule and others. We have a molecule that reduces LP(a) levels, roughly 95% to 100%. We have a molecule that is dosed every 12 weeks on a quarterly basis. We also have a Phase III study that enrolled a higher-risk population than some other trials with its Lp(a) cutoff. So we'll be watching eagerly. But I think we'll also be considering olpasiran attributes as we think about data that others may generate.
Well-powered study with 7,300 patients.
Yes. Casey, we really appreciate you going to some of the -- highlighting some of the differences between the trial that you guys are running in Novartis. One of the major differences in our view is the difference in the MACE endpoints, right, where you guys are targeting MACE 3 versus Novartis MACE 4. So Casey, for you, maybe just help remind investors what that means for level of success or confidence you guys have. And then Kave, for you, given the long-term -- the extended dosing potential of olpasiran, what does that mean for market access and perhaps adoption in that front?
Yes, maybe just the context. So the endpoint of our Phase III secondary prevention study is a make does not include stroke as one of the endpoints. The reason for that is when we reviewed epidemiology data of where Lp(a) drives the most significant amount of risk. Stroke came out lower and therefore, we've focused our study on those endpoints where we feel Lp(a) will be driving the greatest risk. We'll have to see how that plays out, obviously, in Phase III. So more to come there, but we're stewards of the data and really look to let the data help us understand where to focus our efforts.
Yes. And so for olpasiran to the point, we do believe we have a highly differentiated molecule with again, Lp(a) knockdown of 95% to 100% that will differentiate it from some of the competition the quarterly self-administered dose, we think, will be a meaningful increase in convenience to patients. And so the combination of what we expect to be the greater efficacy and the greater level of convenience we believe, gives us a very competitive profile going into launch.
Great. And then -- so maybe looking into other areas in your pipeline. Inflammation that you mentioned that test buyer is doing fantastically well. But then also you have rocatinlimab in atopic dermatitis. And so maybe just, give a sense of how are you envisioning positioning of all of these inflammatory assets across type 2 and non-type 2 biology and how can these data help inform optimizing trial designs.
Yes. So let's start with TEZSPIRE. So TEZSPIRE targets TSLP. TSLP is very high in the immune cascade. And we showed in the asthma trials that, that enables us to treat all different archetypes of patients irrespective of eosinophilic levels or allergic levels of their asthma overall, the first and only product to be able to hit all six individual patient segments that are there ongoing studies in COPD and EoE and recent approval in nasal polyps. So we see a long runway for TEZSPIRE, had the pleasure of launching the product in 2021. And the product is performing fantastically in the marketplace with great adoption among allergists and pulmonologists and we're really seeing the polyps data being an additional catalyst for growth.
In terms of rocatinlimab, we now have all eight Phase III trials in hand. We're evaluating the totality of that data in a very competitive atopic dermatitis market. and we'll have further discussions and announcements regarding filing plans in due course.
Kave, I wanted to ask you on switching products. So IMDELLTRA, help us with kind of what you're seeing in the real world and the launch in small cell lung cancer. It's been a pretty good trajectory, but I want to get kind of the drivers and the durability of that, and then we get maybe into some economics of the asset.
Sure. So we've had a really strong launch for IMDELLTRA, both in the U.S. and as we mentioned earlier in the year, Japan now as well. Going -- coming online in the U.S., 1,400 sites of care are now online and using the product as we look going forward with the new NCCN guidance to makes it the most preferred second-line therapy out there really comes down to blocking and tackling to activate additional sites in order to access the additional second-line patients that are out there, while continuing to expand through clinical trials into earlier lines of therapy where we have larger patient populations and would expect a longer duration of therapy in those earlier lines. So very positive launch thus far, continued data that we see, we see inflections with every new data readout that we put out.
And remind us of the timing of the first line and the next kind of data cards to kind of turn over?
Yes. So Casey...
Yes, those are event-driven trials, Geoff. So the -- one of our studies, DeLLphi-305 is fully enrolled, and we're watching event rates, and then we have others that are continuing to enroll patients. as I was mentioning, both of those two of our Phase III studies are in extensive stage small cell lung cancer in the frontline setting, one in frontline maintenance in combination with the PD-1, one in a true frontline setting in combination with the PD-L1 and chemotherapy. And we're excited about both of those based upon some of the really positive Phase Ib data that we presented this past fall at WCLC and ESMO. So we think it bodes well for those Phase III trials. But we're obviously monitoring event rates, and we'll have more to say when we anticipate data from those studies in due course.
And maybe a reminder, those Phase Ib trials when they read out both roughly double overall survival versus standard of care that's documented in the marketplace.
Right. So you have built in interim analyses on these? Or are they just straight...
Yes. We're just watching event rates at this point in time. So I would say more to come there. .
And just the last one on that, just when you think about the revenue sharing component on that, does that sort of change how you invest in the product beyond these two first-line studies. Do you look at this as just sort of as a small cell franchise? Or is there a mechanism proof that you can move beyond that?
I would say from an investment perspective, we're exploring IMDELLTRA fully in small cell lung cancer. The two studies that I mentioned in extensive stage, we have a the study in limited stage small cell lung cancer, a Phase III study that's also underway. And we're thinking about is the utility in other tumors that express DLL3, in addition to small cell lung cancer. So we're quite confident in the asset for the reasons that you heard from all of us and look forward to generating more data.
I would just add, Geoff, that IMDELLTRA, as Kave said, is life changing for these patients with small cell lung cancer, just a devastating disease. So this is exactly -- Amgen is made for these moments. We want to back that up with the capital to explore what we can do to help patients in all aspects of that disease. That's a really important medicine to patients. So it's an important medicine to Amgen.
Awesome. Guys, thank you very much. Appreciate the time.
Thank you.
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Amgen — Citi Annual Global Healthcare Conference 2025
Amgen — Citi Annual Global Healthcare Conference 2025
📣 Kernbotschaft
- Momentum: Amgen betont starkes Umsatz- und Volumenwachstum (10% Umsatzwachstum über 9 Monate; 11% Produktumsatz; 14% Volumen) und positioniert sich mit sechs Wachstums‑treibern, einem großen Rare‑Disease-Portfolio und einem umfangreichen Late‑stage‑Pipeline‑Programm für weiteres Wachstum.
🎯 Strategische Highlights
- Wachstumsfokus: Volumengesteuerte Strategie seit 2019 zeigt Wirkung; Kerntreiber: Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, Rare Disease, innovative Onkologie, Biosimilars.
- Kapitalallokation: Nummer‑1 Priorität ist Innovation; non‑GAAP R&D steigt stark (Q3 +31% YoY; Jahresguide weiterhin mittlere 20er‑Prozentpunkte).
- Marktzugang: Direkter Kanal "Amgen Now" (Repatha angeboten bei $2.39/Monat) zur Ergänzung klassischer Erstattungswege.
🔍 Neue Informationen
- Operativ: Q3: 12% Umsatzwachstum (14% Volumen). CapEx‑Leitplanke $2.2–2.3 Mrd. für das Jahr.
- Pipeline‑Updates: MariTide: Phase‑III‑Programme laufen; Part‑2/Typ‑2‑Diabetes‑Updates werden erst 2026 erwartet. Olpasiran: Phase‑III (≈7.300 Patienten) mit hoher Lp(a)‑Reduktion (95–100%) und vierteljährlicher Dosierung.
- Regulatorisch: UPLIZNA PDUFA‑Termin für generalisierte Myasthenia gravis im Transkript als 14. Dezember genannt.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- Politik & Preis: Nachfrage zu Gesprächen mit US‑Regierung (MFN/Preisvereinbarungen); Management sagt aktive Dialoge, aber keine Vereinbarungen zu verkünden.
- MariTide‑Economics: Fragen zu Preis‑/Volumenannahmen und Zugangsmodellen; Amgen verweist auf Erfahrungen aus konkurrierenden Märkten und signalisiert Flexibilität.
- Biosimilarrisiken: Prolia/ XGEVA: moderater bis zunehmender Erosionsdruck erwartet; unterschiedliche Erosionskurven zwischen Onkologie (XGEVA) und breiterer Anwendung (Prolia).
⚡ Bottom Line
- Fazit: Amgen präsentiert ein diversifiziertes Wachstumsprofil mit robusten aktuellen Zahlen, substantiellem R&D‑Einsatz und mehreren potenziellen Umsatztreibern, die Biosimilar‑Erosion teilweise kompensieren können. Hauptrisiken bleiben wettbewerbsgetriebene Preis‑/Erosionsdynamik und regulatorische/politische Unsicherheiten.
Amgen — Evercore 8th Annual Healthcare Conference
1. Question Answer
Very excited to have Amgen management with us. I'll let you guys kick things off and we'll jump right in.
Great. Umer, thank you so much for inviting us. Again, we're always pleased to be here with you and with Evercore.
At Amgen, you know our mission. Our mission is to discover, develop, manufacture and deliver innovative first-in-class and/or best-in-class medicines to patients with serious illnesses all over the world. So we're glad to be here today.
We continue to invest in innovation and science that enables longer, healthier lives with a strong long-term growth outlook driven by breadth and depth across our 4 therapeutic areas. We're entering the final stretch of the year. I think we can say that since it's December 3, with great momentum across the business.
We delivered 10% revenue growth through the first 9 months ending in September, inclusive of 11% product sales growth, and that was driven by 14% volume growth. And for the first 9 months of the year, we had 12 products growing double digits and 14 products annualizing at greater than $1 billion. I would note too, in the third quarter, we had 16 products with double-digit growth over the prior year. So strong momentum.
We've got a strong foundation going forward. We are successfully working through the DMAb full year of competition we're going to face on Prolia and XGEVA. We continue to fund our pipeline. We're excited about that. Casey will share with us some updates on the pipeline, and we're excited about that and other potential medicines that are coming in the pipeline that contribute to that momentum.
As we said in February on our fourth quarter call, we expected our growth drivers to be Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, our innovative oncology portfolio, our rare disease portfolio and biosimilars. And we've been able to do what we said we would do, which is, have those drive the momentum of the company. And Kave will share more with you on those.
So we're encouraged by the momentum in the business. You know we've paid our debt down to where we said we would relative to the acquisition from Horizon about a quarter early in the third quarter.
Our capital allocation continues to remain consistent. We allocate first to innovation, the best innovation internally and externally. And our current guide for research and development year-over-year is in the mid-20s percentage year-over-year. So we're executing and putting our spend where we believe it should be, which is in innovation.
So with that, I will turn it over to Kave, and he'll give you an update on what's happening in the end market portfolio. And Casey will give you a couple of quick thoughts on the pipeline, and then we'll be back to Umer for some Q&A.
Perfect. Thanks, Peter. Three of our innovative growth brands are addressing major public health challenges. Beginning with Repatha, which has grown over 30% year-over-year in the first 9 months of 2025 and is now annualizing at almost $3 billion, supported by broad U.S. access.
As you'll hear from Casey in a moment, we have compelling data from the VESALIUS-CV cardiovascular outcomes trial further reinforces the urgency to treat with Repatha. With nearly 100 million patients still not at their LDL-C goal globally, we're excited about the potential to reach additional patients.
Moving on to EVENITY, which has delivered 30% year-over-year growth in the first 9 months of 2025 with continued strength in both the U.S. and Japan. In the U.S., EVENITY leads the bone builder segment with over 60% market share, yet roughly 90% of the 2 million women at very high risk of fracture remain untreated, providing significant future runway.
Third, TEZSPIRE grew nearly 50% year-over-year in the first 9 months of 2025 and has exceeded $1 billion year-to-date, given -- driven by strong performance in severe asthma. The recently approved indication in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, along with ongoing Phase III programs in COPD and eosinophilic esophagitis position TEZSPIRE for additional potential growth across several disease areas.
Moving on to our rare disease portfolio, now annualizing at almost $5 billion per year, grew 12% year-over-year in the first 9 months of 2025. The rare disease portfolio is driven by 4 products early in their life cycle, including UPLIZNA, TEPEZZA, KRYSTEXXA and TAVNIUS.
UPLIZNA delivered over 50% growth in the first 9 months of 2025, supported by a strong U.S. launch in IgG4-related disease and continued momentum in NMOSD. We remain excited about UPLIZNA's potential in generalized myasthenia gravis with launch preparation well underway in advance of a December 14 PDUFA date.
Our innovative oncology business grew 11% year-over-year in the first 9 months of 2025, led by our bispecific T-cell engagers, IMDELLTRA and BLINCYTO.
IMDELLTRA has rapidly become the standard of care in second-line small cell lung cancer with adoption across more than 1,400 sites of care in both the community and academic setting. We expect that IMDELLTRA's recent full approval in the U.S. in the second-line setting, along with multiple Phase III studies in earlier lines of small cell lung cancer will continue to drive growth.
Finally, our biosimilars portfolio grew over 40% year-over-year in the first 9 months of 2025 and is now annualizing at roughly $3 billion, with nearly $13 billion in cumulative sales since its inception in 2018. PAVBLU, in particular, continues to gain traction as the only approved biosimilar of EYLEA.
Let me turn it over to Casey to briefly discuss our pipeline.
Thanks, Kave. Thanks, Peter. Maybe we'll start with Repatha. So we're extremely excited by the results of the VESALIUS Phase III outcomes study. This is a study in high-risk patients without a cardiovascular event. Repatha when added to optimized lipid-lowering therapy reduced the risk of cardiovascular events by 25% and the risk of heart attack by 36%, truly remarkable results on a background of optimized lipid-lowering therapy. These findings reinforce the urgent need to treat patients with elevated risk and inadequately controlled LDL-C with Repatha.
Sticking with general medicine, MariTide is rapidly advancing with 6 global Phase III studies underway. Our 2 chronic weight management studies are fully enrolled. We have Phase III studies in cardiovascular disease, heart failure and obstructive sleep apnea that are all progressing very well.
Turning to Part 2 of the Phase II study and the type 2 diabetes Phase II study for MariTide. We are working through the data for both studies and expect to provide an update in the new year.
Shifting gears to another molecule in our general medicine portfolio. We have strong conviction with olpasiran, our Lp(a) lowering therapy. That is in Phase III development and continuing to progress very well.
As Kave mentioned, we have IMDELLTRA rapidly advancing in Phase III studies, where we've seen impressive survival benefit in recently reported Phase Ib results in the frontline setting and in the frontline maintenance setting in small cell lung cancer.
And then lastly in xaluritamig, our STEAP1-targeting bispecific T-cell engagers in Phase III with 2 studies progressing well. We also have a number of Phase I studies that we're exploring xaluritamig in earlier stages of prostate cancer, and we're excited about the potential of xaluritamig, our third bispecific T-cell engager to be progressing into later-stage development.
With that, Peter, I'll turn it to you, and then Umer.
Great. Umer, we'd love to turn it over to you. I would note just there at the end on that bispecific T-cell engager, we've got BLINCYTO in acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but IMDELLTRA was the first BiTE that was very effective and is doing really well against the common solid tumor. So we're extremely excited about what might happen with xaluritamig there.
So Umer, over to you.
Excellent. Peter, I think one of the philosophies on the Amgen side has been especially around February that the initial round of guidance will come in somewhat conservative, and then you look the year play out. And I think that formula has worked very well, candidly, for Amgen over many, many years.
I guess the one question I have is, as I look at some of the consensus numbers over the next few years, the amount of revenue change modeled into next year is less than what we've had in the past or what Street expect going forward? And part of that is some of the year-over-year impact of the bone franchise as well.
I guess how are you sort of setting the stage for how we should think about Amgen into next year, knowing that there are some pushes and pulls. There are some launches, which need spend, but also then there are some expiries that you're working with as well.
No. Thanks for the question, Umer. And I'll invite Kave to jump in a moment, too. But I think I would look to what I mentioned about the beginning of the year. So the 6 growth drivers that we've spoken about all year long, we've been very consistent on this. Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, Kave shared with us, those are up over 30% year-over-year in the first 9 months. Innovative oncology portfolio up around double digits year-over-year. And again, kind of the anchor there, BLINCYTO has been doing well and IMDELLTRA is now growing very, very well in the innovative onc portfolio.
Let's move over to rare. Rare now annualizing up around $5 billion, as Kave shared with us, and I think double-digit growth year-over-year. And so we continue to be very excited about what we see in rare and some opportunities there. As we talked about with UPLIZNA, we've got a PDUFA date coming up on December 14 for gMG.
And then finally, 6 is the biosimilars. So $3 million is what we're annualizing at right now on the biosimilars for 2025, $13 billion since inception for the biosimilars. We continue to think that's a very strong allocation of capital for us. And we've said it's not dilutive to our margins. And so we're excited about what we have going on.
Those 6 growth drivers continue -- we continue to be consistent on that. What we guided in February, it's been good momentum in those. And so we're excited about that. And so when we kind of think about what we have going into '26, we feel good about it. And so we continue to think our volume growth, 14% through the 9 months and 14% in the third quarter. So when we think about that, that's our network optimization, Umer, and what we need to do there.
We've spent a lot of time on that. We've raised our CapEx guide up to $2.2 billion to $2.3 billion for 2025 to respond to capacity needs, including MariTide going forward. So we're taking all the steps we need to take to be prepared to move forward with our revenue expectations over the coming years.
Kave?
Yes, Umer, maybe I'll address your point on the bone franchise in particular. So we did see earlier this year, biosimilars to both Prolia and XGEVA enter the U.S. We now have 4 on the market. It remains to be early days, but thus far, the impact and competitive dynamics are pretty much exactly in line with our expectations, and those expectations are built on over 10 years of experience both competing against and with biosimilars in the marketplace.
And the expectation is you see a little more erosion on XGEVA, a little less so on Prolia given the infrastructure. Is that still consistent?
That is still consistent. We expect the XGEVA degradation curve to look a little sharper, a little faster than Prolia, primarily because large oncology clinics have consolidated buying power in the XGEVA marketplace and a lot of familiarity with biosimilars.
On the other hand, Prolia is administered by a wide array of physicians across a broad spectrum of specialties where they may not have that familiarity and infrastructure that we see in the oncology market.
Okay. Got it. And you guys are holding the gross to net. So you're not letting that expand while holding on to these volume shares?
So we haven't discussed publicly how we're competing. What I'd say is that we're competing in the marketplace using the various tools and methods that we have learned and sharpened over 10 years competing in biosimilar market.
Okay. So everything is on the table. Okay, got it. So is it -- so that's very interesting because there's a part of me -- if you asked me 3 years ago, I would have thought '26 could be a bit of a trough-ish year in terms of like the growth profile, given that that's when some of the bone biosimilars that are going to hit and it could even be a flat year for that matter. But it sounds like you feel -- you guys feel reasonably comfortable. The totality of the portfolio supports continued growth. We can discuss what the magnitude growth is, but it continues to support that franchise remain intact in terms of growth perspective.
Well, as we think about it, Umer, we expect, as we always do, to give guidance for '26 after the fourth quarter call. And I think the point Kave and I and Casey would make in Amgen is, our momentum is strong. We feel really good about the growth drivers.
We feel good about what's coming in, in the pipeline. IgG4 launched earlier this year. We feel like we like what we're seeing there. IMDELLTRA has done really, really well, thankfully. What a fantastic medicine for patients with an awful disease, small cell lung cancer, that's going well.
We look at TEZSPIRE, we talked about that. So there's a lot going on well. We are working really, really hard to get the medicines to the patients and we'll continue to do that. So we'll guide '26 when we get there, but we feel good about our momentum right now.
And Peter, for your team, I'm sure this question has come up internally. There's a very dated guidance now for 2030 that's out there. There were completely different sets of drivers that were contributing into that. Does Amgen intend to revisit that at any point? Are those numbers -- are the goals still broadly intact, but the makeup of that has changed? I realize it's fairly dated now. So where is that?
It was February of '22, which, of course, it seems ancient at this point. I think we were still talking about COVID back. And I think you're referring to what was generally spoken about, for those of you who aren't familiar with it, a slide that became well known as either the lasagna, the spaghetti or we called it the mountain chart. And it was the strata that build up Amgen over the coming years. And essentially, when you looked at it, you kind of saw what's happened, which is the therapeutic areas have performed well. That particular slide didn't articulate therapeutic areas, but it articulated different categories. And that's gone well.
But we haven't updated that guidance, but it's gone really, really well. When you look at our growth rate since then, they've done really, really well. And a couple of points I would make. I think at that point, we said Repatha was going to be a multibillion dollar...
There was a lot of investor pushback on the Repatha number. I remember.
I think the technical term is a couple of folks burped at us on that one. Thank goodness, it's out there, right? Thank goodness LDL is being addressed in a powerful way. And as Casey articulated, we've got data, 36% reduction in heart attacks in primary prevention market -- primary prevention patients. So that guidance was out there then. We are really -- as I said when I opened up, we're going to continue to invest and just make sure that we're getting these medicines out.
But there's -- but we shouldn't necessarily be expecting an Investor Day coming up to sort of go through that again?
Look, if that happens, we'll let you know. But that's why we're here today. We love to come see you and colleagues and share what we see is the strength of the story here, which is investing in innovation and science and continuing that effort.
As you guys thought through your build into next year, obviously, there's all these growth drivers that are intact. One of the ones get a meaningful competition at some point next year. It's not a full year competition, but the PCSK9 franchise from the oral side. How do you -- what's the feedback you're hearing from the medical conferences on how that dynamic plays out in terms of do orals take a big NBRx share or not? Now Merck is hinting at access and like expanding access. So what does all that mean to you on a volume basis and price basis, the totality of it?
Yes. So as I mentioned in my opening remarks, there's over 100 million people in the world that have uncontrolled LDL-C still. Of that 100 million, currently PCSK9 inhibitors have only penetrated in the mid-single digits. So we see the market going forward and the additional entrants as more expanding the pie versus just grabbing a smallest percentage share of the existing pie that's out there.
When we think about Repatha, we've got a ton of commercial momentum right now on the back of great data, great acceptance by physicians and very good access. Right now, Repatha is on virtually every commercial and Medicare formulary that's out there, Umer. 95% of Medicare patients are paying a fixed copay, low fixed copay. 50% of commercial patients face no prior authorization at all.
In addition to that, we've recently launched our AmgenNow direct-to-patient program, which makes Repatha available to American patients for $239 a month or about $8 a day. On top of that, average copay for an insured patient is only $50 a month, less than $2 a day, and a commercial patient using our copay card is paying $15 a month, $0.50 a day. So access is no longer a barrier for PCSK9 therapy.
Looking at the competition that's coming, I would just point that Amgen has built a mountain of data around Repatha. I believe we've sponsored nearly 100 total studies, including 2 landmark outcome studies. The most important and most recent of which was VESALIUS-CV with a 36% reduction in first heart attack, 25% reduction in MACE.
We're seeing a ton of excitement from the community on the back of that data. So we will compete. But again, at the end of the day, this is about serving more patients and we believe each of these different players will offer an option for these patients that are unserved.
So it doesn't sound like you envision a scenario where orals can take -- I'm going to extremes, could orals do 80% of NBRx in the PCSK9 market? Is that a realistic possibility?
I don't want to speculate on the future for competitive reasons, Umer. But I would just say that, that mountain of data that we've created, including those outcomes, is very compelling to physicians, especially compared to a couple of grains of sand of LDL data that's out there on everyone else.
We'll also have to see how the food effect plays out in the real world, which I know there are a number of studies going on to understand fasting requirements along with how adherence is on daily oral versus a very convenient biweekly injectable.
Got it. I would have said outside of the mountain of data, the commercial infrastructure as well as the rebate structure you guys have is also another -- I don't want to say line of defense, but it's also a big barrier for some of the new launches to overcome. How relevant is that in your calculus?
Maybe I'll speak to the commercial infrastructure. We obviously have a lot of relationships built with our field forces across both cardiology and primary care. We feel like we are addressing a large portion of the market. Of course, these new entrants will add to that.
In terms of PBM contracting and access, I think that's more of a question for them than us overall. But we're very satisfied with our access position today.
Got it. And Kave, maybe one last also on this is, all the PCSK9 and the competition conversation tends to focus on what you have and what Merck might launch. But there's a former Amgen molecule, which is also launching from NewAmsterdam, the CETP inhibitor, which also shows LDL reductions using their method of something approaching 40% as well, and they may even have outcomes data. That's not until '27 perhaps. Do you see that as a credible competitor as well? Or is Merck mainly where your focus is at?
Look, again, I think in both of these cases, it's more about expanding the market. I think VESALIUS-CV, where we showed that you could get those great results by getting the LDL down to 45, way below what you can get with any mechanism outside a PCSK9 speaks for itself in terms of the outcomes.
Okay. Got it. So you guys sound reasonably comfortable on durability of this franchise, durability in volumes or durability in growth with all this competition coming up?
I'd say we're quite excited that the data that we have in hand, the product profile and the momentum will continue to drive growth for Repatha into the future as one of the major 6 growth drivers that Peter mentioned.
Okay. Got it.
And Umer, I just -- again, I always go back to, just to close this one out, 100 million people around the world. It's a way underpenetrated market for this and it's just a miss, right? I mean we've got to get on this as a society.
Great. Look, Peter, I think even I was somewhat skeptical when some of the '22 guidance came out on how large Repatha could get, and it's clearly surprised to the upside. But I do wonder, especially in your seat right now, like Kave has clearly had an opinion on the market, but in your seat, you have to run those scenarios through and what can happen from a competitive perspective?
And are you sort of looking through that as you map out the next 3 years for the P&L and where it's going in terms of what could happen to Repatha? What if it's not a growth asset, et cetera?
Umer, I would just say we work very closely together as a CEO, staff and management. So we think about what's going on out there. My job is to allocate capital to the highest opportunities. And thank goodness, we allocated capital to Repatha over the past 4 or 5 years, even back. I know somebody mentioned earlier today, even back 10 years. So we've stuck with this. And thank goodness, because LDL is such a critical issue for patients all over the world. 100 million patients.
And lower is good, lowest is best. Early is good, earliest is best with Repatha. So we'll continue to do that. So as CFO and the one who works on allocating capital, this has been a wonderful allocation for our shareholders, and importantly, for patients. So a double benefit there. And we're good at making them. We've got great manufacturing facilities, and we're always working on opportunities to do better and better at that, and we're excited about the opportunities we have there.
Sure. Yes. I mean, Kave, clearly, you guys have a mountain of data, but others are producing a lot of data as well. I guess, is part of your confidence on the Repatha franchise driven by the fact that a twice annual shot came to the market as well and you guys just continue to grow and so did they? Like is that partially what's informing it too, that some of the recent market developments on different dosing options have basically just grown the market, not necessarily come at your expense?
Yes, I think so. I think if we look back at cardiovascular as well that the markets grow over time. And so we believe that these incremental additions, again, will continue to grow the market based off both the ones that are in the PCSK9 market today, but also look back through history.
Okay. So is it a reasonable conclusion for me that it's Amgen opinion that I think you used the word momentum will continue on the growth side? But what that means to me is perhaps it's Amgen's opinion that PCSK9 market is growing. It might even grow a little faster now with more options and chip away at the LIPITOR's a little faster. But from the Amgen side, the growth just continues as a journey and the newer products can probably find their own niche with additional oral switches perhaps? So the PCSK9 penetration continues to grow.
I think that's a reasonably fair summary of our position, Umer, that, again, given the low penetration of the market today, these additional entrants will continue to grow the market and Repatha will continue to be a market leader in that ever-expanding market for PCSK9 inhibitors.
Okay. Maybe just one last on this, not to harp on this. But Kave, do you see the former Amgen molecule, the new Amgen drug as a LDL-lowering drug?
I see it as another molecule entering general cardiology practice. We want to see exactly how it's used in practice once it's out.
Okay. Great. Maybe just sticking to cardiometabolic for a second. Lp(a), maybe, Casey, if you could remind us when could we hear on that trial in terms of -- there's a sense that the event rates are a little slower across these trials. So when can we realistically expect an update from Amgen on that?
Yes. So we're monitoring event rates just as others are. And you may have heard us say previously that event rates are accruing slower than anticipated. And so we'll continue to look at those event rates, Umer. And as the end of the study comes into focus, I'd expect we provide an update on when data would ultimately be available.
But this is not a '26 event by any stretch of the mean?
We haven't indicated it as a '26 event.
Okay. Kave, do you think this is a bigger opportunity than Repatha?
I think that the Lp(a) market will certainly have a significant opportunity out there. You've got 20% of the population with elevated Lp(a). There's no other treatments available today. You can't go on diet and exercise or a $4 statin to lower it overall. I think it's to be determined exactly based on the data that we see exactly where the market size comes in.
I will say that from my own observation of patients and physicians that individuals with high Lp(a) do -- are activated in a meaningfully different way than patients that have high LDL, primarily because it's a genetic disease. And therefore, they see treatment option potentially faster than they would for a disease that they believe is modifiable by something they have done.
Got it. I want to transition to -- I'll come back to obesity in a bit because I think that can open up a very large set of questions, and I had a lot more prepared for Jay, so I'm sparing those out. But if I may, for this conversation, maybe spend a quick second perhaps on UPLIZNA opportunity and in myasthenia gravis. Well, first of all, IgG4 versus MG, would you agree MG is bigger than the first or not necessarily?
MG has a significantly larger population that's eligible for treatment than IgG4-related disease based off the epidemiology that we know today. Obviously, MG is a more competitive marketplace with additional therapies that are available versus IgG4-related disease, which we launched earlier this year. We're the first and only treatment for the disease with UPLIZNA.
Okay. The part on this, and I think I've discussed this with Justin and Casey in the past as well, was around what happens with pricing dynamics? Because I know your competitor molecules on the FcRn side in MG, they're dosed intermittently and yet they have a certain price point. And apparently, there are doctors that are just dosing right through, meaning double the dose. In that case, their price points go well north of $500,000.
Could you remind us what the pricing dynamics look like for the competitor molecules, if they're dosed as if it's constantly, so it's not relapsed remaining on the scores? And then what does that mean for your pricing? And does that have commercial ramifications?
Yes, so UPLIZNA is already on the market. There's an established price. The dosing for MG is the same as IgG4 and NMOSD right now. So at this point, we don't see any price changes coming for UPLIZNA with the launch into MG. In terms of the FcRns, in that dosing regimen that you described, Umer, you are correct, the pricing does go quite high.
Is it just $500,000 or is it even north of that?
I can't recall at the top of my head, but it is what I can say quite a bit above the price for UPLIZNA in that case. At this point, we don't see in rare disease, significant payer management. So it may not make a lot of difference from a payer standpoint at this point, but from a factual basis, UPLIZNA would be cheaper than a fully dosed FcRn.
Are payers appreciating there could be -- like being on UPLIZNA could deliver 60%, 70% discount versus FcRn. Is that a selling point or not much?
So at this point, we don't see payer involvement significantly in rare disease, including in gMG. So in my experience, we haven't seen that type of question back. Is it possible some payers asking? Certainly, but not broadly.
Oh, I see. Okay. So I guess what that means then is the commercial battle will then come down to dosing convenience and some of the data sets you guys have produced. How -- what's the type of feedback you're getting? Is this a post-VYVGART drug? Or are there some patients are looking for dosing convenience? Or like what's the type of patients that's most eligible? Or you going upfront just competing for fresh patients?
So we're getting very positive feedback from the community on UPLIZNA's profile. As a reminder, the drug is only dosed twice per year. The data that we've shown shows very consistent and potentially improving reductions in the key data set over time at both 26 weeks and 52 weeks. And so we intend to compete at all lines of therapy, Umer, for upfront patients, along with patients looking for another option.
As a reminder, patients on average only try 1 or 2 therapies in this category and only stay on therapy for roughly 2 to 3 years overall despite the fact that this is a lifetime disease. We think UPLIZNA has a very high likelihood of addressing the patient needs here with that convenient dosing, consistent efficacy over time.
Okay. Got it. So okay, great. So you are not pinning it down necessarily to certain type of patients. You'll go after the market more broadly and see where it lands?
We intend to compete fully with our data set, understanding it's a competitive marketplace. But again, it is a fairly large population compared to where we otherwise promote UPLIZNA, and we believe we'll be competitive in both front line and second line.
So on this product, I want to sort of throw a number out. So you guys are going to do something close to $600 million in '25. And consensus has you basically on $1.5 billion peak. This is with the new indication and everything. And I sometimes wonder is that too conservative if you truly have an MG product and IgG4. Am I simplistically like overestimating what it could do or?
Yes, Umer, I'm not going to give long-term guidance on a product basis. At this point, what I'll just say is that UPLIZNA continues to be one of our growth drivers in rare disease and the growth driver. We're really excited in the additional indications that are coming online.
Early in the life cycle, too.
Early in the last cycle. Maybe you just summed it up right there. Fantastic. Okay, great. So I want to transition to MariTide, but let me also take a quick pause because I know there's folks in the audience, if there's any questions on anything to discuss so far.
Okay. So Casey, what's the next data point coming up on MariTide. Could you just remind us on the cadence of readouts because there's a lot coming up, and I want to make sure we're going through that very carefully?
Sure. As you heard me say in the opening remarks, we for our Part 2 of the Phase II study and the type 2 diabetes...
So that's the obesity study?
Yes.
Right. So obesity study Part 2, right? And that's coming when?
We said we're working through the data, and we expect to provide an update in the new year.
New year. Okay, got it. So it doesn't have -- so you don't want to necessarily do it on December 24? So you're just saying, let's do it in a fresh new year?
We're working through the data and we'll have an update in the new year.
So obesity Part 2 -- and remind me, Casey, was it -- previously, we thought it could be December, but you're just saying new year? Not jam it on to holidays.
For both of these studies, the Part 2 of the Phase II obesity study as well as the type 2 diabetes Phase II study.
Type 2 diabetes study, yes.
We would expect to provide an update in the new year.
Okay. Got it. Okay. So the obesity Part 2 and type 2 diabetes, both in the New Year. Okay, that's number one. The second thing is, I think on several different occasions, I've gotten investor e-mails putting together a grid of Part 2 shows this much weight loss or that much weight loss and what type of scenarios do we expect on stockholder.
And one of the questions I thought to myself was, these are patients that have already lost north of 15%. So the incremental could be as low as only 5% weight loss in Part 2. So I just want to make sure we level set what we can actually get in efficacy in that Part 2?
Let's talk about what Part 2 is and Part 2 is really a maintenance study. And so just as context for everyone, you had to have lost 15% or more of your body weight in Part 1 of the Phase II study. And this is both whether you are an obese patient with or without type 2 diabetes. If someone met that criteria, they were offered the opportunity to participate in Part 2 of the study. Over 90% of individuals chose to continue. We thought that was actually a strong point of individuals signing up for a second year of MariTide treatment.
And then what happened was, those individuals were rerandomized into 1 of 7 different arms. And depending upon where they were in Part 1 of the Phase II study. Those 7 different arms include a placebo treatment. They include a lower monthly dose of MariTide. They include a continued high monthly dose of MariTide as well as a quarterly dose of MariTide. So there was a number of different arms that we're exploring there, all of which is to help us understand how MariTide -- how a second year of MariTide treatment may play out and what that may mean from a maintenance and weight loss perspective.
I'd also highlight, given the number of patients enrolled and the rerandomization, this study is very descriptive in nature in terms of what we can expect to conclude. Umer, it wasn't designed to necessarily compare arm to arm in terms of weight loss achieved or help us to understand weight loss beyond 52 weeks.
The way that we're answering the question of is there continued weight loss of MariTide beyond 52 weeks is in our ongoing Phase III studies that go out to 72 weeks. And those are fully enrolled, as I said earlier, and that's really where we'll definitively answer that question.
Okay. Got it. So -- but I just want to be clear. So you're emphasizing this is maintenance, don't be thinking 10%, 20% weight loss numbers all over again in this sort of Part 2 perhaps?
The study is designed to really help us understand the second year of treatment with MariTide and maintenance of weight loss that was lost in the first.
Okay. Got it. Will you guys break out, Casey, the patients that went from 420 monthly to 420 monthly. Will that be broken out necessarily? These patients were on 420 previously, they stay on 420 or that won't necessarily be done and because we only chose the over 15% weight loss. You can't read into the continued second year weight loss...
I think that's correct. It's given the re-randomization and the small numbers of patients, anything that we see from this study will be descriptive in nature -- certainly informative, but descriptive in nature, and it will help us to understand what we -- how we may think about MariTide in that maintenance setting and how to think about MariTide in 52 weeks.
Casey, also just to clarify, and I realize some of these questions were directed at Jay, so I'm putting them your way.
There's a placebo arm in the Part 2. So theoretically, nobody should be on placebo because only 15% weight loss people could have been on placebo. However, on the 70 -- sorry, on the 140 mg dose, there could have been some patients with a 15% weight loss. They could have moved on to placebo. So that's effectively a randomized withdrawal. So there could be a placebo that's gaining weight here. Should -- am I thinking through that right?
There was -- well, there was individuals that were treated with MariTide for 52 weeks and then moved to placebo treatment in Part 2 of the study.
So like randomized withdrawal effectively.
And so we will, again, in a descriptive fashion, understand what happens if you stop MariTide treatment for some of these individuals.
So it will answer that. So that's technically a separate answer this Part 2 will provide us like what if you pull the drug and what...
I think if you step back from it, Umer, really what Part 2 is about is what happens in a variety of settings after 52 weeks of MariTide treatment, if you withdraw treatment, if you continue treatment or if you move to a lower monthly or quarterly dose. And as I said, we'll gain some insight into all of those dynamics from Part 2, and they'll help to inform how we think about continued development of MariTide.
Okay. One last one on this Casey because you were really emphasizing this is in a prior conversation. Part 2 also includes diabetic patients. So could you remind us of that and the relevance?
It's -- the relevance is there were some type individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes in Part 1 of the study that lost 15% or more of their body weight. They were eligible to be included in Part 2 of the Phase II study. So it is a mixed population to a certain degree.
I haven't seen the numbers in terms of how that breaks down arm by arm, but it is just important to know it was both obese and non-obese -- excuse me, obese diabetic and nondiabetic patients that were eligible for Part 2.
Got it. Look, one of the big questions on this, obviously, is GI tolerability and how that will improve into Phase III. It's my hypothesis that you'll actually get a pretty good read on GI tolerability in this upcoming diabetes trial actually. And you probably saw what I think about that.
So I'm curious how you guys react to whether a very appropriate amount of titration is being tested? Or is there even more that's going to be shown in Phase III in terms of like is this Phase II doing all of what that could be done in Phase III?
Yes. I would say as in any Phase II study and our type 2 diabetes Phase II study is no exception. We sought to explore a number of different dose-escalation regimens in the type 2 diabetes Phase II study, and we'll see how those ultimately play out.
Okay. Great. Kave, I'm curious how much of your day-to-day time is being spent on the obesity opportunity versus everything else?
So I get the pleasure of sitting and working with our teams across our whole portfolio, Umer, and I would say that we are giving an appropriate amount of time to not only obesity, but also to xaluritamig, to dazodalibep, to olpasiran and our existing portfolio overall. It's obviously a very competitive market, and there's a lot of different commercial opportunities, and we're building capabilities to be able to access those.
So in a super -- if Amgen goes super aggressive at it, I mean, obviously, the enrollment went fast. You guys were fully recruited as of September. So the Phase III readouts are set for January, February '27. That part, we know. I guess my question is, is there an attempt being made within the company to get a Commissioner Voucher? So you could theoretically be on the market on mid-'27?
Well, I think our view on that, Umer, is we'll have more to say about our regulatory approach once we have the Phase III data in hand. And we're not in a position to speculate...
Okay. Would you do whatever -- is the organization trying do whatever it can to acquire a voucher ahead of that? And then you can decide what the...
Let me go back to Amgen. Amgen wants to deliver medicine to patients, innovative, first-in-class and best-in-class medicines to patients as soon as possible. That's our mission.
So we think this obesity disease epidemic is enormous, right, the world, as Kave, positioned for you. And so we're committed to doing what we can do to get our medicine, which we are very excited about, to patients as quickly as possible.
Kave, do you see Amgen as a basically 1/3 to market? Or do you see Amgen as a part of the next wave of new obesity meds coming to market? I realize there's also boring elements, timing might be slightly ahead, but I'm just saying realistically speaking, where do you think the market positioning -- market entry positioning is from a timing perspective?
Yes. Look, we -- obviously, we have 2 very large players in the market today that have weekly injectables. I view us as having the first -- hopefully, the first option for monthly or less frequent option within the marketplace and that we will enter the market and compete with the weeklies that are out there today.
Okay. Got it. And commercially, organization would be ready? If this needs to be a '27 launch, the commercial side will be ready to deliver whatever the time lines shake up at?
Yes. So I'm not going to comment on the timing of launch. What I will say is that we are in the process of building our launch capabilities to bring this medicine to market. If you look at Repatha, it's a pretty good blueprint for how we bring medicines to market in large populations where access and breadth are quite important. And we feel like we will be ready to launch this medicine once the R&D team is ready to deliver this.
Fantastic.
Finishing up a little over 6 years at Amgen, Umer, I know our commercial organization, and they're always ready. They're a great group. So I have enormous confidence. We'll be ready to roll on any of our medicines when they're ready to come out.
Fantastic. Anything in the audience we missed? Fantastic. Well, thank you guys so much for taking time.
Thank you.
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Amgen — Evercore 8th Annual Healthcare Conference
Amgen — Evercore 8th Annual Healthcare Conference
📣 Kernbotschaft
- Kurzfassung: Amgen präsentiert breites Momentum: 10% Umsatzwachstum in den ersten neun Monaten (11% Produktumsatz, 14% Volumen). Sechs Wachstumstreiber — Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, innovative Onkologie, Rare Disease, Biosimilars — sowie verstärkte F&E‑Investitionen treiben die Strategie; Fokus auf Marktzugang und Kapazitätserweiterung.
🎯 Strategische Highlights
- Repatha: VESALIUS‑CV liefert starke Outcomes (25% MACE‑Reduktion, 36% weniger Herzinfarkte); breite Erstattung und neues Direct‑to‑patient‑Programm (AmgenNow $239/Monat) erhöhen Zugänglichkeit.
- MariTide: Phase‑III vollständig rekrutiert; Part‑2/Diabetes‑Phase‑II‑Updates angekündigt "im neuen Jahr"; CapEx 2025 auf $2,2–2,3 Mrd. erhöht zur Produktionsvorbereitung.
- Biosimilars: Portfolio annualisiert ~ $3 Mrd.; Prolia/XGEVA‑Biosimilars treten wie erwartet in den Markt — XGEVA dürfte schneller Marktanteile verlieren als Prolia.
🔍 Neue Informationen
- Daten & Guidance: Wesentliche Neuigkeit ist das VESALIUS‑CV‑Outcome für Repatha; CapEx‑Erhöhung für 2025 und vorgezogene Schuldenreduktion wurden bestätigt. Keine Aktualisierung der Jahres‑ oder 2030‑Roadmap; 2026‑Guidance folgt nach Q4.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- PCSK9‑Wettbewerb: Management sieht oralen Wettbewerbern (Merck, CETP‑Ansätze) eher eine Marktexpansion denn totale Kannibalisierung; setzt auf Datentiefe, Zugangspositionen und kommerzielle Infrastruktur.
- Biosimilar‑Risiko: Analysten hoben Beschleunigung bei XGEVA hervor; Amgen betont Erfahrung im Biosimilarwettbewerb und Wettbewerbstools, gibt aber keine Detailpreise preis.
- MariTide‑Design: Part‑2 ist primär deskriptiv (randomisierter Entzug, Dosis‑Arme, Mischung von Diabetikern/non‑Diabetikern); definitive Langzeitwirkung kommt aus Phase‑III (Readouts Jan/Feb 2027).
⚡ Bottom Line
- Investment‑Takeaway: Starkes operatives Momentum und ein positives Repatha‑Outcome reduzieren kommerzielles Risiko und stützen die Wachstumsstory; MariTide, Lp(a) und Onkologie sind bedeutende optionale Upside‑Treiber mit klaren Timing‑ und Wettbewerbsrisiken. Wichtige Trigger: Q4‑Guidance, MariTide‑/Phase‑III‑Readouts und die UPLIZNA‑PDUFA (14. Dez.).
Amgen — Q3 2025 Earnings Call
1. Management Discussion
My name is Julian, and I will be your conference facilitator today for the Amgen Q3 2025 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions]
I would now like to introduce Casey Capparelli, Vice President of Investor Relations. Mr. Capparelli, you may now begin.
Thank you, Julian, and good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to our third quarter 2025 earnings call. Bob Bradway, will lead the call and be followed by a broader review of our performance by Peter Griffith, Murdo Gordon and Bob Bradway. Through the course of our discussion today, we will use non-GAAP financial measures to describe our performance and have provided appropriate reconciliations within the materials that accompany this call. We will also make some forward-looking statements, which are qualified by our safe harbor statement. And please note that actual results could vary materially. Over to you, Bob.
Okay. Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for joining us today. Amgen delivered another strong quarter, driven by rising demand for our medicines and meaningful progress across the pipeline. Volume growth once again paced our progress in an environment where selling prices are declining across the industry. This volume growth reflects the strength of our portfolio and the value our medicines provide to patients and prescribers. We saw growth across all 4 therapeutic areas this quarter. Revenues were up 12% year-over-year and volume up 14%. The 1 of our products grew double-digit rates and 14 are now annualizing at over $1 billion in sales.
Our Broad base of innovative medicines is generating powerful momentum and gives us confidence in our ability to sustain long-term growth. We've also been working to expand access to our medicines. And we recently launched Amgen Now, a new direct-to-patient platform that allows qualified patients in the U.S. to access Repatha at one of the lowest prices in the world. This is an important step forward in helping more people benefit from the kind of innovation that's represented by Repatha.
Let me take a moment to recognize the scale and complexity of what we do in biologics manufacturing, which is both an art and a science. And at Amgen, we've built one of the most advanced capabilities in the world in making large molecules. We benefit from 45 years of experience in this space and from having a manufacturing network that's predominantly based here in the U.S., serving American patients and patients all around the world since our inception. We continue to invest in manufacturing with more than $3 billion in planned investments in the U.S. this year alone. This builds on over $40 billion invested in manufacturing and research and development since the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017. This foundation positions us well to support growing global demand for our products.
Now let me just turn briefly to each of our 4 therapeutic areas. In General Medicine, we're expanding impact across underserved disease areas with substantial runway. Cardiovascular disease remains the world's leading public health challenge with tens of millions of patients at risk for heart attack and stroke. At the upcoming American Heart Association meeting, we will share data on Repatha, showing important benefits in preventing a first heart attack or stroke. We had a powerful signal for the impact or potential impact of Repatha in primary prevention. In bone health, EVENITY is a transforming care for postmenopausal limit at high risk of fracture. It is the first and only bone-building therapy that increases bone formation and decreases bone resorption. EVENITY continues to deliver strong performance and with treatment rates still low among women with high fracture risk, we believe there is significant room for growth. We expect this product to remain a growth driver throughout its life cycle.
Looking ahead, both MariTide and olpasiran offer additional pathways for growth in obesity and cardiovascular disease, 2 of the world's most pressing health issues. In rare disease, our portfolio of growth drivers are all early in their life cycle. These products are performing well now, and we expect them to continue to grow well into the future. For example, with new indications such as IgG4-related disease and generalized myasthenia gravis on the horizon for UPLIZNA, we're excited by what this product can offer an increasingly broad range of patients. I would also say that the progress that we are seeing with UPLIZNA across a range of different diseases, reaffirms our belief for the potential of CD19-directed therapies to address a wide range of rare autoimmune diseases. In inflammation, we've been a leader for decades, and we are very encouraged by what we're seeing with [indiscernible] as physicians are increasingly comfortable with its profile, increasingly comfortable with the fact that it is a well-tolerated and broadly effective agent able to intervene upstream in the inflammatory cascade. We remain highly encouraged by the long-term prospects for Test buyer.
In oncology, we're continuing to establish new standards of care, and Delta has generated strong clinical enthusiasm in small cell lung cancer. LINTA is, of course, now firmly established as the standard of care in frontline consolidation for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. And we are seeing encouraging project -- progress rather with Zalurydamic in prostate cancer as it advances through Phase II. Meanwhile, our biosimilar strategy continues to deliver results as well. You can see that in the quarter, our revenues were up more than 50% year-over-year and are now annualizing at roughly $3 billion in sales. To close, let me just say that we continue to engage with policymakers in Washington and elsewhere around the world to support policies that improve access protect innovation and strengthen the biomanufacturing ecosystem, especially here in the U.S. We've built a strong springboard for 2026. The products that will drive our next wave of growth are in hand, supported by compelling data reinforced by readouts this year and still early in their life cycle. We're encouraged by the momentum we're seeing in the business and confident in our ability to deliver innovation and growth well into the next decade. I want to extend my thanks to our colleagues around the world for their commitment to patients. With that, let me turn it over to Peter for a financial update. Thank you.
Thank you, Bob. We are pleased with our strong third quarter performance and remain on track with our 2025 full year goals and long-term objectives. The financial results are shown on Slide 6 and 7 of the slide deck. In the third quarter, revenues increased 12% year-over-year to $9.6 billion, reflecting the continued strong performance of our 6 key growth drivers, Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, and our innovative oncology, rare disease and biosimilar portfolios. The quarter also benefited from discrete items, including roughly $250 million from favorable changes to U.S. estimated sales deductions and a government order for endplate of $90 million. I would also note that the third quarter included $105 million in sales for [indiscernible] a small molecule within the rare disease portfolio, for which we now have a generic competitor as of October.
Our non-GAAP operating margin was 47% and reflects significant investments across the business, led by non-GAAP R&D growth of 31% year-over-year. This includes several business development transactions, resulting in roughly $200 million of incremental R&D spending. Excluding these business development transactions, Q3 non-GAAP operating expenses rose 14%, and non-GAAP R&D grew 19% year-over-year. reflecting increased investment in our late-stage pipeline. Our continued investments in programs, including MariTide, [indiscernible] zyuritamic and rare disease will drive sustainable, long-term growth and strengthen our leadership and innovation. Our non-GAAP OI&E resulted in a $568 million expense. We continue to strengthen our balance sheet with $4.5 billion of debt retired in 2024 and and $6.0 billion of debt retired in 2025. We are pleased to report that we have returned to our pre-Horizon capital structure ahead of plan, and we will achieve greater than $500 million in pretax cost synergies in 2025 in connection with the acquisition.
Our non-GAAP tax rate increased 4.8 percentage points year-over-year to 18.2% primarily due to the change in earnings mix. We generated $4.2 billion in free cash flow in the third quarter, reflecting operational momentum across the business rigorous management of working capital, all while continuing to invest in innovation. In addition to the increase of 31% in non-GAAP R&D described above, we continue to advance and accelerate technology and AI across the value chain from discovery to development to manufacturing and through to commercial execution. AI and trial enrollment, manufacturing optimization and customer engagement are all among [indiscernible] leveraging innovation to drive productivity at speed and scale. We're also accelerating molecule design and other aspects of early-stage research powered by modernized AI and data platforms.
For 2025, we now expect capital expenditures of roughly $2.2 billion to $2.3 billion to expand network capacity for our products across the portfolio and our innovative pipeline, including Maritime. Our capital expenditures reflect significant investments across the United States, including Ohio, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, California and Massachusetts. We expect our projects to continue to be on budget and on time. In addition, we returned capital to shareholders through competitive dividend payments of $2.38 per share, representing a 6% increase compared to the third quarter of 2024.
Turning to the outlook for the business for 2025 on Slide 8. The benefit of our portfolio was clearly seen this quarter, and coupled with momentum across the business, we are raising our 2025 guidance ranges for both revenue and non-GAAP earnings per share. We expect 2025 total revenues in the range of $35.8 billion to $36.6 billion and non-GAAP earnings per share between $20.6 and and $21.40. This guidance includes the estimated impact of implemented tariffs. It does not account for tariffs or pricing actions announced or described, but not yet implemented.
In addition, let me highlight a few updates to our outlook for the remainder of the year. For the full year, we now expect other revenue to be approximately $1.5 billion. Non-GAAP R&D expenses are now expected to grow at a mid-20s percentage rate year-over-year in 2025. We -- this is driven by increased investment in our late-stage programs and the previously mentioned Q3 business development transactions. We now anticipate non-GAAP OI&E to be in the range of $2.1 billion to $2.2 billion in 2025. We now expect a non-GAAP tax rate in the range of 15.0% to 16.5%.
And for [indiscernible] in the United States, we continue to expect quarterly sales to fluctuate and do not expect any sales in the fourth quarter. And let me remind you of prior items that have not changed. We continue to expect the full year non-GAAP operating margin as a percentage of product sales to be roughly 45%. The outlook continues to reflect our investments in advancing key late-stage programs, including maritime all pass ran rare disease and [indiscernible] and leveraging technological advancements, including artificial intelligence. Our operating margin outlook also includes incremental launch and commercial investments.
We're focused on delivering sustained long-term growth and value for patients and shareholders by doing what we innovation in areas of high unmet medical needs and maintaining rigorous financial discipline. We continue to focus on execution excellence across the enterprise and remain well positioned for sustained growth throughout the long term. I'm grateful to work with all of our colleagues worldwide in serving patients. This concludes our financial update. I'll now hand it over to Murdo for an update on our strong commercial progress in the quarter. Murdo?
Thanks, Peter. In the third quarter, sales increased 12% year-over-year, driven by 14% volume growth. products delivered double-digit or better growth, clear evidence of the strength of our portfolio and the disciplined execution of our teams around the world. Starting with General Medicine. Repatha delivered $794 million in the third quarter sales, up 40% year-over-year and now annualizing at approximately $3 billion.
Since Repatha's launched a decade ago, the PCSK9 inhibitor class remains underutilized with these therapies currently reaching fewer than 5% of patients eligible for [indiscernible] therapy. With roughly 100 million people still in need of effective LDL-C lowering Repatha has a substantial opportunity to expand its use to address cardiovascular disease, the world's #1 public health crisis.
As you'll hear from Jay, we have recently announced important data from the Vesalius CV outcome study, which met its dual major adverse cardiovascular events or MACE endpoints in patients at elevated cardiovascular risk without prior heart attack or stroke. I've worked in litho management for more than 30 years, and I've witnessed numerous landmark statin studies demonstrating how intensive LDL cholesterol lowering reduces cardiovascular risk. The [indiscernible] CB results demonstrate that Repatha provides additive benefit above and beyond stats, delivering even more reduction in cardiovascular events in primary prevention patients at higher risk. Currently, greater than 95% of patients insured in the U.S. have coverage for Repatha and most insured patients pay less than $50 out of pocket per month. The prior authorization requirements for many of these patients have also been removed or substantially reduced. In the U.S., we're taking bold steps to improve access with the launch of Amgen Now our new direct-to-patient program.
Repatha is the first therapy available through Amgen Now at a monthly price of $239 or roughly $8 a day. This is nearly 60% below the current U.S. list price, which is already one of the lowest in the world. The launch of this program is a meaningful step toward providing additional affordability and access to Repatha for American patients. EVENITY delivered $541 million in third quarter sales, up 36% year-over-year. In the U.S., sales grew 44%, driven by higher prescription volumes from both established and newly activated prescribers EVENITY is the only therapy that builds bone and slows bone loss, which is a unique advantage in helping postmenopausal women reduce fracture risk. In the U.S., EVENITY continues to lead the [indiscernible] segment with over 60% market share and approximately 270,000 patients treated to date. However, many remain at high risk of fracture. With close to 90% of the roughly 2 million very high-risk patients still not receiving appropriate therapy.
In Japan, if entity has been prescribed to approximately 800,000 patients since launch, making it the leader in the bone builder category with greater than 50% market share. The success of EVENITY in Japan underscores the significant untapped in the U.S., where improvements in screening and diagnosis and increased treatment could meaningfully expand patient reach and drive continued growth.
[indiscernible] delivered $1.1 billion in sales, an increase of 9% year-over-year. The biosimilars have launched today in the U.S., and we see competitive dynamics evolving in line with expectations. In future quarters, we expect increased competition to negatively impact Pro sales. Our rare disease portfolio grew 13% year-over-year to $1.4 billion, now annualizing at over $5 billion with strong performance across the board. [indiscernible] sales increased 46% year-over-year to $155 million. The launch of UPLIZNA IgG4-related disease is progressing well with significant uptake of rheumatologists and key academic medical centers. while IgG4-related disease is a recently defined condition, our educational efforts are rapidly building awareness and diagnosis. We've seen over 300 unique prescribers since launch across multiple specialties, demonstrating breadth of adoption of UPLIZNA in this indication. UPLIZNA is a leading FDA-approved treatment for NMOSD with growth driven by increased new patient demand and strongly so treatment initiations and adherence.
Additionally, launch preparations are underway for the anticipated approval of UPLIZNA in generalized myasthenia gravis or GMG, a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disorder driven by pathogenic B cells. We look forward to the potential of serving more patients who can benefit from UPLIZNA's differentiated profile, including its durable efficacy and convenient dosing and administration.
[indiscernible] grew 15% to $560 million in the quarter, driven by increases in inventory and price. We're encouraged by our launch in Japan, where more than 800 patients have been treated with ADESA since December. In the U.S., approximately 25,000 patients have received treatment since launch to reach even more patients who can benefit from TEPEZZA. We continue to engage a broad prescriber base who have indicated an increasing intent to prescribe. Tape sales were $107 million in the third quarter, an increase of 34% year-over-year, driven by strong volume growth. more than 6,700 patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis have been treated with tabs in the U.S. over 3,800 health care professionals of now prescribed [indiscernible] representing a 31% increase in the prescriber base so far this year.
In inflammation, TEZSPIRE delivered another strong quarter with sales up 40% year-over-year to $377 million and has now achieved over $1 billion in sales year-to-date. TEZSPIRE is well positioned to help many more patients in the U.S., given its differentiated and broadly applicable profile to treat multiple triggers and drivers of severe uncontrolled asthma. In addition, TEZSPIRE has recently been approved in the U.S. for add-on maintenance treatment in adults and [indiscernible] aged 12 years and older with inadequately controlled chronic rinsinositis with nasal polyp. This disease is associated with elevated eosinophils and has observed in roughly 20% of patients with severe uncontrolled asthma.
This reinforces TEZSPIRE proven efficacy in eosinophilic disease. Importantly, in this registrational trial, TEZSPIRE demonstrated a reduction in the need for surgery further expanding its view and potential to help an even broader in population. Our innovative oncology portfolio, which includes unit $3 billion growth in oncology is fueled by our industry-leading bispecific T cell engager platform. The foundation for [indiscernible] these medicines are redefining standards of care in difficult-to-treat cancers and extending survival for more patients worldwide.
IMDELLTRA generated $178 million in third quarter sales, fueled by strong clinical conviction and rapid adoption across care settings. IMDELLTRA is widely recognized as the standard of care for patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer who are progressing on or after chemotherapy. Over 1,400 sites of care in the U.S. are now administering IMDELLTRA with more than half of the doses occurring in the community setting. Following superior clinical entrance in the Phase III [indiscernible] the NCCN guidelines have been updated to reflect IMDELLTRA as the highest recommended therapy in the second-line setting. We look forward to the anticipated full confirmatory approval later this year.
BLINCYTO grew 20% year-over-year to $392 million in sales, driven by broad prescribing across both academic and community segments. We see [indiscernible] in combination for both adults and pediatric patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative B-cell [indiscernible] similar portfolio delivered another strong quarter with sales increasing 52% year-over-year to $775 million and now annualizing at $3 billion. Since our first product approvals in 2018, our biosimilars have generated nearly $13 billion in sales. Additional launches are providing meaningful top line growth and durable cash flow.
[indiscernible], a biosimilar to EYLEA continues to gain momentum in the third quarter. Retina specialists have responded very positively to launch of [indiscernible] citing is convenient prefilled syringe format and Amgen's high-quality biosimilar manufacturing as important advantages. I'm very pleased with our performance in the quarter, fueled by the unwavering commitment of Amgen employees around the world to deliver on the company's mission to serve patients. And now I'll hand it over to Jay.
Thank you, Murdo, and good afternoon, everyone. The third quarter was a period of strong and disciplined execution across R&D. We advanced multiple late-stage programs and deepen the evidence base for our marketed medicines. Starting with MariTide, both of our Phase III chronic wave management studies are fully enrolled. Interest was significant, enrolling approximately 5,000 adults in roughly 6 months. We have rapidly advanced into additional Phase III studies with strong enrollment momentum in MariTide CV and MariTide HF for the study of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease and heart failure, respectively. Recall, in our Phase II chronic wave management study, we observed statistically significant reductions in systolic blood pressure, triglycerides and ADAS CRP, a key marker of [indiscernible] inflammation. These statistically significant improvements in validated cardiovascular risk factors highlight the potential impact of MariTide beyond weight loss. We have also recently initiated 2 Phase III studies in obstructive sleep apnea. With 6 global Phase III studies now underway, we're building a robust evidence base for Maritime. In addition to MariTide, we are advancing our early-stage portfolio for obesity and obesity-related conditions. This includes AMG51B presently in Phase I and a number of ride and preclinical candidates for both incretin and nonincreasing targets, featuring both oral and injectable routes of administration. Beyond obesity, in general medicine, as Murdo noted, the Repatha Phase III [indiscernible] CV clinical trial met its dual primary endpoints, demonstrating significant reductions in major adverse cardiovascular events or MACE, in higher-risk individuals without a prior heart attack or stroke. Vesalius CV asked a clinically vital question. can people at higher risk for a first heart attack or stroke benefit from Repatha when it is added to optimize lipid-lowering therapy.
This landmark study enrolled over 12,000 patients, approximately 85% of whom were maintained on moderate to intensive statin-based LDL-C-lowering therapy. At a median follow-up of approximately 4.5 years, both primary [indiscernible] endpoints were met and no new safety signals were observed. We are very excited to share the full results from this trial at the American Heart Association Scientific session on November 8 and and would encourage all to review the detailed data when presented. In addition to the Vesalius CV data, we will also present several real-world studies that report on the state of current lipid management and the effectiveness of Repatha treatment in clinical practice as well as new data from the FOURIER open-label extension study. Together, these data reinforce Repatha's long-term benefit and established safety profile while providing new insights into atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk management. The size, scope an ambition of our cardiovascular program, including efficacy from clinical trials and effectiveness from real-world data demonstrates Amgen's unwavering commitment to people living with heart disease and the impact that affordable transformative medicines like Repatha can have on their care.
Turning to Olpasiran, our promising best-in-class small interfering RNA medicine targeting Lp(a), we are pleased by the conduct and progression of the fully enrolled event-driven OCEAN A Phase III cardiovascular outcome study. We continue to follow the aggregate endpoint accrual rate which is lower than initial predictions. As the study matures, we will update on the date for primary analysis as appropriate. We retain strong conviction in the potential of lowering Lp(a) to reduce cardiovascular events owing to very compelling genetic and epidemiological data that link elevated Lp(a) to cardiovascular disease. Moving to our rare disease portfolio UPLIZNA we recently presented additional data from the Phase III MITIGATE trial in IgG4-related disease, featuring subgroup analyses stratified by baseline characteristics and organ involvement such as the pancreas, kidney and bile ducts. These data demonstrate benefits comparable to those seen in the overall trial population, supporting UPLIZNA's potential across the spectrum of IgG4-related disease patients.
For UPLIZNA generalized myasthenia gravis, we look ahead to the December 14 PDUFA date and continue to receive encouraging physician feedback that heights the need and opportunity for highly active durable and convenient treatment options for patients with gMG. In inflammation, we are excited by the FDA and European Commission approvals of TEZSPIRE for the add-on maintenance treatment of inadequately controlled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps for the benefit of adult and pediatric patients aged 12 and older. The Phase III data supporting this approval [indiscernible] rapid and sustained symptom improvement and a meaningful reduction of systemic steroid use. Notably, among patients treated with TEZSPIRE, we observed a near uniform avoidance of surgical intervention.
Additionally, our 2 Phase III studies of TEZSPIRE and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are enrolling patients with moderate to very severe COPD with blood [indiscernible] counts greater than or equal to 150 cells per microliter. Our Phase III study in eosinophilic esophagitis continues to mature. By targeting [indiscernible], or TSLP, at the top of the alarm and inflammatory cascade, TEZSPIRE targets the root cause of serious inflammatory diseases driven by Th2 inflammation.
Moving to oncology. Our bispecific T cell engager or BiTE platform is delivering outstanding clinical results for patients facing advanced cancers. IMDELLTRA, our DLL3 targeting BiTE molecule now established as standard of care in second line small cell lung cancer is generating compelling data in combination and in earlier lines of therapy. In September and October, we presented results from multiple arms of the DeLLphi-303 Phase Ib study of IMDELLTRA in patients with small cell lung cancer, tested in combination with a [indiscernible] inhibitor as first-line maintenance therapy.
IMDELLTRA demonstrated a promising overall survival of 25.3 months, approximately doubling survival observed in other studies featuring the existing standard of care. In separate arms of DeLLphi-303 IMDELLTRA tested its first-line treatment in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy in a PD-L1 inhibitor, demonstrated 12-month overall survival of 81% and with median overall survival not yet reached. In both settings, the safety profile was manageable and consistent with the known safety of each component. We are now evaluating these combinations in the pivotal DeLLphi-305 frontline maintenance and DeLLphi-312 frontline induction and maintenance Phase III studies. Previously, we shared the remarkable results of the DeLLphi-304 study, evaluating IMDELLTRA versus standard of care in subjects with relapsed extensive stage small cell lung cancer after platinum-based first-line chemotherapy. The U.S. regulatory submission has been accepted by the FDA with a PDUFA date of December 18, 2025.
Regulatory reviews are also underway in a number of additional geographies. We are developing IMDELLTRA for expansive impact in small cell lung cancer and other DLL3-positive malignancies including Phase Ib studies evaluating novel agent combinations, less frequent dosing regimens and subcutaneous delivery. As an oncologist, let me share that the impact of IMDELLTRA for patients facing such a challenging disease as small cell lung cancer is honestly very moving. This disease has seen little innovation in decades and IMDELLTRA is now benefiting so many in this fight with BLINCYTO, our CD19-targeted BiTE medicines, we continue to work to improve and evolve the standard of care for patients here with B-cell acute plastic leukemia. Recently, we initiated a potentially registration-enabling study of subcutaneously administered blinatumumab in both adult and adolescents with relapsed or refractory [indiscernible]
Our first-in-class [indiscernible] CD3 bispecific T-cell engager [indiscernible], is advancing in Phase III clinical development with 2 studies now underway. The first study, [indiscernible], is enrolling patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer who have previously been treated with [indiscernible] chemotherapy, comparing [ xaluritamig ] monotherapy versus investigator's choice of standard therapy. The second study, Valiance is evaluating the combination of xaluritamig and [indiscernible] versus investigator's choice of standard therapy in patients with chemotherapemia naive metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. We are also exploring xaluritamig and other combinations and in earlier stages of prostate cancer with multiple Phase Ib studies ongoing. Across IMDELLTRA, BLINCYTO and xaluritamig, we see meaningful long-term potential from our bispecific T-cell engager platform and remain committed to bringing transformative and innovative therapies like these to patients with cancer.
Lastly, we are disappointed to announce that FORTITUDE-102, a Phase Ib/III study of bemarituzumab plus chemotherapy nivolumab in patients with first-line gastric cancer was stopped for an adequate efficacy at an ad hoc analysis requested by the data monitoring committee. We are deeply grateful to the patients, investigators and partners who made this study possible. We remain committed to creating and developing medicines for challenging cancers where unmet need is significant as for patients with gastric cancer. Here, however, the magnitude of observed efficacy did not meet our standard for an Amgen medicine. On these innovative medicines, our next wave of biosimilar candidates is advancing in Phase III clinical development, featuring biosimilars to Opdivo, KEYTRUDA and OCREVUS. With breadth and depth across 4 therapeutic areas, we are excited about the potential to deliver for patients, and we are well positioned to deliver sustained long-term growth.
In closing, thank you to the Amgen teams whose disciplined execution and patient-first mindset make this progress possible. I'll now turn it over to Bob for Q&A.
Okay. Thank you. Why don't you remind our callers of the procedure for asking questions, and we'll try to get to as many of you as possible. I know it's a couple of minutes past the top of the hour now. So we'll try to get through these. And if we don't get to everybody on the call, we'll be available afterwards to answer any outstanding questions. So let's get started.
[Operator Instructions] Our first question comes from Salveen Richter from Goldman Sachs.
2. Question Answer
With olpasiran, you mentioned best-in-class and in context of a competitive landscape out there. And you also noted that the event rate for the OCEAN(a) outcome study is lower than you expected. Could you just speak to your confidence in this program and what the event rate means for a base case readout, whether it's now in 2027 versus year-end '26 prior-- and then separately, from a BD perspective, you spoke to how you're back at pre-Horizon debt levels. How does this impact your approach to business development heading into 2026?
I'll take the first question around olpasiran. And as I mentioned, our conviction remains very strong. The genetic association for Lp(a) in cardiovascular disease is crystal clear. from human genetics, from epidemiological data. Lp(a) is fundamentally an inflammatory lipoprotein particle, and we know a lot about that biology in the vascular beds from analogy to LDL-C. Olpasiran has true best-in-class properties. It's frequency of administration is better. The depth of Alta suppression is better, has a very clean safety profile. Ocean A is an event-driven study. We're accustomed to conducting these global studies, look at VESALIUS CV. We're very pleased with study conduct and look forward when we do read this out to seeing the impact of [indiscernible]. We won't guide today on that particular date, but we'll keep all posted as we put into focus.
[indiscernible], I wouldn't say that the return to the leverage that we had pre-Horizon affects our thinking and business development to any great extent. We're actively looking for opportunities in business development. As you know, we're particularly focused in the therapeutic areas that you're familiar with as areas of interest for us. And just given the number of things we have in the late-stage clinic right now, we're focused primarily on earlier-stage things. And the good news is there are more of those than late stage anyway. So we're focused to open for business, but we have been. So thank you for the question.
Our next question comes from Terence Flynn from Morgan Stanley.
I appreciate it. Peter, I was just wondering by level, I know you're going to give 2026 guidance at this point, but maybe you could walk us through some of the puts and takes that we should think about heading into 2026. And then Jay, just one clarification on [indiscernible]. I noticed you completed that trial and it said the safety was consistent. Just wondering if there is any gastrointestinal ulcerations in that study? I know you saw those before in some of the prior studies.
Yes, Terence, thank you very much for the question. And I would point towards our key growth drivers when you think about the top line and where the company is going. We've just had an excellent quarter, 14% volume growth for Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE [indiscernible] rare disease, now annualizing at over $5 billion off the quarter, biosimilars annualizing at close to $3 billion. So that's how we're thinking about that. As we go down the P&L, maybe the easiest thing for me to do, [indiscernible], would be just to spend a minute because I think people probably are thinking about operating margin. And we've been clear in the past number of years about that and when we have an opportunity to achieve cash-on-cash returns greater than our hurdle rate, we're going to drive those opportunities for shareholders. So nothing's changed in that. We're at about 47% operating margin level in 2024 as we continue to accelerate the investing in research and particularly development [indiscernible], of our later-stage pipeline. We're going to continue and have continued to invest in 2025, again, focused on research and development. We're going to stick with this disciplined capital allocation approach. We haven't changed from that investing in the best innovation, as Bob just said, looking externally inside the company internally, remains at the top of our capital allocation hierarchy, Nothing's changed there. So we'll keep that up. We haven't provided longer-term margin targets, so nothing into 2026. But I'd just say we remain focused on achieving industry-leading margins while continuing to invest in the very best innovation. So as you think about the business going forward, here's a couple of thoughts for you to think about. First, we're focused on our earlier pipeline. Bob just mentioned that again, investing in the best innovation to further build out that part of the pipeline. In terms of R&D expenses, I just want to note, we experienced what I might characterize as a step change increase in R&D expenses over the last year. We don't anticipate an incremental step change going forward in terms of R&D expense, think of a lot of puts and takes there. We'd remind you that we've completed a number of Phase III studies in 2025, including Repatha VESALIUS, confirmatory study from IMDELLTRA along with several rocutinlumab bemarituzumab studies and we've added studies, of course, for MariTide [indiscernible], and those will carry forward into 2026. I'd also remind you, [indiscernible], that our non-GAAP operating margin guidance of roughly 45% for the full year 2025 includes $2 million of business development activities in the third quarter, along with incremental launch and commercial investments in the fourth quarter. So just kind of summarizing hoping that answers your question and gives you some thoughts about where we're at this year and continuing into '26. We're going to continue to drive executional excellence. Productivity and ruthless prioritization around the organization. We worked very hard as an enterprise for many years to be among the leaders in margins in our industry and we certainly expect to continue to remain there. So Terence, thank you very much for the question.
[ Jay ], do you want to speak to [ ASTRO ]?
Glad you would turn thanks for asking for all on the call, ASTRO is a 52-week study of rocatinlimab, the OX40 directed T-cell rebalancing agent. In this case, in adolescents with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, tested 2 doses, 150 and 300 milligrams. We studied the medicine as monotherapy as well as combination therapy with low-dose steroids or [indiscernible] modulation, Study met its co-primary endpoints at 24 weeks, save quite consistent with the other studies. We did observe GI side effects, mostly mild in nature and not at an excessive rate. as we bring to close the 8 studies of the ROCKET program, we start to reflect on the target product profile, we'll have more to say about that in the near future.
All right. Let's move on to the next question, see if we can keep it to 1 question so we can get through as many of you as possible. Who's next?
Our next question comes from Jay Olson from Oppenheimer.
Congrats on the quarter. We're curious about VESALIUS CV results and how you expect them to impact the overall market opportunity for Repatha? And also, what should we look for in the details when you present them at AHA? And related to that, just any lessons learned that you can apply to olpasiran.
Jay, I'm glad you're interested and excited about the VESALIUS study. So we look forward to having a chance to share with you in detail. Maybe 2 parts. Jay, you want to kick off and then Murdo, you can follow up.
Yes. Thanks, Jay. Cardiovascular disease is still the #1 killer heart attack every 40 seconds in the United States and just about everybody in the world knows about bad cholesterol or LDL-C that Repatha so dramatically lower. And we know that lower is better, yet lipid management globally is still very poorly managed about 100 million people in the world who are in better control. Repatha, so firmly established as accessible, affordable, efficacious in the prevention of recurrent CV events in VESALIUS CV. We really vital important question, can we prevent first events. And indeed, this is the first -- the only PCSK9 to demonstrate such an effect. MIs are first event. And so it's a really important question. Can't wait to share these data at the upcoming [indiscernible]. Importantly, on this study, as Murdo mentioned in the top of the program, this is in addition to optimize lipid management. And so for patients and doctors on a statin but inadequate LDL-C control, this is a major a major advance. We're looking very much forward to sharing the complete results. You asked about lessons learned. They work with great people. The Time Group was outstanding. We carry all of the learnings of how to conduct a global study of this incredible span in nature, more than 12,000 patients worldwide. And I think it also serves to emphasize by hitting both dual primary endpoints, just how much room there still is to improve cardiovascular care targeting inflammatory lipo particles.
Well, thank you cover most of it, Jay. I would say that if you're not doing anything this weekend and you're really curious, being New Orleans or tuned in. I really -- I think that the word landmark gets thrown around a lot in describing clinical trials, but I don't think it's an inappropriate moniker to put on this one. I think this is a substantial advance in understanding how you can prevent first heart attacks and strokes. This is a call to action for primary care physicians everywhere, and we will make sure that immediately after the presentation of these data that our medical teams, our field sales teams, our patient support organizations are out there in full force, making sure that prem care physicians are aware of these data and that patients have the benefit, as we said, of an affordable solution that gives them incremental risk reduction beyond any established lipid-lowering therapy on the market today with Repatha. So it's an exciting time. We've systematically told you all that we were opening up access for Repatha and that we were asking primary care physicians to do more beyond the cardiologist role here, and these data give us yet another opportunity to to continue that important work.
And Jay, as we mentioned a couple of times on the call, in our prepared remarks, Amgen now, obviously, is an important part of the thinking here. We don't want there to be any excuse for anyone not to be able to get access to this at an attractive price relative to the benefit that the medicine provides. So anyway, thanks for asking the question.
Next question comes from Matt Phipps from William Blair.
The FDA recently released new biosimilar guidance and maybe removing the need for comparative efficacy studies. Wonder if that changes your view at all in the business, maybe some of the barriers to entry, but also the calculus on what biologics might be worth pursuing a biosimilar for.
Thanks, Matt, for the question. I don't think it changes our strategic focus on biosimilars. This has been a a very good growth business for Amgen, and we continue to see it as such. Obviously, we pay attention to the new guidance and our development teams and regulatory teams are very focused on making sure we're ready to adapt to them. I would say that all of the technical functions here at Amgen are in a position to compete effectively regardless of the guidance, whether it's heavy clinical trial requirements or whether it's technical comparability requirements. We've got a great process development team here in our manufacturing operations organization. who continue to do very innovative things in the development of biosimilars such as helping us be the only biosimilar to EYLEA commercially available on the market. So we think we'll be in good shape. We'll be competitive. And no matter what the guidelines come. Obviously, we'll look closely at them, as I said, and we'll understand how that might impact development of products going forward.
And just quickly, Matt, at a strategic level, I would observe that there's an undercurrent of question in some quarters, particularly in Washington about how successful the biosimilar market is in the United States right now as a leading competitor perspective as the market is performing very well. We think the ground is well set for this to continue to be a flourishing market in the U.S. with patients having access to alternative supplies of important medicines after their patents have expired. And we would we watch carefully to make sure that policies don't emerge that might move this marketplace in the direction of the generic drug industry, where there have been, obviously, a number of abuses that have given rise to quite a bit of anxiety about that market and its impact on patients. In contrast, we think the biosimilar market is working well. we think regulatory and other policies that are in place today enable that to continue. And we would advocate for again a recognition that the things that are in place now are working well.
Our next question comes from Yaron Werber from TD Cowen.
Great. Maybe just a question for Jay. The second year of the maritime data is expected by year-end. We know you're looking at 3 different things. You're looking at the same dose, lower dosing. Going to placebo and you're testing Q12 weeks in that study. There's no Q8 weeks. Any sense sort of -- is this going to be in a medical meeting? And can you give us any sense kind of what to really expect and put it in context.
Yes. Thanks, Yaron. Part 2 of the Phase II chronic weight management study is indeed a very interesting study, having achieved strong efficacy in part 1, 52 weeks. Part 2 will contribute a first maintenance experience. And just to remind you the design, as you covered already, we are testing quarterly dosing, full dose. We're testing low dose at monthly, and we're comparing these measures to placebo and continued treatment. And these data will be very useful to us. This will inform our maintenance strategy that will provide guidance to additional Phase III designs. And we'll have more to say about our disclosure approach in due course.
Our next question comes from Chris Schott from JPMorgan.
Is that maybe a bigger picture question on obesity. We've had a number of updates in the space lately. We've got the [indiscernible] headlines going around. We've got some discussions on lower Medicare pricing for BC drugs. I just be interested in just Amgen's latest view on kind of the obesity market and the company's role within the market with Mirati and the broader pipeline. Just just the latest kind of lay the land from your perspective?
Yes. Thanks for the question, Chris. I would say that we are -- we remain very enthusiastic about the opportunity for us in obesity. We believe strongly, as you know, we have a differentiated approach to this market than the competitors that are in the space presently and different from what we see others advancing in their portfolios. So again, our interest in this based on everything we know about our molecule and everything we see in the marketplace remains very, very constructive. So I'll invite Jay and Murdo, I'm sure they'll have thoughts they want to add, Jay, why don't you kick in?
Sure. Thanks for the invitation. It's a major public health crisis. living in the United States. So many people face this every day. Maybe 40% of adults in the United States will have a BMI over 30 and fifth of children. It's also massively costly to the health care in the United States. The CDC will estimate over $170 billion a year. Murdo can speak to it, but the market is totally underpenetrated implying that health care can significantly improve. But for it to improve, we think it will take really differentiated assets, not just another weekly injectable peptide, which have proven very hard to keep patients on those types of medicines with failure to continue medicines beyond the calendar year. And of course, obesity itself as well as the related conditions require much more enduring in chronic therapy. And so we think the maritime has a fantastic and differentiated profile to contribute there. But as you asked about the broader pipeline, we've been in obesity and metabolic medicine discovery research for more than 20 years. And this pipeline, we have another Phase I asset, AMG 513. And we have preclinical programs advancing. For novel targets within the incretin and non-incretin pathways. Some will be oral, some will be injectable. And so we're really in it to have a huge impact on this major public health crisis. Murdo?
Yes. Thanks, Jay. I mean the only thing I would continue to reinforce for everybody listening in as we continue to feel that MariTide a true differentiation compared to what is available in the market. I mean it is interesting that there's a bidding war in 2 companies for GLP-1 that is through some lipid technology enabled potentially to maybe be monthly. So to have a product that's well defined, clearly monthly, perhaps even less frequently in a market, as Jay described, that is massive and undersatisfied, where we hope to go into this market, not just to reduce the weight of patients who struggled with obesity, but also to help deliver on the medical benefit of managing that weight. And I can't wait to see the results of our Phase III program, and I'm really pleased with how the team is executing, look forward to that day. Thank you.
Let's go to the next question.
Our next question comes from Evan Seigerman from BMO Capital Markets.
Bob, your comment kind of on the biosimilar sector struck with me I'm wondering if you could highlight what you think needs to change from a policy perspective to encourage even more uptake of biosimilars. For example, the #1 selling adalimumab product is [indiscernible] and not Amjevita. How can you, as a biosimilar leader really encourage more use of these products.
Yes. Again, I think there's a difference in the U.S. between the Part B medicines and the Part D medicines or the retail and the physician administrative medicines. So I think market dynamics are evolving differently in those 2 areas. Obviously, the payers are very involved in the Part D where the rebate dynamics are important, but that erodes over time and I think we see happening that now. very confident when you look back over the fullness of time, you will see that AMGEVITA or adalimumab biosimilar will have been a very successful product for us. We see that internationally. It continues to be a strong product for us, and I think it will continue to be that. I think, again, in the U.S., safe, reliable supply of a true biosimilar like ARRIS will do well in the long term.
Our next question comes from Umer Raffat from Evercore ISI.
This is Mike DiFiore for Umer. I just want to go back to the MariTide Phase II trial for a bit. There is some confusion on whether we'll get 2-year weight loss data the upcoming Part 2 readout of the Meratideobasi Phase II trial. So can you clarify the design, especially as it relates to the washout post week 52. And since most of these patients will have lost weight in year 1 isn't it reasonable to assume that weight loss in year 2 part 2 will be a lot less in year 1 Part 1.
Yes, Jay, you go ahead.
I'm happy to answer the question. As I shared, it's principally a maintenance study that tests low dose monthly and full dose quarterly against placebo and continued MariTide target dose. As the study was powered really to inform Phase III, and we derive a significant amount of guidance from Part 1. There are some aspects of part 2 that are more descriptive. As you may know that to participate in part to Patients had to achieve greater than 15% weight loss in Part 1, and then they were randomized to a number of arms. And the power to make significant insights into weight loss between the arms is not strong, but there will be patients that continue on at their target dose. And as patients in Part 1 did not achieve a weight loss plateau, we'll be interested to follow those patients for the second calendar year.
And just to be clear there, Jay, when you say the power is not strong. I mean, it's not designed numerically, it's not designed for that purpose.
That's right. This is a shared is a study that's designed to inform our strategy on maintenance MariTide as well as further Phase III programming, and we fully expect to drive all the information needed from part 2 of the study for those purposes.
Again, I'm mindful we're getting up to the half past the hour. So we'll take 2 more questions and I apologize to the rest of you we're available for calls later in the day.
Our next question is from David Amsellem from Piper Sandler.
I don't plus specific question. So you're seeing pretty strong performance in the wake of the label expansion in IgG4-related disease. Can you talk to the extent to which there's been pent-up demand here? Give us your refreshed views on the sales opportunity here? And then I guess beyond that with the GMG label expansion, how are you thinking about rapidity of uptake there, given that that's a more competitive landscape and there some competitive dynamics to consider in GMG.
We'll try to get it efficiently for you here. But I think, Margo, I'm sure you're going to want to have say a few things about the exciting dynamic we see for [indiscernible]
Yes. Thanks for the question, David. Obviously, we're very early in the IgG4 launch. As I mentioned, we've got roughly 300 unique prescribers that have prescribed replica for IgG4. I'm not sure I would characterize it as pent-up demand. IgG4 is a disease that really only got its own ICD-10 code in 2023. So this is a patient that often presents with an obvious diagnosis on the part of the physician. We're actually seeing awareness, our education and the fact that we've got the FDA approved treatment for IgG4 as a catalyst for even more growth. The estimate is about 20,000 patients in the U.S. But as I mentioned, given that the diagnostic codes are relatively new here, the actual market could be much bigger. We have obviously demonstrated overwhelming efficacy when you can reduce flares by as much as 87% substantial reduction in steroids and really have patients who are in significant trouble here. have their disease resolved and have their flares reduced as a very important therapy. So it's helped us a lot. Jay, will want to expand further on that. But before I turn it to him, I'd just say that in NMOSD, we expect to have a strong -- sorry, in gMG, we expect to have a strong presence in that market, given the profile that we were able to show in the MINT trial. We've got a very convenient dosing here after the first loading dose, you get to twice a year of therapy, a very durable effect, perhaps more durable than some of the agents that are in the market today. And given that the data are already out there, there we have some real interest on the part of the people who are treating the gMG patient population. The other thing to think about in gMG is there's a lot of switching between treatments and between classes of therapy. Usually, a patient is on a primary therapy for no longer than a year to 1.5 years and they see at least 2 medications, sometimes as many as 3 medications until they feel stabilized. So it is a market that's still dissatisfied despite the number of entrants. Jay?
Yes. Thanks, Murdo. I think the differentiation is really strong, as Murdo shared. I think it's attributable to targeting the core disease biology. I mean targeting the CD19 positive sell is really the entirety of the B-cell compartment, not just the mature cells, but also the immature cells that start to elaborate the auto antibodies. And because of this, although it's always hard to make trial to trial comparisons, we see numerically higher efficacy by [indiscernible], which is a standard measure. We see more steroid sparing than [indiscernible]. We see incredible durability, as Murdo said, during the randomized control period and a serious dosing advantage with 6 months dosing after the loading dose. And so durable, sustained efficacy are not just promising for gMG, but more broadly, to the other diseases that are driven by pathologic [indiscernible] antibodies. And as you might know, we have open studies of [indiscernible] as well as [indiscernible] in autoimmunity that are open and enrolling in a very dynamic and exciting space where CD19 medicines of many classes are showing profound activity in severe advanced autoimmune diseases, and we, of course, have 2 in-market brands. So we're in a good spot to take advantage of this opportunity to help these patients.
Our last question today will come from Dave Risinger from Leerink Partners.
I was just hoping that you could maybe just call out the top 2 or 3 pipeline cards that are turning over that could be most impactful for Amgen in the next 6 to 12 months that we should be focused on?
Jay, do you want to go ahead and talk about a couple of things that you're watching careful.
Yes. Well, I'm obviously very excited in this moment about VESALIUS CV, which we're going to be sharing in just a week. And so I really quite encourage you to pay close attention to this. The further development of IMDELLTRA and [indiscernible] is also very exciting. We see very dramatic activity in the cases that are now being communicated back to us if patients save from impossible situations, as I shared, is very powerful. And as we've learned from blinatumumab moving [indiscernible] into combination therapy into frontline use into a setting where there could be less active disease owing to the debulking of chemo, all promises, as we've seen in this dramatic 303 study presented at World Lung as well as ESMO for really meaningful activity in frontline in Phase III. And this is 1 of those moments, David, where time just can't move fast enough to read out those Phase III studies. .
We had an opportunity here before the call, Dave, to see some PET scan data on a patient who's in tough shape, who is experiencing quite a profound response to the medicine. So it's a medicine that we're excited about. I think somebody at ESMO described it as WOW Squared. So stay tuned. We're hopeful about the data that's forthcoming on IMDELLTRA platform here over time.
All right. Well, thank you all for your attention and for joining the call. Casey and his team will be available through the afternoon and evening if anybody didn't get a chance to raise a question that they have an interest in. We look forward to being with you after the next quarter. Thanks.
This concludes our Amgen Q3 2025 earnings conference call. You may now disconnect.
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Amgen — Q3 2025 Earnings Call
Amgen — Q3 2025 Earnings Call
📊 Quartal auf einen Blick
- Umsatz: $9,6 Mrd. (+12% YoY)
- Volumen: +14% YoY – Wachstum trägt, Preise im Branchen‑Rückgang
- Operating‑Marge: Non‑GAAP 47%
- Free Cash Flow: $4,2 Mrd. im Q3
- Key Produkte: Repatha $794 Mio. (+40%, annualisiert ~ $3 Mrd.), EVENITY $541 Mio. (+36%), Biosimilars +50% YoY (annualisieren ~ $3 Mrd.)
🎯 Was das Management sagt
- Portfolio‑Momentum: Volumengeführtes Wachstum über alle 4 Therapiebereiche; 14 Produkte laufen nun >$1 Mrd. jährlich.
- Zugang & Pricing: Einführung von "Amgen Now" für Repatha ($239/Monat) als Direkt‑Kanal zur Erweiterung des Zugangs und zur Preiswirkung.
- Investitionen & Fertigung: Starkes Bekenntnis zu Biomanufacturing – >$3 Mrd. geplante US‑Investitionen dieses Jahr; Fokus auf Qualität und Kapazität.
🔭 Ausblick & Guidance
- Umsatzprognose: 2025 erhöht auf $35,8–36,6 Mrd.
- Ergebnisprognose: Non‑GAAP EPS 2025: $20,60–21,40
- Weitere Kennzahlen: Sonstige Erlöse ≈ $1,5 Mrd.; Non‑GAAP R&D mittlere 20er‑%‑Wachstumsrate; Non‑GAAP OI&E $2,1–2,2 Mrd.; Non‑GAAP Steuersatz 15,0–16,5%; CapEx $2,2–2,3 Mrd.; operative Marge (Product Sales) rund 45%.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- Olpasiran (OCEAN‑A): Eventrate niedriger als erwartet; Management bleibt überzeugt, gibt aber kein konkretes Readout‑Datum (event‑driven Studie).
- VESALIUS CV / Repatha: Studiendaten erfüllen duale Primärendpunkte; vollständige Ergebnisse werden am 8. November (AHA) präsentiert – Management sieht Marktchance durch bessere Primärprävention und Amgen‑Zugangsprogramm.
- MariTide: Phase‑III‑Programm läuft; Part‑2 des Phase‑II‑Erhaltsstudiums dient vor allem der Maintenance‑Strategie (deskriptive Elemente, nicht voll powered für alle Vergleiche).
⚡ Bottom Line
- Fazit: Starkes, volumengetriebenes Quartal plus Anhebung der Jahresziele; mehrere nahende Datenkatalysatoren (Repatha VESALIUS, IMDELLTRA, MariTide, UPLIZNA PDUFA) schaffen positives Risiko/Chancen‑Profil, während Olpasiran‑Timing und Wettbewerb für Biosimilars/Onkologie weiterhin beobachtet werden sollten.
Amgen — Morgan Stanley 23rd Annual Global Healthcare Conference
1. Question Answer
Great. Good morning, everybody. I'm Terence Flynn, Morgan Stanley's large-cap U.S. biopharma analyst. Very pleased to be hosting Amgen this morning. Joining us from the company, we have Peter Griffith, the company's CFO; and Kave Niksefat, who is the company's SVP of Global Marketing. Thank you both so much for being here today.
For important disclosures, please see the Morgan Stanley research disclosure website at www.morganstanley.com/researchdisclosures. If you have any questions, please reach out to your Morgan Stanley sales rep.
With that, I'm going to turn over to Peter for some opening remarks, and then we'll get into it.
Thank you, Terence. We're delighted to be here with you and the Morgan Stanley team today. We're grateful for the relationship with Morgan Stanley.
We're investing in innovation and science that enable longer, healthier lives. We're executing across our business with breadth and depth in four therapeutic areas, along with our leading biosimilars portfolio. We're delivering strong results. Second quarter revenues grew 9% and volume was up 13%. Non-GAAP EPS, up 21% year-over-year. Fifteen products achieved double-digit or better growth in the second quarter, and 14 products are annualizing at $1 billion or more based on the second quarter product sales.
So let me start with an overview of the business, highlighting some of the key drivers across both the end market portfolio and across the pipeline in each one of the therapeutic areas. So beginning with general medicine, Repatha and EVENITY both delivered over 30% growth in the second quarter. With these drugs, we're reaching large underserved patient populations with single-digit penetration and significant room for growth. With over 100 million patients globally in need of effective LDL-cholesterol lowering, the opportunity to expand Repatha's impact in cardiovascular care is substantial, and we expect growth through 2030. And despite EVENITY's strong growth, more than 90% of high-risk postmenopausal women remain untreated for osteoporosis.
In our general medicine pipeline, MariTide, continues to advance rapidly in obesity and related conditions. We now have 4 Phase III studies underway, two in chronic weight management, one in cardiovascular disease and one in heart failure, with obstructive sleep apnea expected to initiate later this year. Enrollment momentum is strong across these studies in MariTide, reflecting three items: broad investigator enthusiasm; second, participant interest in these trials; and third, the significant remaining unmet need. We look forward to additional Phase II data in the fourth quarter.
And then lastly, in the general medicine pipeline, our Lp(a) targeting molecule, Olpasiran, for the reduction of cardiovascular risk is progressing in Phase III.
So let's turn to rare disease, the business that annualized over $5 billion in our second quarter sales. Based on second quarter sales, we have four key products in this therapeutic area, which are all early in their life cycle and well positioned for growth over the long haul. UPLIZNA is the #1 prescribed FDA-approved biologic for NMOSD, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, and recently became the first FDA-approved therapy for IgG4-related disease, and the launch is progressing well. We're preparing for UPLIZNA's December PDUFA date for generalized myasthenia gravis.
We're optimistic about TEPEZZA too, which is the only FDA-approved therapy for thyroid eye disease. We've expanded our sales force to broaden our reach in the United States, and the launch in Japan is progressing well.
Now let's look at inflammation, where we've enjoyed decades of leadership. We're excited about the progress we see in the difficult-to-treat diseases with high unmet medical need here. TEZSPIRE continues to grow in severe uncontrolled asthma, growing 46% year-over-year in the second quarter, and is advancing at additional indications including chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder with 2 Phase III studies enrolling and an October PDUFA date in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.
So now let's turn to our fourth area, oncology. We have a broad portfolio where we've been redefining outcomes across multiple cancers, led by our innovative bispecific T cell engager platform, the BiTE platform. This journey began with BLINCYTO, which grew 45% year-over-year in the second quarter. We're building on that foundation with IMDELLTRA, which is approved in second line small cell lung cancer and is becoming the standard of care in this setting.
In the second quarter, IMDELLTRA grew 65% quarter-over-quarter and delivered $134 million of sales. IMDELLTRA has a PDUFA date of December 18 in second line small cell lung cancer based on the DeLLphi-304 confirmatory study. We're also progressing IMDELLTRA into earlier lines of small cell lung cancer and multiple Phase III studies are underway.
And before we get to Q&A, I'll have Kave give -- actually, why don't you give it now, Kave? Why don't you give us an update on IMDELLTRA? We've got news yesterday from WCLC.
Yes. So thanks, Peter. Last night at WCLC, we presented Phase Ib data from our DeLLphi-304 program, which is studying IMDELLTRA in the first-line maintenance setting for small cell lung cancer in combination with PD-L1 therapy. This data was presented at WCLC with a simultaneous publication in Lancet Oncology. To date, this study has a median overall survival of 25.3 months with data continuing to mature in the durvalumab arm that's roughly twice current standard of care when compared outside of the trial to what's known in the field.
There were no new or unexpected safety signals from the study. And we feel that this study strongly supports our rapid movement into earlier lines of therapy in small cell lung cancer with 3 ongoing Phase III trials in that upfront setting.
Thank you, Kave. That's really great news for patients with small cell lung cancer. So in oncology, beyond BLINCYTO and IMDELLTRA, we continue to expand that T cell engager platform with xaluritamig, which is in Phase III for patients with advanced prostate cancer.
It's also important to note that our industry-leading biosimilars portfolio continues to contribute meaningful growth, delivering a cumulative $12 billion in sales since our first launches in 2018. In the first half of this year, biosimilar sales grew 37% year-over-year to reach nearly $1.4 billion, driven by the addition of our second wave of biosimilar products. We've proven to be a leading competitor in this field, and we are advancing our third wave of products, which is comprised of biosimilars to OPDIVO, KEYTRUDA and OCREVUS.
I'd also like to highlight our approach to capital allocation as we continue to invest in science and innovation that improves the lives of patients and positions Amgen for long-term growth. Our priorities are clear. Number one, innovation is #1, and we invest in it either internal or external, the very best innovation. Number two, we invest in our business and, right now, particularly in our manufacturing network and capacity and also in artificial intelligence and technology. And number three, we return capital to shareholders through a growing dividend, opportunistic share repurchases while we also strengthen the balance sheet.
So to sum up, I know there's a lot of focus on the macro and policy environment. We've always engaged with Washington and the administrations, and we certainly do with this one. We share their goals of expanding United States manufacturing and improving patient access and affordability while advocating for a policy environment that fosters innovation. We know we need more innovation, not less. And we'll stay focused on investing in innovation and science that enable longer, healthier lives.
In summary, the breadth and depth of the portfolio, the focus on execution and innovation and our disciplined capital allocation approach position us to deliver innovation and growth not just this year but over the long term. With that, Terence, back to you.
Great. Well, thanks so much, Peter, Kave. I really appreciate the remarks. And so I think we'll dig into probably a lot of these areas.
The first, obviously, front and center is still the policy side. I know you guys have had a lot of interaction with the administration, as you highlighted, Peter. Maybe you could just provide the latest perspective on kind of MFN and tariffs, where we stand. Are we getting closer to a resolution or an outcome here? And what are you most focused on?
Great. Well, thank you, Terence. As I mentioned, we're always engaged with the administration and the officials on the Hill. So we continue to talk to them. And I think right now, it's a great time to have Kave share with us his view. He is very active in Washington, D.C., and I believe we're sending him off there after this conference. It's very important to us. We share the same objectives as the administration, access, affordability and innovation. So Kave?
Yes. No, Peter, I think you've summed it up well. At Amgen, we've agreed that reform in the U.S. health care system is needed and we've long supported integrative reforms that improve the affordability and access to medicine while preserving the innovation environment, of which the U.S. is the world leader in biopharmaceutical innovation. And we've engaged with this administration in this term and we've engaged with the President's administration in the prior term on these exact points.
When we look at reforms overall, we think there are at least three areas where reform can really help change and support those goals jointly. First, Peter brought this up earlier, I believe, 340B reform. 340B is a now massive structural subsidy that's being transferred from patients, employers and federal taxpayers to private hospitals. The total program is estimated to be well in excess of $50 billion a year. That is multiples above what we see, for instance, patients having to pay out of pocket in Medicare.
We think structural reform of 340B in a way that enabled those discount dollars to benefit patients in their out of pocket and improve access to medicines would be a right place for the government to look to reduce the structural costs that are built into the health care system today.
Second, we've long advocated, back to my time in 2019 speaking to Congress, around the need for rebate reform in the country. Nearly $0.50 of every dollar that is sold for pharmaceuticals within the U.S. is captured by middlemen. Now unfortunately, those discount dollars do not show up when a patient goes to the pharmacy counter to pick up their medicine. We would advocate that, that price should reflect those discounts that are being extracted in the system so patients directly benefit from them. That would include support for direct-to-consumer like programs where appropriate, where needed to help with the system.
And then finally, we welcome the government's focus on how foreign governments can better support the innovation environment. And we look forward to working with the administration as they look to see how can innovation be more fairly valued outside of the U.S. in support of reducing the structural burden that is currently carried by the U.S.
And so as Peter said, as I said, we continue to engage with the administration. We know that the world needs more innovation, not less. And so it's up to us to work with them to find solutions to meet their goals and our goals around improving affordability and access to health care.
Do you think we're getting closer to resolving a lot of these outstanding questions? Or are we still kind of going to be in the steady state a month away, if you had to use a crystal ball?
Look, I think it's premature to opine on any time frame. Obviously, we've -- and 16 other manufacturers received a letter from the President about a month ago. There's about a month left on his ask for engagement. And we continue to engage over that month to learn more and to see where solutions can be found.
Yes. One other area obviously which you guys have leaned into is the U.S. manufacturing announcements. You made some investments in North Carolina, Ohio. So maybe, Peter, if you could just talk to us about kind of the importance of those and addressing one of the administration's priorities. But also, how does that impact your forward CapEx outlook for the company?
Well, this year -- I'll jump right into that. This year, we've got a CapEx guide of $2.3 billion, and we're excited about that and that's really focused in the United States. Amgen has a long-standing commitment, as I think all of you know, to the United States and innovation. We've spent more than $40 billion in manufacturing and research and development since the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act, the TCJA, the first one, and including over $5 billion in direct United States capital expenditures.
So we've recently announced a more than $600 million investment. I'm sure you saw this, Terence, since we were talking about Thousand Oaks a little bit earlier, the new state-of-the-art center for science and innovation in our global headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California. This facility is going to bring together both scientists and engineers, we're very excited about it, across the disciplines. And it's going to feature advanced automation and digital capabilities.
We've announced major expansion to the U.S. manufacturing footprint. North Carolina, $1 billion expansion announced in December 2024, bringing our investment there to about $1.5 billion. In Ohio, a $900 million expansion announced in April 2025, bringing our total investment in Central Ohio to over $1.4 billion. These facilities are state-of-the-art biologics plants designed to support both end market products and our late-stage pipeline which, of course, was 13% growth in the second quarter and a robust late-stage pipeline we're thinking ahead. And we're going to be ready to produce for every patient every time throughout our manufacturing system.
Our 2025 CapEx guidance I mentioned is $2.3 billion. We don't go beyond that. We don't give long-term guidance on CapEx. But certainly, you would expect they're multiyear investments here, and it's going to be reasonable to expect some increased CapEx versus historical run rates as we complete these projects, which we're very encouraged to do. Overall, these investments are central to our strategy, every patient every time.
We're a company that's really focused on the science of manufacturing. We have a world-leading process development group, a world-leading manufacturing group. We're very proud of our supply chain. And we're focused on every patient every time. So Terence, we've really responded beginning in 2017 to put our capital here and really push hard. So that's what we're going to do. We're going to honor those volume commitments as best as we possibly can to get the medicine to the patients.
Okay. Great. One other area, Kave, you mentioned was just foreign governments bearing more of their share of development costs on the innovation side. Lilly announced that they were raising the price of Mounjaro in the U.K.
I know there are differences across companies, portfolios, but is that something you guys are thinking about? Or as you think about maybe upcoming new launch products on the ex U.S. side, how are you guys approaching that from a strategic perspective?
Yes. So obviously, we're monitoring the entire ecosystem. We're familiar with Lilly's announcement recently. Probably premature at this point to opine on what we would do for existing products. With any product coming to market, we have really kind of taken in the various value and access levers that exist across the world and are developing in a way to make sure that we can get fair value for our products within those marketplaces. We're obviously cognizant of the overall environment and making sure that we are negotiating with the President's goals in mind across the rest of the world.
Do you think that foreign governments have been receptive to that message at this point?
At this point, I would say our observation is that they are learning as quickly as we are around the President's goals here, not dissimilar to the tariff situation. And we would expect adjustments to take some time.
Okay. Understood. Maybe just pivoting over to capital allocation. We talked about CapEx already, Peter. You mentioned your priority is pretty clear. No major changes there, innovation CapEx, cash to shareholders.
But maybe just give us an update in terms of kind of where you are on delevering from the Horizon deal and then how you think about potential either therapeutic area size of any future deals. Obviously, Horizon was probably at the higher end of kind of the size you guys typically contemplate. But on the delevering process, where would that put you as you think about future deals?
Well, thank you, Terence. On Horizon, as I mentioned in rare disease, we're annualizing at over $5 billion based on the second quarter. We're very, very pleased with being in rare disease. We're much more happier today for patients, staff and shareholders than we were when we announced the deal. We just think it's working out really well. Our leverage is exactly where we thought we were going to get it to by the end of this year, which is our -- we call it our pre-Horizon acquisition capital structure. And so we'll be back to those ratios by the end of the year.
And so that's worked out really, really well. The deal, as we'd also indicated at the time, was going to be accretive, which it certainly has been shortly after the deal. And also we indicated pretax cost synergies of about $500 million, which have been well achieved. So we're very excited about how that's worked out.
So turning over to capital allocation. So as I mentioned in my capital allocation discussion, business development is a key part of finding the best innovation and we feel confident. By way of example, with the Horizon situation, we were able to do that in the rare disease area. We really are -- always have our aperture open on business development. It's really, really important that we do that. And as you can imagine, in terms of what we're looking at, we want to be the best buyer.
We want -- when we model it up, we want to do something with the opportunity that other companies can't do. We pay attention to that. We look for cash-on-cash returns above our hurdle rate. We look for areas where we have some research, and particularly, discovery research. We think that adds to the potential success of the transactions. And finally, we look for opportunities where we can collaborate, where the licensing of the product makes a lot of, sense where we can merge it in quickly post merger integration. We think that increases returns quickly.
So that's what we'll stay focused on, those four criteria. Aperture is open. We're excited to continue to look at what's out there. We mentioned in the third quarter -- on our second quarter call, we mentioned in the third quarter, we've got a couple of business development opportunities, about $200 million that we're acting on. So we'll continue to be active. We think it's really important. We know we've got excellent internal innovation and we know there's some excellent external innovation. So Aperture is open, and we'll continue to look for it.
Does the policy environment make it -- is it making it tougher to get deals done, do you think? Or is it making it easier as you think about it on the forward from a transaction standpoint?
Well, we haven't had too much trouble getting deals done other than during Horizon. We had a little bit of discussion with the FTC for a while, as we all know, but we worked our way through that. And it certainly has worked out well. And we're delighted that our persistence paid off to get that closed.
So I think, Terence, we look at the environment and we say we're here for the patients and we'll stick with it. And if we need to get something done, we'll work to get it done. But certainly, the policy environment, we're thoughtful about what we're thinking about and what we're going to do. But we've always been that way. Amgen has always been a very rigorous company when it comes to business development.
Okay. Great. Maybe one more before we turn to the business. It's just occasionally we get some questions on the Puerto Rico tax litigation, which is ongoing. So maybe just level set us in terms of where that stands and when we might get another update on that front.
Sure. So with respect to litigation, trial began in November, stopped in January of this year. So it began in November '24. And there have been closing arguments and discussions in June and July. There will be kind of one more round of those replying to each other. I think it's in September, October. We don't expect a decision before the second half of '26 at the very earliest.
We continue to believe that we have a very strong position. We think the trial really went that way. We were able to get the facts across as to the importance and the complexity of our biological manufacturing and the science of manufacturing in Puerto Rico. So we're confident in that. And as we've said all along, Terence, we think we've got appropriate reserves put up on this.
Okay. Great. Maybe turning over to the outlook. You walked through some of the key growth drivers. I think your new guidance for '25 implies, I think, somewhat of a step down in growth second half versus first half, so 6% versus 10%.
I know there's a lot of puts and takes in kind of that revenue dynamic because you have these new products ramping, but you have some pressure on some legacy products, you've got biosimilars. So maybe just as you think about that second half dynamic, what are the other pieces that we should consider as we think about the new guidance that you guys provided on the second quarter call?
Well, in a moment, I'll ask Kave to jump in too because he's on top of this all the time, 24/7. But I would just add, our six growth drivers we mentioned in the fourth quarter call, we mentioned again off the first quarter call and the second quarter call. Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, our innovative oncology portfolio, our rare disease portfolio and our biosimilars portfolio continue to perform well.
I think as everybody knows, we have the LOEs on denosumab, which is Prolia and XGEVA. We have those in the second half of the year. We're delighted by the strength of the launch in IgG4-related disease for UPLIZNA. So that's exciting. And we're excited about the strength in PAVBLU and how that's working out, too. So there's some puts and takes. But Kave, you may have some good thoughts to add for our colleagues.
No, Peter, I think that's fair. I think for the six growth drivers, we expect them to continue to grow and accelerate growth in the back half of this year and into next year. Obviously, with denosumab, we expect some erosion during the second half of this year. We've had three biosimilars of denosumab launch to date in the U.S. Early days, but thus far, the situation is playing out exactly as we expected. And those expectations were built based off our 10-year history of both defending against biosimilars but also launching them on our own.
And as a reminder, we do expect XGEVA and Prolia dynamics to be slightly different given that the oncology market, there's greater consolidation and greater familiarity with biosimilars. And in the bone market, we continue to promote one of our growth drivers in EVENITY, a bone builder that's highly complementary to the bone reabsorption business that we have with Prolia. So again, the growth drivers continue to grow. We're managing the biosimilar to denosumab. And there's a few puts and takes on ordering patterns on biosimilars and some ex U.S. that change overall, but very strong growth story that we continue to execute against.
Yes. Okay. Great. Maybe one more. I know, Peter, we talked about margins a lot. You guys have very robust margins. You obviously manage those through multiple different cycles. Maybe just remind us where you stand for this year.
And then I know you're not going to obviously guide to next year, but again, you guys do have a pretty robust pipeline. Help us think about some of the, again, puts and takes as we think about some of the spend levers that you might be considering as we look at our models for '26.
Well, as you know, Terence, thank you for this question on margins. We pay a lot of attention to margins at Amgen, rigorous financial discipline throughout the company. We know that what we want to do is try to reallocate as much capital as possible back in innovation. So with that in mind, we've always signaled that when we flex that margin down, which we are this year, I think we've guided to a 45% margin, that we know our shareholders expect us to return at some point with returns well above the cash-on-cash return on that above the hurdle rate.
And so we communicate that beforehand. This year, we took the 46% original guide down to 45% simply primarily due to that business development activity in the third quarter. And what I would say on margins is we're living up to where we're at in the sense that we've raised our guide on our research and development costs to over 20% increase year-over-year. And really, what that represents is the probability in the pipeline. The mid- to late-stage pipeline continues to increase and improve for patients. And so with that, that certainly gives us an opportunity to invest and get those medicines to the patients as quickly as possible.
So I think that really covers it. I think those are the most important salient points on the margin. We will continue to focus for patients, staff and shareholders on disciplined financial allocation. We understand how important it is. We live executional excellence. Like all our colleagues in the industry, we are interrogating and implementing where it makes sense artificial intelligence, technology and so forth to make sure we're just staying at the edge and everything we can do across the company, by the way, all the way from discovery research through to our commercial activity.
So we put pressure on ourselves. But we know at the end of the day on that margin, when we do that, we're able to produce another dollar for innovation that benefits patients.
Yes. And so should we expect on the pipeline again that you're going to continue to invest here into next year? I know MariTide is one of those programs. But it seems like you still have a pretty rich set of pipeline here that you guys want to advance.
Yes. We don't guide long term, but I think it's fair to assume we are going to make sure we explore everything we need to explore in that clinic. We have 4 Phase IIIs. We talked about getting in the obstructive sleep apnea this year and initiating that with MariTide. We get Olpasiran also progressing in Phase III. We're excited about that. We're going to make sure -- and our shareholders, we know they want us to get those medicines interrogated, look at the data and get them to patients as quickly as possible, of course, depending on the data and regulatory approval.
Okay. Great. Maybe I want to pivot over to the pipeline here just in the interest of time and really wanted to touch on three programs in the last several minutes here: rocatinlimab, MariTide and Olpasiran.
And so rocatinlimab, I know you and your partner, Kyowa Kirin, had some updated data yesterday on the ASCEND data, looking at Q4 weekly and Q8 weekly in atopic derm. So maybe just, Kave, you could give us kind of the quick hit of that data. And then on the competitive profile, I know Sanofi had some of their first Phase III data recently as well. So maybe just -- again, I know cross-trial comparisons are challenging. But again, just give us your take on kind of how your profile stacks up there.
Yes, happy to, Terence. Maybe I'll start with ASCEND. For those of you that didn't see, we released data with our partner, Kyowa Kirin, late last night right before the Japanese market open from this particular Phase III study. ASCEND is a descriptive study. It's a long-term extension study whose primary objective was safety, and secondary objective was efficacy that was testing this extension for rocatinlimab in Q4 week and Q8 week once a month and once every other month based dosing. The press release does include quite a bit of information. I'll point you back to that for the details.
This is an interim read. There's portions of the study that are still ongoing, which is also why we've released limited data to date. That data that we've showed last night or we announced last night really adds to our understanding of the OX40 mechanism within atopic dermatitis. It also starts to complete the ROCKET program. It's the 7th of 8 studies that we said we would require to file at a certain point. And so we're now evaluating the totality of that data in total to understand what's the potential position for rocatinlimab in this market that has a number of competitive dynamics, including a competitor coming from Sanofi.
Beyond that, to your point, the cross-trial comparison with the Sanofi data is rather challenging. It's also rather early. We've only seen a portion of their first Phase III study.
And just remind us, is this the last piece for the filing? Or there are other studies that you guys need?
So this study first must complete before we make any determination along with one additional study we are still waiting for. And again, we'll take the totality of evidence at that point, evaluate positioning, competitive dynamics and determine the best path forward.
Okay. Okay, great. Maybe moving over to MariTide. I think Peter highlighted, you have a broad Phase III program underway, including an OSA trial that's going to start as well. Maybe just remind us, I know there's some upcoming Phase II data coming in the fourth quarter, what are you going to be most focused on? Or what should we all be focused on when we see that data coming up?
Peter, maybe I'll ask you to take MariTide.
Sure. On MariTide, Terence, look, at the end of the day, that data is coming in the fourth quarter. We're excited about where MariTide sits. As I said, we've got the 4 Phase III trials and obstructive sleep apnea coming up. We've used the data that we understand from Phase II to inform ourselves on that in very thoughtful ways, as you can imagine. We look forward to seeing that data, and we'll be back to you with that.
Okay. And then one question we get is about the CVOT trial that you guys are planning here in type 2 diabetes. I think there's been some new data out from Lilly about a month ago on their head-to-head Trulicity versus tirzepatide. So as you guys think about your MariTide type 2 diabetes CVOT trial, any updates you can share there in terms of how you're thinking about that design? I know that's a pretty important study as well.
Yes. I'd just add that we're aware of the different competitive dynamics out there, Terence. We think we have a highly differentiated molecule with an antibody backbone that gives us obviously very convenient monthly dosing. We're taking in all of the information as part of trial design, and we'll be able to update in due course.
Okay. Maybe we'll pivot over to Olpasiran, your Lp(a) here. Just remind us about why you guys are excited about this target. I think you're one of the leading companies here, neck and neck with Novartis in terms of a Phase III program. But what is it about the target? And then as we look to this Novartis data, which I think is coming next year, what's the read across to your program?
Yes. So thinking about Lp(a), going back to 2009 and the seminal paper originally written on this subject, this appears to be one of the additional cardiovascular risk factors that's out there that is genetic in nature. Approximately 20% of people have elevated Lp(a). The literature is well documented at this point that high Lp(a) is directly correlated with a higher risk of CV events.
The open question that Novartis, ourselves and others are trying to ask is whether lowering Lp(a) also results in a reduction in CV events. And the studies that we have ongoing look to prove that. But the thing on Lp(a) that makes it different than LDL is it can't be modified by diet or exercise nor is it modified by any other therapy today, meaning that it's a completely uncontrolled risk factor.
We think we have an incredible molecule in Olpasiran that reduces Lp(a) by 95%. And that's differentiated by the other molecules that are out there in terms of size of effect and frequency of treatment given that Olpasiran is given once a quarter. So we're looking forward to learning from Novartis, but we do fundamentally feel that our molecule is different and our study is different. And at the end of the day, we'll add it to the body of evidence on Lp(a) but probably won't determine based off what we see from Novartis.
Great. Anything else in the pipeline that you guys want to just flag in the last 30 seconds here?
I think we've continued to highlight IMDELLTRA, continued to highlight TEZSPIRE, continue to highlight UPLIZNA and the upcoming approval we have in gMG as three programs that are near term, in addition to MariTide, xaluritamig, dazodalibep and Olpasiran that we're very excited about from a pipeline perspective.
I think I'd throw in TEZSPIRE too with the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. So we're excited about all of -- when we think about UPLIZNA and TEZSPIRE, I mean, we really kind of feel like we see pipeline and a couple of products. It's just fantastic. So all good for patients, Terence.
Great. Well, thank you so much, Peter, Kave. I really appreciate the time today.
Nice to see you. Thank you, Morgan Stanley.
Thank you, Morgan Stanley. Thank you, Terence.
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Amgen — Morgan Stanley 23rd Annual Global Healthcare Conference
Amgen — Morgan Stanley 23rd Annual Global Healthcare Conference
📣 Kernbotschaft
- Performance: Amgen betont breites, organisches Wachstum: Q2-Umsatz +9% YoY, Volumen +13%, Non-GAAP EPS +21%; 15 Produkte wuchsen zweistellig, 14 Produkte annualisieren auf ≥$1 Mrd.
- Fokus: Management setzt auf vier Therapiegebiete plus Biosimilars, erhebliche Investitionen in US-Produktion und Pipeline-Advancement.
🎯 Strategische Highlights
- Pipeline: MariTide mit vier Phase‑III-Studien (inkl. Schlafapnoe), Olpasiran in Phase III für Lp(a), BiTE-Onkologie (IMDELLTRA, BLINCYTO, xaluritamig) wird vorangetrieben.
- Biosimilars: Kumulativ $12 Mrd. seit 2018; H1-Biosimilars +37% YoY (~$1,4 Mrd.). Dritte Welle (OPDIVO, KEYTRUDA, OCREVUS) in Entwicklung.
- Produktion & CapEx: 2025-CapEx‑Leitlinie $2,3 Mrd.; bedeutende US-Investitionen (NC, OH, Thousand Oaks) zur Stärkung Lieferfähigkeit.
🔭 Neue Informationen
- Klinische Daten: DeLLphi‑304 Phase Ib für IMDELLTRA in Erstlinie Maintenance zeigte mOS 25.3 Monate (durvalumab‑Arm), keine neuen Sicherheitssignale; unterstützt Vorstoß in frühere Linien.
- Zeitplan: IMDELLTRA PDUFA 18. Dez.; UPLIZNA PDUFA für generalisierte Myasthenia gravis im Dezember; TEZSPIRE CRSwNP PDUFA im Oktober.
- Finanzen: Margenleitlinie reduziert auf ~45% (gegenüber 46% zuvor) wegen BD-Aktivität; R&D‑Aufwand +>20% YoY.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- Politik & Preise: Management engagiert mit US‑Administration; zeitliche Lösung zu MFN/Tarifen unklar, keine konkreten Fristen genannt.
- Deleveraging & M&A: Horizon-Integration sieht Management als erfolgreich; Ziel-Kapitalstruktur soll bis Jahresende wiederhergestellt sein; Aperture für Zukäufe offen, strenge Hurdle-Raten.
- Biosimilar-Risiko: Denosumab (Prolia/XGEVA) LOE in H2 erwartet; Management beschreibt erwartete Erosion und aktive Verteidigungs-/Launch-Strategien, jedoch keine detaillierten Marktanteilsprognosen.
⚡ Bottom Line
- Bewertung: Call bestätigt duale Story: solides aktuelles Wachstum + reichhaltige Near‑/Mid‑term‑Katalysatoren (IMDELLTRA PDUFA, UPLIZNA, MariTide, Olpasiran). Kurzfristige Risiken: Denosumab‑Biosimilars, Policy‑Unwägbarkeiten und erhöhte CapEx/R&D‑Ausgaben; mittelfristig stärkt Produktionsausbau die Skalierbarkeit.
Amgen — Wells Fargo 20th Annual Healthcare Conference 2025
1. Question Answer
So we have Paul Burton. He's the Chief Medical Officer of the company; and dabbing for the first time, Adam Elinoff, the new IR at Amgen. And then we also have Casey to help him out here. Thank you very much for joining us today.
So thank you for having us. If you don't mind, I'll kick off with opening remarks, and then we'll go to Q&A from there.
Sure.
So the business is delivering strong results, and we're very pleased about that. We're also well positioned to deliver growth today and then well into the future. And that's driven by 4 things. The first is our breadth and depth, and that's across our 4 therapeutic areas, and that's both in line and pipeline. And I would just highlight in the second quarter, if you recall, 12 of our products delivered double-digit or better sales growth. So that's important.
The second piece is our commitment to innovation. And that's both -- that runs through the molecules and medicines we make for patients, how we enable and leverage tech and AI and then how we drive continuous improvement through the business. And then the third thing is our focus on execution excellence. And then lastly, as you know, our disciplined capital allocation.
In the second quarter, we're pleased to report at the time that we delivered 9% year-over-year revenue growth, 13% volume growth. And then we're very excited about the 21% non-GAAP earnings per share growth year-over-year.
So with that, I'll move into talk a little bit more about the breadth and then I'll pass -- on the marketed product side, and then I'll pass it to Paul, and he'll talk a little bit more about the pipeline.
So in general medicine, I'll talk about Repatha and EVENITY. Repatha delivered $689 million in sales, grew at 31% year-over-year. EVENITY delivered $518 million in sales and grew at 32% year-over-year, and it's now annualizing at over $2 billion. So we're pleased about that. But more importantly, these medicines serve large patient populations with substantial unmet need. And what that translates into, of course, is a substantial opportunity to serve more patients and more growth for those products.
Next, I'll move into rare disease. So a rare disease is now annualizing over $5 billion based on the second quarter. I'll highlight just 2 of the medicines. So UPLIZNA, this is turning into a true pipeline in a product. So #1, FDA-approved biologic in NMOSD. And then we recently launched an IgG4-related disease. And that launch is going very, very well, and we're very excited about it, and it delivered substantial growth in the second quarter. And then Paul will talk about an upcoming PDUFA date for myasthenia gravis.
I want to talk about TEPEZZA. So we continue to be confident in TEPEZZA and optimistic about TEPEZZA. And that's driven by 4 things. The first is that there's still a substantial unmet need in thyroid eye disease. Second, we're the only therapeutic approved for patients in thyroid eye disease. The third is that we recently expanded our field force to enable us to reach patients where they're at, and that's either via ophthalmologist, oculoplastic surgeons or endocrinologist. And then lastly, I just wanted to mention our launch in Japan is going very well. And so that is an exciting opportunity.
Next, I'll move to oncology. Our oncology portfolio, as you know, is broad. I'm going to focus on the BiTE platform here. So BLINCYTO, our original BiTE delivered 45% year-over-year growth. IMDELLTRA, which is an important medicine for patients, it's now in second line small cell lung cancer grew at 65% year-over-year -- quarter-over-quarter and delivered $134 million in sales. But what's also important about those sales is where they came from. So they weren't just in the academic setting, it was also in the community setting. And what that means is that there's a broad adoption, and there's a demand for it from both clinicians and patients. So very excited about that medicine. It serves patients facing a very grievous illness.
Lastly, I want to just talk about inflammation in TEZSPIRE. Another portfolio -- pipeline in a product, grew at 46% year-over-year in severe uncontrolled asthma. And then we have several indications to come, as Paul will talk about shortly, including a PDUFA date in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps later this year.
I'd be remiss, though, if I didn't talk about our biosimilars platform or programs which run through those therapeutic areas, which I just mentioned, and they generate meaningful value because we're able to efficiently leverage the infrastructure we have in place.
And then on capital allocation, we have a history and a culture of disciplined capital allocation, and that's founded in our prioritization of our capital allocation priorities. The first is investing in the best innovation, either internally or externally derived. As you know, we increased our guidance on R&D spend to over 20% this year. Second is to fund the CapEx required to support the business. And then the third is to return capital to shareholders. And that's in the form of a growing dividend, share repurchases or debt pay down.
And so as the Treasurer of the company, I'm very pleased to say here today that we've largely completed the deleveraging from the Horizon transaction, and we're on track to return to the efficient capital structure, which we had prior to the transaction by the end of the year.
So with that, I'll turn it over to Paul, who will give us an update on the other half of the breadth, and that's the pipeline.
Great. Thank you, Adam. Thank you, Mohit, for having us. Good morning, everybody. Look, I'll start with MariTide. As you all know, our investigational therapy for obesity and obesity-related conditions. We now have 4 Phase III studies ongoing, 2 of them in chronic weight management, 1 in cardiovascular disease and 1 in heart failure. And we expect to initiate a study in obstructive sleep apnea later this year.
Enrollment across all of these studies is going extremely well. That really represents a broad investigator interest in the molecule and in the program, participant interest in these trials and obviously, significant remaining unmet medical need. In Q4 of this year, we should have data from Part 2 of our Phase II study in chronic weight management data coming out there. And we'll also have data from a Phase II study in type 2 diabetes.
Now beyond MariTide, but staying in general medicine. As Adam mentioned, we have olpasiran, our Lp(a) targeting medicine for the reduction of cardiovascular risk and that is progressing in Phase III as well. In rare disease, Adam touched on this as well, but the growth we're seeing with UPLIZNA in NMOSD and IgG4-related disease continues to go very well. We have a PDUFA date coming up in December for the indication of generalized myasthenia gravis for UPLIZNA. We think it really has the potential to address a very significant unmet medical need. The molecule has durable efficacy the ability for steroid tapering and following a loading dose, very convenient twice-yearly dosing regimen.
Let me switch to oncology now, perhaps with IMDELLTRA to begin with. This is our DLL3 targeting bispecific T-cell engaging molecule. We're very pleased to announce that the FDA has accepted the submission of IMDELLTRA in the DeLLphi-304 study, our confirmatory Phase III study for the second-line use of IMDELLTRA in small cell lung cancer. And that was awarded priority review with a PDUFA date of December 18. So we're excited about IMDELLTRA, and we're obviously rapidly advancing this medicine into earlier lines of therapy.
Similarly, now xaluritamig, our STEAP1 targeting bispecific T-cell engaging molecule, enrolling in Phase III study of advanced metastatic prostate cancer, and again, trying to move that molecule as quickly as possible into earlier lines of therapy.
I'll turn now to bemarituzumab, our FGFR2b receptor antibody. In June, we announced the results of our Phase III FORTITUDE-101 study. That tested bemarituzumab plus chemotherapy modified FOLFOX6 chemotherapy. And the first-line setting in gastric cancer. And we announced that the study had met its primary endpoint of overall survival at a prespecified interim analysis.
However, the recently completed final analysis for this study, the magnitude of survival benefit has decreased. The full results from both the interim analysis and that final analysis will be presented at an upcoming major medical meeting. And in addition, we anticipate that results either in the second half of this year or the first half of 2026 will become available from the ongoing FORTITUDE-102 study, our Phase III study there, testing bemarituzumab in the combination with nivolumab or chemotherapy. So the triplet setting. That combination with a standard of care option will help us further characterize bemarituzumab's profile in gastric cancer and then the decision on our regulatory filing will follow as the availability of data from both of those 2 studies comes to the fore.
Finally, our fourth therapeutic area, inflammation, TEZSPIRE continues to advance with multiple indications beyond severe asthma. We have a PDUFA date for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps in October. We're enrolling in our Phase III studies in COPD. We've recently completed enrollment in our Phase III study in eosinophilic esophagitis.
So in closing, as Adam reiterated, we have breadth and depth across our 4 therapeutic areas. We have a commitment to innovation, a focus on executional excellence, a culture of disciplined capital allocation. And taken together, this positions us to be able to deliver innovation and growth not only in 2025, but over the long term as well.
So thank you, Mohit. With that, I hand back to you for questions.
Thank you. I don't know where to start. There's so many questions to ask now. So maybe let's just start with MariTide. And I mean there's a lot of focus on this for right reasons. So we saw the profile, we saw the data, and it does seem like you -- so it does seem like it is hitting the mark with the efficacy side of it.
On the safety side, you can do some work on dose escalation. So if you can talk a little bit about those efforts and what is your understanding in terms of how you can manage with the milder doses in the beginning? And any of that, could we learn some of that from the part to this year?
Yes. So the Phase II Part 2 study, which enrolled people after they had been in the study for 48 weeks and 15% weight loss will really address 3 big buckets. One is what happens when you stop MariTide, what happens when you go to lower doses and less frequent every 3 monthly dosing and then what happens if you just continue monthly dosing. So that will be very important.
MariTide is different from the weekly injectables. It obviously has an antibody backbone, and that allows us to have very steady pharmacokinetic characteristics versus the weekly injectables, which tend to have high peaks and low troughs. And we think that, that pharmacokinetic characteristics of MariTide allows us to have a smooth titration to a target dose over, for example, 8 weeks. And so we're pursuing that, obviously, as our escalation pathway to the target doses. And that's with a 2-step dose escalation regimen where we have on par tolerability around vomiting certainly compared to the other agents.
And in the chronic weight management studies, again, because of our smooth pharmacokinetic characteristics, we're now also able to implement a 3-step titration regimen. So we think that we can even further improve on our tolerability profile there. So we're very pleased with that.
So let me just talk about the Part 2 first. So basically, it will tell you when you stop the drug, how long the benefit lasts, probably, that's number one. Number two, is every 3 months similar to every month? Probably that will be interesting learning there, right? So it still doesn't like -- the tolability is probably like with a milder dosing, probably, we won't see a lot here. But that would be something subsequent. Is that fair?
Yes. We think that we can manage the tolerability with the dose escalation with the titration to a target dose. We've learned so much about MariTide within this Phase II study, our other ongoing Phase II studies. What the Part 2 of that study would do is really now address some of those key questions that patients and physicians and payers want to know about, assuming that the medicine is ultimately approved and then they begin to use it. So what happens if you stop it? How can you go to maintenance therapy either on low doses but monthly dosing or with extended treatment duration.
Got it. So do you envision a scenario where it will be -- it could become an induction maintenance kind of approach where patients actually go on more frequent dosing followed by a milder dosing or less frequent dosing over time?
Yes. I mean we certainly think that the characteristics of MariTide support it certainly for induction, but also, again, going back to that Phase II part 2 of the data will support its use in maintenance as well. And clearly, as I said in the opening comments, we then have the broad MARITIME program of other Phase III studies in cardiovascular disease, heart failure, chronic rate management, obstructive sleep apnea starting later this year. So really broadening its use across those indications as well.
Got it. Very helpful. And then -- so we have seen some data from the cardiometabolic and other cardiometabolic endpoints as well, which is the hallmark of GLP-1. So I mean, if you look at the front runners, Lilly and Novo, they are running trials in multiple indications. And you are also talking about some of these indications. How are you thinking about broadening the program? And which other indications do you think MariTide makes sense?
So for our other indications, as I mentioned, we have the broad MARITIME program, cardiovascular disease, weight management, obstructive sleep apnea. I think what is so encouraging about the data that we have seen from the Phase II studies to date is in the diabetic population, a 2.2% reduction in HbA1c with 50% of patients being able to achieve an HbA1c of under 5.7, so essentially normalizing their glucose metabolism.
We have a 28% reduction in triglycerides, 72% reduction in high-sensitivity CRP levels and then an 11-millimeter mercury reduction in blood pressure. So when you take all of that together, significant reduction in proven biomarkers of cardiovascular risk, we think that the profile, not only within the management of weight, but in this broader population of cardiovascular metabolic risk reduction really is very encouraging indeed.
Got it. Very helpful. And then, I mean, you have some pipeline candidates in this portfolio as well. I mean, 513 comes up a lot. But again, anything else that you would highlight to investors where you are going beyond MariTide?
Yes. I mean just to say we have an early pipeline. It consists of incretins, non-incretins, oral agents and injectables. We'll obviously update with data as those programs continue and generate data. And then AMG 513 in Phase I now. And again, as data mature and data become available, we'll obviously update you on that as that comes out.
Is that the area where you are looking at BD as well since Adams Group has managed the balance sheet properly now? Or the balance sheet is much more stable now?
Yes. So it's a great question. And as we said, as we're -- our #1 capital allocation priority is innovation, and that's either internally or externally derived. So the answer to your question is yes. We're exploring all avenues of BD, and that may mean an acquisition, that may mean licensing, that may mean partnership as we're looking to expand the portfolio. So we have the internal development. But if there's something better or more interesting out there, we would certainly pursue it.
Got it. So basically, you are in the obesity market for a long time, basically.
Yes, we're very excited about it.
Very helpful. So maybe moving on to the other interesting asset in cardiovascular disease. I mean you have had success with Repatha. I mean, again, competitively. But at the same time, now you have an interesting readout coming up with -- I can never pronounce it, but VESALIUS CV trial. So how do you think about the opportunity opens up? Does it open up a big opportunity? I mean payers have been the challenge. I mean, drug works, but how do you think about this?
So VESALIUS is our study examining Repatha in primary prevention in essence. I think, look, one, it will add to the growing body of evidence around the value of reducing substantially LDL levels, which Repatha does. Clearly, guidelines now call for sooner, lower is better. We've made great strides with payers, but I think it will give them reassurance around the use of the molecule in that setting. And there are still prior authorization. So I think it will be valuable data for that.
I would say Murdo actually commented on this in the last earnings call that about 40% of the new-to-brand prescriptions written for Repatha are in the primary care setting already. So I think taken together, it will be an important data set. It will build on the already very strong evidence base that we have around the use of Repatha and should shore up that use in the primary care setting.
Got it. Very helpful. Obviously, the big one is olpasiran -- sorry, I'm just making a little easy way to get that. So olpasiran, of course, there's a lot of excitement there. You have an siRNA-based approach versus the ASO, which is going on, which is reading out fast. It is an independent indicator or a biomarker, right? So I mean, like when we talk to experts, they say that there is so much going on in cardiovascular, which drug fits where is a challenge. But I mean, a GLP-1 is not going to solve for that or excise diet is not going to solve for this.
So in that -- in this backdrop, I mean, how are you looking at the opportunity? Where does the drug fit in? And when we see the Novartis data, I mean, like how much informative would it be for your program?
Yes. So we have Repatha, MariTide and olpasiran. I think we're uniquely positioned to be able to address really the -- all of the key drivers of cardiometabolic risk in cardiovascular disease. You mentioned it Repatha profound reduction in LDL. Olpasiran, we think, potentially best-in-class reduction of 95% to 100% in the level of Lp(a) with very convenient every 12-week dosing. I think that differentiates it in the space as well.
You said, Lp(a) is a genetically determined really nonmodifiable risk factor. So as we now get -- we'll get the results of the OCEAN study that is exploring olpasiran in cardiovascular disease, that clearly would be an opportunity to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease driven by that risk factor, Lp(a). And then, of course, we have MariTide and all of the cardiometabolic risk reduction features that we just went through. So when you bring those 3 things together, we really think it underpins Amgen's broad and long-lasting commitment to manage cardiometabolic risk, and we would now have 3 different approaches to be able to do that, taking out independent clearly established risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Got it. Very helpful. And then in terms of -- like I mean, are there any key differences or similarities with the Novartis program that we should, as investors know?
Look, I think the molecule is differentiated, as I say, really profound reduction in Lp(a), 95% to 100%, and the dosing regimen of every 12 weeks is also very appealing. Our OCEAN(a) study is fully enrolled. The data will mature, and we'll obviously report that out. I think a negative result from the Novartis study, given that we have different trial designs. We have a different molecule, certainly would not invalidate the hypothesis and the validity of reducing Lp(a) for the management of cardiovascular disease. And clearly, a positive result from them would just reinforce that. But again, we think a differentiated molecule with a unique Phase III trial design.
Very helpful. And then one question we get a lot about Lp(a) is that is there a threshold effect here or more reduction is better? Because with LDL, you have proven that more is better probably. But with Lp(a), we don't know that yet. So how do you think about this?
Well, I think the epidemiological data and the Mendelian randomization data suggests that there is a continuous relationship. So that as Lp(a) goes up and up and up on a population basis, the risk of cardiovascular disease goes up similarly. So our hypothesis is that the further you can reduce Lp(a), so the greater the reduction in cardiovascular risk would be. And that's why we think that a molecule like olpasiran, which really does have we believe best-in-class Lp(a) reducing capability could be highly beneficial in that setting. So lower, we think, is better.
Got it. Very, very helpful. Maybe let's just switch gears to TEZSPIRE at this point. I want to talk a little bit about COPD here. I mean you saw interesting Phase II data. I mean, we saw some spectacular failures lately. Again, I mean, this -- so like with both the ST2 and IL-33, they are similar mechanisms though. How are you thinking about this space now after the data? And does this like -- is your belief stronger in this asset or weaker now, especially in COPD? And then COPD is a variable disease as well. So I would love to know about it.
Yes. So COPD, third leading cause of death in the world today, 14 million patients here in the United States with COPD and probably somewhere around 1.4 million of them are bioeligible. When we think about TEZSPIRE, it's a medicine that clearly has very strong effectiveness in severe asthma. And it's also shown that again in the setting of chronic rhinositis with nasal polyps. So I think form proof of principle and using those other indications, I think it's very supportive that this molecule could work very well in COPD.
When you think about the biology as well, TEZSPIRE targets TSLP, TSLP, which is high upstream in the disease cascade. It really does convert insult to injury, right? So pathogen, pollutants, so on and so forth into airway inflammation. So if you can control TSLP, I think you have a very good chance, and we've shown that in severe asthma of controlling airway inflammation and damage. So I think the biology supports it.
And then as you said, we did do the Phase II study, and we've learned from that. We've tailored and designed the Phase III studies to include patients with eosinophils over 150. So we think when you take that together, the biology, the proven effectiveness in severe asthma and CRS with nasal polyps, and then the foundation of Phase II data, where we've been able to adapt the design of Phase III, we really do feel very confident in the design of the study and the potential therapy that TEZSPIRE will have here and see.
Got it. So do you think, I mean, like DUPIXENT is actually -- like even though label is like broader, but again, it is used in high eosinophils than 150. So do you think -- like because it is sitting higher up versus IL-13/4, it can probably have a better effect than DUPIXENT. I mean, like how would you think about that?
No, I think we'll have to wait now and of course, see the data. But it's an intriguing possibility.
That's fair. So maybe talk a little bit about the gastric trial. And then you said that the benefit in final analysis was even better than the previous one, right? So how are you thinking about the opportunity there for FGFR2b drug? And I mean, like with these cancers, I mean, these trials are just the beginning and the opportunity could be bigger than that. So can you talk a little bit more about that?
Casey, why don't you take that one?
Yes. I would say with respect to bemarituzumab, as Paul said, we have data from FORTITUDE-101 and you heard the comments with respect to that. We have other Phase III study of FORTITUDE-102 ongoing and underway. And I think we'll have to look at the totality of data from when we have data from both of those studies available, and then we'll make a decision on the regulatory filing approach from there.
Got it. So what is like -- you mean, like is there a specific thing you want to look at before you want to decide? Or...
Just with any program, Mohit, you really look at the totality of evidence that you generated, the remaining unmet need in the marketplace for patients and then you understand the best way to address to address that need with your therapy. And we'll take that same approach with bema in this case.
Got it. Very helpful. So let's just talk a little bit about UPLIZNA. I mean the drug has shown really good results in MG. So where do you think the drug fits in? Because I mean, in first line, you have FcRn then you have C5, but you have an advantage of every 6-month dosing. And i mean after OCREVUS experience, I would never discount this every 6-month dosing because neurologists love that. So how are you thinking about the positioning of the drug versus what is out there?
So why don't I start and then I'll pass it over. So I think the first piece is just -- I want to start with IgG4-related disease and just think about the size of that market. So it's about 20,000 patients. And IgG4 really just got an ICD-10 code about 2 years ago. So that can continue to grow. But if you go over to gMG, that's like 80,000 to 100,000 patients. So a bigger opportunity there.
And then there's 3 things, and then Paul mentioned that really differentiate UPLIZNA why we think we have a strong position in the market and a strong value proposition to patients and clinicians. And it's that stable, durable efficacy, the steroid tapering and then after a loading dose, the ability to dose every 6 months. So we're very excited about the opportunity in gMG for UPLIZNA. Paul?
No, just to add, we obviously -- it's approved in NMOSD, #1 biologic there. And with IgG4-related disease, it's also a very safe medicine. I think that's important. These are difficult to treat patients. It's safe. As Adam said, it's a very attractive dosing schedule. The study results show broad and enduring efficacy, broad across ACH, acetylcholine and muscarinic receptor positive patients. And then that ability to steroid taper as well differentiates.
Many of these patients will try just 1 or 2 therapies,really before they land or they exit into some of the kind of treatment pattern. So having something that physicians and patients clearly see the clinical value of it is easy for them to use, we think is going to potentially be practice changing and that would be a plus.
Awesome. Maybe one last question or maybe 2 last questions, [indiscernible] last question. So in the rare diseases, like when you did the Horizon deal, you talked about both geographical expansion because Amgen traditionally has less revenues coming from ex U.S. compared to their peers. Part of it was like how the initial deals were designed for Enbrel and all those early product. But I think with the Horizon acquisition, the goal was one, geographical expansion, two, rare disease indication expansion. So you have launched in Japan as well now, TEPEZZA. So how are you progressing in that area at this point? And what more to come?
Yes. So if you recall, the deal, just like you said, was about getting access to a rare disease capability and being able to leverage our manufacturing capability and help expand those both in the U.S. as well as internationally. And so a couple of points. One, you see that we're selling TEPEZZA in Japan as well as several other markets, and those are going very well. We have approval in Europe, and we're having conversations with payers ongoing, so more to come there. And then as you know, UPLIZNA in several markets in Europe as well.
So, so far, so good. We're excited about it. And the thesis -- the deal thesis is holding, and I would say it's better than when we did the deal. UPLIZNA is really showing, I would call it a grand plan. So really excited about it.
So yes, I'll hand the floor back to you. And then if you want to add like one more -- one question I ask everyone every time. Like 1 year down the line, I hope you are here. I hope I am here. And I'm asking you this question, what will make you look back at the year and say it was a great year?
Yes, it's a great question. And I think it just continues for me when I think about it, and I think if you ask anybody at Amgen, it's about continuing to serve more patients. And we talked about the unmet need there, and those are people with families and children and things like that. We want to make sure that we're continuing to deliver for them. And that's both in line to making sure people are getting their LDL lowered, making sure women at risk, high risk of fracture are getting their bones, taking EVENITY bone-building medicine. And then people with, unfortunately, suffering from cancer, are still here today.
So for us, that's the in-line products, and then it's bringing the hope of the next wave of molecules to patients. So I hope we have a bunch more pipeline success, a bunch in the early pipeline. So I'm really optimistic, really excited about where we're at. We have a great platform. And that's where I would conclude with is we have a great platform. We're well positioned to continue to deliver growth and the breadth and depth across both the in-line and pipeline are going to be exciting for the company for several years to come.
So with that, Casey, anything you'd like to add? We kind of kept it quite up here.
No. I think you and Paul covered it well, Adam. Mohit, I would just say thank you for having us, and thank you all for your interest in the company. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
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Amgen — Wells Fargo 20th Annual Healthcare Conference 2025
Amgen — Wells Fargo 20th Annual Healthcare Conference 2025
📣 Kernbotschaft
- Kern: Management stellt Breite (4 Therapiegebiete), Innovationsfokus, Execution-Exzellenz und disziplinierte Kapitalallokation in den Vordergrund und sieht das Unternehmen als gut positioniert für nachhaltiges Wachstum.
- Zahlen: Letzte Quartalshinweise: +9% Umsatz YoY, +21% Non‑GAAP EPS YoY; mehrere Produkte zeigen zweistellige Verkäufe.
🎯 Strategische Highlights
- MariTide: Breites Phase‑III‑Programm (4 Studien); Part‑2 der Phase‑II liefert Ende Q4 wichtige Daten zu Stop/Erhaltungsdosis und Titrationsschema.
- Onkologie: IMDELLTRA (DLL3 BiTE) von der FDA zur Priority Review akzeptiert; PDUFA‑Datum 18. Dez. 2026 (Prescription Drug User Fee Act‑Termin).
- Kapital: Deleveraging nach Horizon weitgehend abgeschlossen; F&E‑Ausgaben (Forschung & Entwicklung) sollen >20% steigen, Fokus auf Innovation und Returns.
🔭 Neue Informationen
- Timing: Wichtige Daten/PDUFA‑Termine: MariTide Part‑2 (Q4), IMDELLTRA PDUFA 18.12.2026, UPLIZNA PDUFA (gMG) im Dezember, TEZSPIRE PDUFA für CRS‑NP im Oktober.
- OCEAN(a): olpasiran (Lp(a)‑siRNA) Phase‑III fully enrolled; Management betont mögliche 95–100% Lp(a)‑Senkung.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- MariTide‑Safety: Fokus auf Titration und Verträglichkeit; Part‑2 soll Antworten zu Absetzen, Erhaltungsdosis und 3‑monatiger Dosierung liefern.
- Lp(a)‑Position: Diskussion zu Differenzierung gegen Konkurrenz (Novartis); Management sieht unterschiedliche Moleküle/Designs als nicht direkt invalidierend.
- Bemarituzumab‑Signal: Analysten fragten nach reduzierter Effektstärke im finalen OS‑Analyse; Amgen verweist auf Gesamtbild und weitere FORTITUDE‑102‑Daten vor einer Zulassungsentscheidung.
⚡ Bottom Line
- Implikation: Amgen bietet eine Kombination aus starkem kommerziellem Momentum und mehreren nahen klinischen Katalysatoren (PDUFA‑Termine, Phase‑III‑Readouts). Kapitalstruktur ist stabiler, aber klinische Unsicherheiten (bemarituzumab‑Finalanalyse, ausstehende Readouts) bleiben wichtige Risiko‑Treiber für Aktionäre.
Amgen — Q2 2025 Earnings Call
1. Management Discussion
My name is Julianne, and I will be your conference facilitator today for the Amgen Q2 FY 2025 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions]
I would now like to introduce Justin Claeys, Vice President of Investor Relations. Mr. Claeys, you may now begin.
Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to our second quarter 2025 earnings call. Bob Bradway will lead the call and be followed by a broader review of our performance by Murdo Gordon, Jay Bradner and Peter Griffith.
Through the course of our discussion today, we will use non-GAAP financial measures to describe our performance and have provided appropriate reconciliations within the materials that accompany this call. We will also make some forward-looking statements which are qualified by our safe harbor statement, and please note that actual results could vary materially. Over to you, Bob.
Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for joining us today. As you'll hear, Amgen delivered another strong quarter, driven by growing demand for our medicines across the board. With net selling prices for medicines declining across the industry, volume growth is a key differentiator. And once again, this quarter, that's what we delivered. We did this, of course, while also advancing a world-class pipeline.
In the quarter, revenues grew by 9% year-over-year and volume increased at an impressive 13%. 15 of our products delivered at least double-digit sales growth, demonstrating the breadth and depth of our portfolio.
As you're all aware, there's a focus on pricing and tariffs in our industry. And I would just say that we are actively engaged in discussions with our government officials and share the objectives of improving patient access, affordability and expanding biopharma manufacturing in the U.S. We believe the world needs more innovation, not less, and we're continuing to invest heavily in innovation to support long-term growth. We're, of course, doing that while building on a track record of success, including multiple Phase III readouts in the first half of 2025.
We also believe that AI will be additive to the innovative capacity of our industry, and we feel we remain well positioned to accelerate progress through the convergence of biotech and technology, including the application of AI across the company. Let me turn to a few key drivers behind this quarter's momentum. I'll remind you that we're focused in 4 areas, and each are performing well.
In General Medicine, we're reaching large underserved patient populations with multiple products that have significant room for growth. For example, in cardiovascular disease and bone health. In addition, our obesity pipeline programs are advancing broadly.
In rare disease, we have 4 key growth drivers which are all early in their life cycles and well positioned for robust long-term growth, with attractive pipeline molecules following closely behind. In inflammation, where we've enjoyed decades of leadership, we're excited about the progress we're seeing in difficult-to-treat diseases where innovation is most needed. In oncology, we're delivering therapies that are redefining standards of care and changing what patients can expect from treatment. Our industry-leading biosimilars portfolio continues to contribute meaningful growth as well. And we've proven to be a leading competitor in this field, and it remains an attractive area for us.
To close, this was an exciting quarter, not just because of the financial results, but because of what it signals about Amgen's future. In-line brands are delivering. We're launching new products, and we're advancing the next wave of late-stage programs. Amgen is well positioned to deliver innovation and growth not just this year, but for the long term. And I want to thank our colleagues around the world for their dedication to our mission to serve patients.
With that, let me turn it over to Murdo for an update on the commercial progress in the quarter.
Thanks, Bob. In the second quarter, sales increased 9% year-over-year, driven by 13% volume growth. As you heard from Bob, 15 products delivered double-digit or better growth, a clear demonstration of the strength of our portfolio and quality of our execution.
Turning to General Medicine. Repatha delivered $696 million in the second quarter, up 31% year-over-year. Improved access is enabling more patients to benefit from Repatha. With an estimated 100 million people in need of effective LDL-C lowering, the opportunity to expand our impact remains substantial.
In the U.S., we saw continued demand growth across both cardiology and primary care, supported by an expanding prescriber base and deepening engagement across key customer segments. Our direct-to-consumer campaign continues to make a positive impact, with more patients actively asking their doctors about Repatha. On pricing, we expect less net price erosion than we've experienced historically.
EVENITY sales increased 32% year-over-year to $518 million in the second quarter. In the U.S., EVENITY grew 41% with increased prescription volume from both established and newly activated prescriber [ cats ]. In Japan, EVENITY is positively impacting many people, with over 700,000 patients treated since launch. As the only therapy that both builds bone and slows bone loss, EVENITY is uniquely positioned to reduce fracture risk in women who are postmenopausal. Approximately 250,000 patients in the U.S. have been treated with EVENITY today. However, many remain at high risk of fracture, with about 90% of the roughly 2 million very high-risk patients still not receiving appropriate therapy. This represents a meaningful opportunity to drive growth by ensuring more patients receive the protection they need from EVENITY.
Prolia sales declined 4% year-over-year in the second quarter to $1.1 billion, driven by lower net selling price. In the U.S., 3 biosimilars have now launched. And while it remains early, initial market dynamics are unfolding in line with our expectations.
I'll move to our rare disease portfolio, which grew 19% year-over-year, delivering nearly $1.4 billion in sales in the quarter and now annualizing at over $5 billion. TEPEZZA grew 5% in the quarter to $505 million in sales. Since launch, TEPEZZA has had a positive impact for thousands of patients living with thyroid eye disease. We're continuing our efforts to engage a broad prescriber base of oculoplastic surgeons, ophthalmologists and endocrinologists, and we're encouraged by the feedback we're receiving from the medical community, including an increase in intent to prescribe reported by endocrinologists during the second quarter. We launched TEPEZZA in Japan in December, and we're happy with the progress to date.
UPLIZNA sales increased 91% year-over-year to $176 million in the second quarter. UPLIZNA continues to be the #1 prescribed FDA-approved treatment for NMOSD. UPLIZNA growth is also bolstered by the FDA approval in April for use in IgG4-related disease. Our launch in IgG4-related disease is going well, with strong uptake amongst [ rerantologists ] and key academic medical centers. Additionally, launch preparations are underway for the anticipated approval of UPLIZNA for use in generalized myasthenia gravis or chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disorder. We look forward to the potential to bring UPLIZNA to patients living with gMG who can benefit from UPLIZNA's differentiated profile, including its durable efficacy over time and convenient dosing and administration.
Moving to inflammation. TEZSPIRE delivered another strong quarter with sales up 46% year-over-year to $342 million. Adoption of biologic agents in severe asthma has accelerated meaningfully over the past 5 years, almost doubling as physicians increasingly recognize the value of these treatments. Yet with U.S. biologic penetration still under 25%, there remains substantial opportunity for continued growth. TEZSPIRE not only helped expand the category, but continues to grow faster than the market, gaining share from legacy products based on its differentiated and broadly applicable profile to treat patients with multiple triggers and drivers of severe uncontrolled asthma.
Our innovative oncology portfolio, which includes BLINCYTO, IMDELLTRA, LUMAKRAS, Vectibix, KYPROLIS, Nplate and XGEVA grew 14% year-over-year, generating $2.2 billion of sales in the quarter. At the core of this growth is our industry-leading bispecific T cell engager or BiTE platform, which led to the discovery of both IMDELLTRA and BLINCYTO. With these products, we're helping to redefine the standard of care and improve overall survival rates in difficult-to-treat cancers, creating meaningful opportunities to reach more patients and drive long-term growth.
Our U.S. launch of IMDELLTRA for the treatment of patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer who are progressing on or after chemotherapy continues to build momentum, generating $134 million in sales in the second quarter. We see strong conviction in IMDELLTRA as a standard of care in second line small cell lung cancer. IMDELLTRA is being administered broadly across sites of care, including academic cancer centers, regional cancer hospitals and community oncology clinics. Over half of all IMDELLTRA doses are now administered in the community setting, indicating growing comfort with this important new cancer therapy.
BLINCYTO grew 45% year-over-year to $384 million in sales, driven by broad prescribing across both academic and community segments. In the U.S., recent updates to the NCCN guidelines position BLINCYTO as a preferred consolidation therapy in combination with continued multi-agent chemotherapy for both adults and pediatric patients with [ Philadelphia ] chromosome-negative B-cell ALL.
In the second quarter, biosimilar portfolio sales grew 40% year-over-year to $661 million. Since the first launches in 2018, our biosimilars have delivered almost $12 billion in sales, representing a significant contributor to top line growth and generating meaningful cash flows. Within this portfolio, our launch of PAVBLU, a biosimilar to EYLEA, continues to gain momentum, reaching $130 million in the second quarter. Retina specialists are responding very positively to PAVBLU, expressing appreciation for this high-quality Amgen biosimilar delivered in an easy-to-use prefilled syringe.
I'm very pleased with our performance in the second quarter, powered by life-changing medicines, disciplined execution and a clear and enduring commitment to the patients we serve. And now I'd like to hand it over to Jay.
Thank you, Murdo, and good afternoon, everyone. The second quarter marked a period of strong momentum and execution across the R&D pipeline. We delivered high-quality rapid progress advancing multiple late-stage programs.
Starting with MariTide, our investigational therapy for obesity and obesity-related conditions. In June, data were presented at the ADA and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Let me highlight some of the key points that define the differentiated profile of MariTide for the treatment of obesity and obesity-related conditions. MariTide is convenient, the most advanced obesity treatment in development with monthly or less frequent dosing. Efficacy is strong, with up to approximately 20% weight loss at 52 weeks without a plateau and with a clinically meaningful improvement in cardiometabolic parameters, including hemoglobin A1c.
MariTide is safe, very well tolerated at target doses. We've significantly improved GI tolerability with dose escalation without compromising weight loss efficacy. The Phase III program is underway, well informed by prior data and utilizing a refined 3-step dose escalation approach to optimize tolerability. Enrollment momentum for chronic weight management is strong across multiple geographies, reflecting broad investigator enthusiasm, participate interest in these trials and significant remaining unmet need.
Since June, we initiated 2 additional Phase III studies. The first, [ MariTide CV ] evaluates cardiovascular outcomes in adults living with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and obesity or overweight. The second, MariTide HF, evaluates reduction of heart failure events and cardiovascular risk in adults living with heart failure with a preserved or mildly reduced ejection fraction and obesity.
In summary, MariTide represents a promising treatment advance for people living with obesity, obesity-related conditions and type 2 diabetes. With 4 Phase III studies underway and obstructive sleep apnea set to initiate this year, we are well positioned to deliver a robust and comprehensive clinical knowledge base.
Beyond MariTide, in General Medicine, we remain excited about data from the Repatha VESALIUS Phase III primary prevention study expected later this year. Turning to olpasiran, our promising best-in-class small interfering RNA medicine targeting LP(a), the fully enrolled event-driven OCEAN(a) Phase III cardiovascular outcome study continues to mature. This medicine and study reflects our precision missing approach to cardiovascular risk reduction in patients with elevated Lp(a) levels.
Moving on to our rare disease portfolio. In UPLIZNA, we look forward to the upcoming December 14 PDUFA date for generalized myasthenia gravis, recognizing ever more, the significant unmet need for durable, convenient therapies consistently highlighted to us by treating physicians. We are pleased by the European Commission's approval of TEPEZZA for the treatment of adults with thyroid eye disease. Additionally, enrollment is complete in our Phase III study examining subcutaneous administration of teprotumumab, representing another step forward towards improved patient convenience and treatment accessibility.
In inflammation, our 2 Phase III studies of TEZSPIRE in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease continue to enroll patients with moderate to very severe COPD with blood eosinophil counts greater or equal to 150 cells per microliter. Beyond COPD, enrollment was recently completed in our Phase III eosinophilic esophagitis study, and we look forward to the October 19 PDUFA date for TEZSPIRE in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.
Moving to oncology. In June, interim results from the global Phase III DeLLphi-304 trial of IMDELLTRA, the first and only FDA-approved delta-like ligand 3 or DLL3 targeting BiTE molecule, were presented and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine. These compelling data showed IMDELLTRA significantly reduced the risk of death by 40% and significantly extended median overall survival by more than 5 months compared to standard of care chemotherapy in patients with small cell lung cancer who progressed on or after 1 line of platinum-based therapy. Additionally, IMDELLTRA significantly improved patient reported outcomes of [ dysmea and cough ] and was numerically better tolerated on numerous parameters when compared to standard of care chemotherapy. Regulatory filings are underway.
Together with the remarkable DeLLphi-301 data already reported, as Murdo highlighted, IMDELLTRA has the potential to become the new standard of care for second-line small cell lung cancer. We continue to investigate IMDELLTRA in earlier lines of small cell lung cancer. Currently, 3 additional Phase III studies are underway across limited stage and extensive stage disease, along with Phase I studies evaluating IMDELLTRA in combination with novel agents to potentially further improve patient outcomes.
We are also focused on enhancing patient convenience by evaluating less frequent dosing and subcutaneous delivery. We continue to investigate our CD19 directed BiTE medicine, BLINCYTO, in earlier treatment settings, while also advancing a subcutaneous formulation. In June, Phase Ib and II subcutaneous blinatumomab data were presented and simultaneously published in the [ Lancet Hematology ], demonstrating 89% to 92% remission rates and manageable safety in adults with relapsed/refractory CD19-positive [ Philadelphia ] chromosome-negative B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Subcutaneous blinatumomab has the potential to improve both the patient experience and efficacy, and we remain on track to initiate a potentially registration-enabling study in both adults and adolescents later this year.
Our first-in-class STEAP1 CD3 bispecific T cell engager xaluritamig is advancing in Phase III clinical development. We are also exploring xaluritamig in combination therapy and in earlier stages of prostate cancer with multiple Phase Ib studies ongoing. Collectively, IMDELLTRA, BLINCYTO and xaluritamig exemplify the significant growth potential of our robust bispecific T-cell engager platform and reinforce our commitment to bringing groundbreaking treatments to cancer patients worldwide.
Beyond our T cell engagers, in June, we announced data from the Phase III FORTUNE-101 study of first-line bemarituzumab, our first-in-class fibroblast growth factor receptor IIb directed monoclonal antibody. Bemarituzumab plus mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy met its primary endpoint of overall survival at a prespecified interim analysis in patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic, FGFR2b positive HER2-negative gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer.
In closing, I want to extend my gratitude to our colleagues for their dedication to achieving these critical milestones and their unwavering focus on improving outcomes for patients facing serious diseases. I'll now turn it over to Peter.
Thank you, Jay. We're pleased with our strong second quarter performance and remain on track with our 2025 full year goals and long-term objectives. The financial results are shown on Slides 31 and 32 of the slide deck.
In the second quarter, we delivered revenues of $9.2 billion, reflecting our key growth drivers highlighted on our Q4 earnings call. Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE in our innovative oncology, rare disease and biosimilar portfolios. Our non-GAAP operating expenses rose 8%, led by a non-GAAP R&D growth of 18% year-over-year, reflecting continued investment in our late-stage pipeline, including MariTide, olpasiran, IMDELLTRA, xaluritamig and rare disease.
Our non-GAAP OI&E was favorable $213 million year-over-year, driven by gains from early retirement of debt and lower interest expense. Recall, we retired $4.5 billion of debt in 2024 and have retired $4.3 billion in the first half of 2025.
Our non-GAAP tax rate decreased 0.7 percentage points year-over-year to 14.2%, primarily due to the change in earnings mix. The company generated $1.9 billion in free cash flow in the second quarter, reflecting operational momentum across the business while continuing to invest in innovation. We invested $1.7 billion in non-GAAP R&D spend, an increase of 18% year-over-year, and expect to build on this momentum in the second half of the year with increased investment in our innovative late-stage pipeline.
We are accelerating innovation and productivity through AI investments across the value chain, from discovery to development to commercial execution and in G&A. This is enabled by digitized workflows, modernized data infrastructure and global access to advanced generative AI tools. For 2025, we continue to expect capital expenditures of $2.3 billion to expand network capacity for our products across the portfolio and our innovative pipeline, including MariTide. In addition, we returned capital to shareholders through competitive dividend payments of $2.38 per share, representing a 6% increase compared to the second quarter of 2024.
Turning to the outlook for the business for 2025 on Slide 33. We expect our 2025 total revenues in the range of $35.0 billion to $36.0 billion and non-GAAP earnings per share between $20.20 and $21.30. This guidance includes the estimated impact of implemented tariffs. It does not account for tariffs or pricing actions announced or described but not implemented.
In addition, let me highlight a few updates to our outlook for the remainder of the year. We now expect full year non-GAAP operating margin as a percentage of product sales to be roughly 45%. Our outlook now includes several business development transactions, resulting in roughly $200 million of incremental R&D expense expected in Q3. The outlook continues to reflect our investments in advancing key late-stage programs, including MariTide, olpasiran and IMDELLTRA and leveraging technological advancements, including artificial intelligence. Our operating margin outlook also includes incremental launch and commercial investments, starting in the third quarter.
In line with these priorities and reflecting the business development transactions of roughly $200 million, we now expect non-GAAP R&D expense to grow over 20% in 2025. We now anticipate non-GAAP OI&E to be approximately $2.2 billion in 2025. For WEZLANA and AMGEVITA sales in the United States, we continue to expect quarterly sales to fluctuate and do not expect any sales in the third quarter.
And let me remind you of prior items that have not changed. For the full year, we continue to expect other revenue to be approximately $1.4 billion. We expect a non-GAAP tax rate of 14.5% to 16.0%. We expect share repurchases not to exceed $500 million in 2025.
We are focused on delivering sustained long-term value for patients and shareholders by doing what we said we would do, growing leadership in the United States and internationally, driving innovation in areas of high unmet medical need and maintaining rigorous financial discipline. We continue to focus on execution excellence across the enterprise and remain well positioned for sustained growth through the long term. I'm grateful to work with all of our colleagues worldwide in serving patients.
This concludes our financial update. I'll now hand it back to Bob for our Q&A session.
Julianne, could you now open the call for questions and just remind our callers of the procedure for submitting their question to us. Thanks.
Thank you. [Operator Instructions] Our first question comes from Yaron Werber from TD Cowen.
2. Question Answer
Maybe just the first question on Jay, for you on MariTide. In Q4, when we have the second year data, how much granularity are we going to be able to glean from the patients who are going on maintenance? And are you going to give us data on Q8 weeks and Q12 weeks at that point?
Thank you, Yaron. As you identified and gathered from our words moments ago, the data readout from the Phase II type 2 diabetes study and part 2 of the chronic weight management studies are expected in Q4 of 2025, and we'll have more to share about these data in due course.
Our next question comes from Salveen Richter from Goldman Sachs.
So the industry has been adopting a number of strategies here which you spoke to with regard to helping the administration achieve their goals to reduce drug pricing, but that goalpost is still shifting around you with the latest angle being Medicaid [ MSN ]. So curious here as to your thoughts on that cloud specifically, but additionally, how you are thinking about DTC efforts, which seem to be a growing theme across the industry and was called out by one of your peers this morning? Thank you.
Well, Salveen, I think it may be a little premature to speak in detail about any one of the particular proposals. But what I would say at a higher altitude is that we agree that reform is needed in the U.S. health care system. And we would like for our medicines and all the medicines in this country to be more affordable and for those medicines to be more widely available.
So at Amgen, obviously, we also believe that this country and the world needs more innovation, not less. And so the onus is on us to help find ways to reform, to bring the price of medicines down, to make them more widely accessible while preserving the innovative ecosystem that has enabled this country to be the world leader in biopharmaceutical medicines. So we welcome the government's focus on the role that foreign countries can play in trying to preserve that innovative ecosystem by rewarding innovation fairly. And we expect to work with this administration to try and find a path forward that helps to achieve their objectives and I think the objectives of many leaders in this industry.
So still a little bit early days, Salveen, to talk in any detail about specific initiatives or specific proposals. But we've enjoyed a good working relationship with the administration, and we expect that we'll continue to have the opportunity to work with them to advance on this front.
Our next question comes from David Amsellem from Piper Sandler.
So you cited strong performance, in particular, from the rare disease business and you're getting back to a capital structure that looks more like it was prior to the Horizon transaction. So I guess my question here is, what is your appetite for significant consequential M&A regarding rare diseases? And what is your appetite in general for continuing to build out that broad therapeutic vertical?
David, your question seems to focus on the word significant. And I don't know what your definition of significant is. But what I would say, I would reiterate that we remain very interested in rare disease. We think the portfolio of rare disease assets that we have both in the market now and the pipeline of rare assets is very attractive. We will continue to look for ways to grow our rare disease business both organically and to the extent that they are licensing or acquisition opportunities, we'll look for those as well.
I would point out on the question of transactions, whether it's in rare disease or elsewhere, that we've a lot of activity right now, in particular, in our portfolio, a lot of late-stage activity. And so we'll be very mindful about wanting to continue to execute flawlessly across those programs. So -- but again, thanks for observing that the capital structure has followed the course that we told you to expect, and we feel very good about the progress we've made in integrating Horizon and shoring up the balance sheet.
Our next question comes from Courtney Breen from Bernstein.
The first one is just on MariTide. As we look at the 3-step dose escalation that you've incorporated into the Phase IIIs that have been announced, this incorporates kind of a physician if we think about the future clinical use, having to select the maintenance dose kind of straight after the last titration dose rather than stepping through each of the potential maintenance doses, which is what we see in practice in the market today.
Can you explain kind of why you think this is a better paradigm to be using? Or how you expect kind of physicians to select right dose for the patient that they have in front of them given they will have only had the titration information or feedback for that particular patient up until that point?
Thank you very much, Courtney. Why don't I try and answer here. As a monoclonal antibody, dose escalation with MariTide is naturally very smooth, very steady, as we've shared. And as we firmly believe, progressive benefit can be derived from a tolerability standpoint with both lower doses and also with multiple steps to target. This is very consistent with the experience of the field and the 21-milligram starting dose selected for Phase III clinical investigation indeed has a very low risk of serious GI events and progressing to a highly efficacious target dose. And indeed, we're studying several in the Phase III study. We'll deliver both the well-tolerated patient experience and give us a greater understanding of dose and response. And so the Phase III design was very carefully conceived in order to read out dose proportionate benefit to MariTide.
You also asked about maintenance, and I appreciate you bringing this up. It's just true that these are chronic diseases that run with obesity as is obesity and overweight themselves. And long-term treatment of these diseases has proven just very challenging with these weekly injectable peptides with very low persistence on medicine. And our studies together will guide the optimal use of MariTide for long-term maintenance therapy, where patients and doctors will no doubt work together to sustain the benefits of MariTide on doses and perhaps even different schedules guided by these data.
Our next question comes from Umer Raffat from Evercore ISI.
On VESALIUS CVOT or PCSK9 outcomes trial, I'm curious how you're thinking about the event rate accumulation over time? It looks like by the time it reads out by year-end this year, it's basically right around that 4.5 year follow-up, which you were anticipating. I guess my confusion is, is that time line driven by the 4.5-year follow-up? Or is it rather because you're hitting those predefined events of 750 plus on the triple and 1250 on the quadruple?
Thanks, Umer, for your question. As you surely know, and based -- your -- just get a question, VESALIUS CV, for everyone, is our primary prevention study of PCSK9 inhibition in cardiovascular risk reduction. We anticipate a readout in the second half of this year. The readout is purely based on accumulated events or event rate.
Next question comes from Terence Flynn from Morgan Stanley.
Great. Maybe another one for Jay. I was just wondering if you could provide any more thoughts on how you're thinking about the design of MariTide CVOT study in type 2 diabetes in light of Eli Lilly's recent [ surpass ] CVOT data where they compared tirzepatide to [ Trulicity ] and just how you -- how that might influence how you're thinking about control arm for your study?
Yes. Thanks very much for the question. We read the paper with real interest and as you can imagine, follow the field quite closely. We indeed have 4 MariTide Phase III studies underway. They're all enrolling well. The CVOT presently opened is with atherosclerotic coronary vascular disease with obesity and overweight, and we'll have more to share around our plan for pivotal studies in diabetes and in their cardiovascular outcomes in the fullness of time.
Our next question comes from Jay Olson from Oppenheimer.
Congrats on the quarter. And it was nice to see the positive FORTITUDE-101 top line results for bema. Can you provide some color on the time line to file for approval, especially with regards to the results for -- from FORTITUDE-102? Do you need those for filing? And also, any color you can give us on when we should expect to see the detailed results from FORTITUDE-101?
Thanks, Jay. We're very excited about the emerging picture around bemarituzumab. The doublet with chemotherapy was indeed positive for overall survival, which quite matters for all cancers, especially this one, the fifth most common with very little impact to date with targeted therapy. And targeting FGFR2b expression in this cancer, combined with mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy, is a meaningful advance for these patients.
We've not yet disclosed our regulatory strategy. And as you point out, triplet study that importantly adds checkpoint therapy to this pairing of bemarituzumab and chemotherapy will read out in the second half of this year or the first half of next year. We've adjusted the [ date ] range based on our current best estimate, and our regulatory strategy integrates these data sets.
Our next question comes from Chris Schott from JPMorgan.
Just wanted to come back to Repatha. Just as we're thinking about that primary prevention study, can you just talk a little bit about the bar that you see here in terms of what we see from that data to be clinically meaningful? And once you have that data on level -- on label, like how big of a driver do you see this for that franchise as a whole?
Let me take this in two parts, Chris. Maybe Jay, you can kick off and then Murdo, why don't you add your thoughts.
Thanks for the question. There's no level of LDL-C that confers a better outcome for patients with coronary vascular disease. And so really suppressing LDL-C with Repatha in these high-risk patients who've not had yet had an MI or revascularization is in a -- we think a great opportunity for benefit. I'd be loathe to peg a specific overall risk reduction here today. But the field is quite calibrated to what a meaningful outcome would look like for these patients as we've studied this medicine exhaustively in the secondary prevention realm. Murdo?
Yes. Thanks for the question, Chris. And I would just say that we're already doing very well in the primary prevention population of patients. Roughly 40% of our Repatha new-to-brand prescriptions are from patients who have yet to suffer a first vascular event. And so we're getting a lot of these high-risk patients right now.
What I think a VESALIUS positive result could do is help reinforce the need for more aggressive LDL cholesterol lowering guidelines, help reinforce the need to remove payer barriers, which we have done successfully over time, but still some prior authorization criteria exist for some populations of patients. And of course, we are very interested in continuing to expand the penetration of PCSK9, both in secondary prevention and in primary prevention. So I think this is -- it's an important trial, but it continues to drive the tailwind that we're already experiencing that we've been able to create for Repatha growth in the market.
Our next question comes from Matthew Phipps from William Blair.
Noticed AMG 732 listed on the press release today. Just curious how that program differentiates from TEPEZZA and maybe what unmet need you're looking to address in thyroid eye disease?
Thanks, Matt.
Yes. No, thanks for noticing. We're delighted to share in these earnings materials for the first time, the development of AMG 732, which is a next-generation [ IGF-1R ] targeting monoclonal antibody. This medicine's benefits from the target validation strongly provided by TEPEZZA and will be presented to patients in a subcutaneous administration. The Phase II study is enrolling patients with moderate to severe and active [ head ] and progressing very well.
I think the big picture here, Matt, is at that the time we acquired Horizon, we said we felt there would be lots of opportunities given the large molecule nature of the portfolio, lots of opportunities for us to introduce innovation over time. And this would be an example of that.
Our next question comes from Dave Risinger from Leerink Partners.
Yes. And congrats, Bob and team, on some great financial momentum. So I'm curious about the end of the press release highlighting the development of biosimilar versions of OPDIVO, KEYTRUDA and OCREVUS. I know that, that's not new news, but can you please discuss how you see the potential for IV biosimilars to compete with [ high uranaday ] subcutaneous versions which are set to experience significant uptake ahead of the opportunity to launch IV biosimilars?
Yes. Murdo, do you want to take the first stab there and then invoke Jay however you like.
Sure. Dave, thanks for the question. Obviously, we're excited about the growth that we're seeing in our biosimilar portfolio overall. And Amgen's success here has been remarkable, quite frankly since 2018, now cumulative $12 billion of revenue generated by this portfolio of products. We've had a 100% success rate in regulatory, both development and regulatory milestones. And of course, we continue to grow the business year-over-year this year with 40% growth with the most recent launches of PAVBLU BEKEMV this year.
So we're very pleased with the use of capital invested in this. We know the oncology space very well. We were one of the first companies to launch oncology biosimilars. So we feel that we understand the dynamics for KEYTRUDA and OPDIVO. We're watching the [ high Lorana ] days uptake very closely and to see if subcu has a role to play in the treatment of cancers.
I think what we're particularly interested in seeing is whether or not the cadence of the PD-1 dosing lines up with the chemotherapy dosing or other adjuvant therapy and combination therapy. But we're watching it closely. And if Amgen decided to further develop other biosimilars, we would and could. Jay?
Yes, I would just only add really medically, as an oncologist, use of these breakthrough immuno-oncology checkpoint medicines is pretty firmly mapped into treatment plans, treatment practices, patterns of practice really all across the world and bringing forward these 2 medicines, [ ABP 206 ] and [ ADP 234 ], is just really a seamless move to bring biosimilar medicines into an area of oncology that has benefited from innovation, and now we'll benefit even better from access.
Our next question comes from Evan Seigerman from BMO Capital Markets.
I actually wanted to touch on IMDELLTRA. You noted impressive growth this quarter, and I'm really trying to understand kind of what's driving the volume. Is it increased penetration into that refractory population? And how do you see this panning out over the course of the year? I'm just trying to get a sense as to where this could go.
Yes. Thanks, Evan. The growth in IMDELLTRA is definitely an uptake on those patients, those small cell lung cancer patients who are progressing on or after chemotherapy. So we're seeing utilization consistent with the data that we've generated so far. I think the data that we presented in June at ASCO were obviously compelling first time real overall survival benefit has been shown in that particular setting of small cell lung cancer. We're also seeing an improvement in both academic and community setting ability to operationalize the monitoring required for IMDELLTRA. And I think that probably had a slightly dampening effect at the beginning of the launch and is now more or less being managed as appropriate.
So we're seeing good volume growth, very strong clinical conviction. As I said, it's the first time we've seen such compelling data in this setting in small cell lung cancer. And I'm looking forward to more data as it progresses, and we'll have more to say about how we see the growth of this really important asset as we see more data.
The only thing I might add there, Evan, is that the strength of the launch and the breadth of uptake that we've seen, in particular from the clinics, encourages us for the future of the BiTE portfolio. And as you know, we're excited about xaluritamig. So the lessons we're learning here, no doubt will be useful in that context. But all signs so far are really positive.
Our next question comes from Alex Hammond from Wolfe Research.
So another on the biosimilar front. So we've seen this regulatory landscape evolving. So I guess looking forward, what changes could we see from regulatory standards to establish comparability? Could we see PK comparability versus randomized Phase III trials to be feasible? And how could these dynamics possibly modulate your long-term guidance of greater than $4 billion in sales by 2030?
We'll take this in 2 parts. Jay, there's some clinical regulatory questions, and Murdo, perspective on the market.
Yes. Thanks, Alex. We too have been very interested to see some possible -- I mean, not as yet firm pathways, the possible softening of some of the regulatory requirements for biosimilar medicines. And this really plays very favorably to our differentiated capacity to develop very high-quality compositions that map to the established innovator medicine. Now this may or may not be true in all geographies around the world, and so we have to consider this a global regulatory go-to-market plan. But from a drug development standpoint and an innovation of biosimilar standpoint, these changes, we believe, accentuate our comparative and differentiated capacity of biosimilars. Murdo?
Yes. Thanks, Jay. The only thing I would add is this is still a technically difficult area and requires significant expertise in designing molecules that will meet the parameters, even in the new parameters that the FDA are requiring for comparability of a biosimilar to an originator. There might be less clinical trial effort required for data generation, but it's still technically difficult to do what we do. And we're fortunate we have a very strong process development organization here at Amgen, who are often very adept at finding unique ways to develop biosimilars that do not infringe on the intellectual property of others.
Alex, just -- topic of biosimilars and the adoption of them in the U.S. is often a subject in policy and other circles in Washington, D.C. And I think from our perspective, the market is developing well. There's an appropriate regulatory framework and the assurance of safe, reliable supply is important here. But again, I think this is a market that's developing well and pretty much playing out as we expected it would when we committed capital to development products in the area.
Our next question comes from Mohit Bansal from Wells Fargo.
This is Sadia Rahman on for Mohit. Can you talk about the -- your confidence in the test fire COPD program and in light of a competitor's Phase III trial missing despite good Phase II data from their molecule in COPD? And how are you thinking about the patient profile that's most likely to benefit from test fire, particularly around eosinophil levels?
Yes. Thank you for the question. I mean the short answer is we feel great about the mechanism and confidence in it for COPD. And the profile, especially with an understanding of the responder population as likely relating to the degree of [ Th2 ] immunity's contribution as measured by the biomarker of blood eosinophil count as a possible biomarker of response, we feel very strong.
I assume here that you're speaking to the recent [ Roche ] data. And this is a molecule we know well, actually comes from Amgen, [ eftegolomab ]. And though that Phase II data did not repeat in Phase III, I would just remark that the ST2 pathway is distinct from the TSLP pathway. And so I wouldn't be quick, not that you're doing this to lump the two.
The ST2 pathway, this suppressor of [ tumorigenicity ] to protein, is quite distinct from the more allergic or eosinophil-driven T-slip pathway. ST2 is a nonallergic signaling pathway that relates more to epithelial damage. And so while disappointed for patients that the Phase III in all-comers didn't read through with that molecule, we feel very confident in the test fire mechanism of action, the Phase II data and are conducting these experiments now together with our partners at AD to get an answer.
Our next question comes from Luca Issi from RBC Capital.
Great. Maybe if I can circle back on obesity. You obviously have 2 molecules in development here with MariTide and [ Taiwan 3 ]. I believe both molecules are injectables versus [ illicoosure ] of some very encouraging data or [ forgipron ] at ADA, which is obviously an oral small molecule. What's Amgen's appetite to augment your current offering vis-a-vis by adding an oral small molecule via either BD or organic discovery? I guess the other way to ask that question is, what percentage of the obesity market do you think could ultimately be oral versus injectable? Any color there, much appreciated.
Yes. Maybe we can add some color from a few different perspectives here, Luca. So first, I would say on BD, obviously, we're open. We're paying very close attention to all interesting innovation in the field of obesity and related conditions. So we have and we'll continue to look carefully at things that might be helpful to patients that are managing these diseases. Jay, maybe you want to offer some thoughts on the clinical aspects, and then Murdo, why don't you talk about the market dynamic?
Well, you're right. There remains a massive unmet need, maybe 2% of patients with obesity are currently addressed by current medicines, which are quite hard to take for even longer than a calendar year and, of course, aren't cured by these medicines. And so there's a big opportunity for distinctive medicines, new mechanisms, differentiated properties and potentially different routes of administration as well.
Just exactly as Bob said, we didn't just wander in obesity because it became hot. We've been studying these pathways for more than a decade. Our research and development pipeline earlier than the 2 medicines you cited targets [ incretin ] pathway, also [ nonincreasing pathway ] medicines rising up in our pipeline. Some of these medicines may indeed be given orally. And so please more to follow from Amgen Research. Murdo, would you want to comment about the market? And how it's shaping up for world and for MariTide.
Yes. Luca, thanks for the interest, and that's obviously an important question as we try to project the market going forward. As Bob said, we are interested in looking at orals, and that comes from us seeing orals constituting a decent portion of the market.
But I think our flagship product, MariTide, is clear in its differentiation, and that is to treat people for their chronic weight management so that they can benefit in a cardiometabolic way for their health so they have less ultimately, cardiovascular comorbidity or mortality. And so that's what we're doing. We're taking MariTide into the clinic for full breadth of indications. And as Jay also mentioned, we believe we have a differentiated product that makes it much easier for patients to persist with their chronic weight management treatment over the course of their lifespan so that they can benefit from that in important ways with outcomes. So looking at the orals very closely, but excited about our flagship product that we're developing.
Our next question comes from Geoff Meacham from Citibank.
Another one on MariTide for Jay. You just -- post ADA, were there any changes that you guys made to Phase III, just thinking increased entry criteria or maybe pace of titration just to optimize discontinuations? And then related, from a strategy perspective, let's say, to the current study, do they constitute the majority of Amgen's Phase III investment in MariTide? Or would you guys looking to expand more broadly into peripheral indications or waiting any place will?
Yes. Thanks, Geoff. The feedback after the ADA was quite strongly positive, especially from key opinion leaders, investigators in the field. And that for us was terrific to hear thought leaders present these data that we spent so much time with and get their unvarnished opinions was very positive. And no, there were no changes or edits to the Phase III program as a result of those engagements at ADA. There was actually really strong confidence that I think is well reflected by the very strong enrollment that we're seeing on this trial right -- on these trials right now.
We remain very interested in bringing MariTide to other obesity-related conditions. And the field is even suggesting some not overly obesity-related conditions to think about. And we'll have more to say on the broader MariTide Phase III program in due course.
And Geoff, it's Murdo. I would just add that we're also looking to inform clinical practice as much as possible in chronic weight management. So anything we can do to help those clinicians upon approval, understand how to use MariTide in the real-world setting, we will continue to generate those data.
Julianne, I think we've got time for one more question, and then Bob will wrap up the call.
Our last question today will come from Carter Gould from Cantor Fitzgerald.
For Bob or Murdo, wanted to ask on the policy front. We've seen IP under attack across the industry on multiple fronts, the most notably in the obesity space. Are you taking actions or advocating either on your own or in conjunction with peers to address persistent unlawful compounding? Or does Amgen now view compounding of the current wave of GLP-1s or as a general concept as a creeping direct or indirect threat to [indiscernible]? Or is Amgen expected to fade as a concern by the time MariTide launches? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Obviously, Carter, IP is a critical consideration in our industry, and we're very respectful of the importance of IP as the basis on which investments are made in this industry. Again, you know the drill, right? We invest a couple of billion dollars of research and development over 10 or 15 years and we need to have confidence in the IP that protects those investments. But compounding is less a direct issue for Amgen because our molecule is an antibody, and it won't be compounded in the way that peptides and small molecules have been and can be in light of the statutes that are available to permit it.
But in general, I think we're pretty clear that compounding is not good for the industry, probably not good for patients. And we would be mindful of the importance of kind of quality framework that we have in place that the regulators routinely assess us on, and that's what gives us comfort that we're providing safe, reliable supply of medicines to our patients. And Murdo, feel free to jump in if you want to add anything.
No, I would concur. I think it's important to underscore that there isn't a compounding pathway for a biologic such as MariTide. And it's concerning that compounders continue to [indiscernible] available despite the supply situation having been resolved by other manufacturers.
All right. Let me just address two things quickly before we thank you for joining us on the call. So first, just to highlight, again, I hope you got a clear sense from us that the business is performing well. And that's true across therapeutic categories and geographies. And our execution is also strong in operations and research and development. And of course, that's setting the stage for what we expect to be attractive long-term growth for the company.
So again, excited about the performance. Looking forward to the second half of the year. But before we conclude today, I just want to share one organizational announcement, which is that Justin Claeys will be transitioning his IR responsibilities to our Treasurer, Adam Elinoff. Justin will be moving into a new role as the Head of Financial Planning and Analysis at Amgen. And that's an area where he has spent much of his 20-year career with us. So we're looking forward to having him back in that leadership role. And thrilled that Adam, who's been with the company for nearly 19 years will take on the responsibility of Investor Relations in addition to his treasury role. So I'm confident that all of you will enjoy working with him and that it will be a seamless transition. And on behalf of Pete and the rest of the team, I want to thank Justin for the superb job that he's done in leading the Investor Relations effort.
So thank you all for joining us, and we look forward to connecting with you at the next quarterly call.
This concludes our Amgen Q2 2025 Earnings Conference Call. You may now disconnect.
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Amgen — Q2 2025 Earnings Call
Amgen — Q2 2025 Earnings Call
📊 Quartal auf einen Blick
- Umsatz: $9,2 Mrd. (+9% YoY)
- Volumen: +13% (Treiber trotz branchenweiter Netto-Preisrückgänge)
- Top-Produkte: Repatha $696M (+31%), EVENITY $518M (+32%), TEZSPIRE $342M (+46%)
- Biosimilars: Portfolio $661M (+40%); PAVBLU $130M
- Cash & Spend: Free Cash Flow $1,9 Mrd.; Non-GAAP (bereinigt) R&D +18% YoY, Non-GAAP Opex +8%
🎯 Was das Management sagt
- Portfolio-Fokus: Breites, wachsendes Produktportfolio (15 Produkte mit Doppelstelligen Zuwächsen) stützt organisches Wachstum.
- Pipeline-Investition: Starke Aufstockung der Forschung in späten Phasen (MariTide, IMDELLTRA, olpasiran, xaluritamig); R&D-Investitionen erhöht, um zukünftiges Wachstum zu sichern.
- Strategie & Technologie: Priorität auf Volumenwachstum gegenüber Preissteigerungen; systematische Nutzung von KI und Ausbau der Produktionskapazitäten.
🔭 Ausblick & Guidance
- Umsatz-Guidance: $35,0–36,0 Mrd. für 2025.
- Non-GAAP EPS: $20.20–21.30 (Ergebnis je Aktie, bereinigt).
- Margen & Kosten: Non-GAAP Operating Margin ~45% der Produktumsätze; Non-GAAP R&D wird >20% wachsen; Non-GAAP OI&E ≈ $2,2 Mrd.; CapEx (Investitionsausgaben) $2,3 Mrd.
- Risiken: Guidance berücksichtigt implementierte Tarife, nicht aber noch nicht umgesetzte Maßnahmen; kurzfristige Schwankungen bei bestimmten Produkten erwartet.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- MariTide-Dosing: Intensive Nachfragen zur Phase‑III‑Designwahl, Erhalt von Dosis‑Antwort‑Daten und Zeitplan (Teildaten, weitere Readouts erwartet, einige Daten in Q4 2025).
- Preis- und Politikrisiko: Fragen zu US‑Reformen (Medicaid/Tarife); Management betont Dialog mit Regierung, konkrete Folgen noch offen.
- Kommerz & Wettbewerb: Nachfrage nach Details zu IMDELLTRA‑Launchdynamik und zu Biosimilar‑Wettbewerb (inkl. Subcut‑Formulierungen vs. IV); Prolia-Preisdruck durch Biosimilars thematisiert.
⚡ Bottom Line
- Fazit für Aktionäre: Robustes Volumen- und Umsatzwachstum bei starker Produktbreite; Management bestätigt Jahresguidance, erhöht aber Investitionen in R&D und Launches. Positive operative Momentum trifft auf politische Preisunsicherheit und wachsenden Biosimilar‑Wettbewerb — insgesamt wachstumsorientiert, aber mit erhöhten Investitions- und Politikrisiken.
Amgen — Special Call - Amgen Inc.
1. Management Discussion
My name is Julianne, and I will be your conference facilitator today for the Amgen Conference Call from the American Diabetes Association 85th Scientific Session. [Operator Instructions] I would now like to introduce Justin Claeys, Vice President of Investor Relations. Mr. Claeys, you may now begin.
Thank you, Julianne, and thank you, everyone, for joining us today. Jay Bradner will start by sharing prepared remarks and then be joined by Susan Sweeney and Murdo Gordon for a question-and-answer section. This call is accompanied by investor presentation that is available on the Investors section of our website. Please note that we will be making forward-looking statements and that such statements are qualified by our forward-looking statements contained in the investor presentation. Jay, over to you.
Good afternoon, and welcome, everyone, to today's call. Here at the ADA Annual Meeting in Chicago, I'm reminded that we find ourselves at an exciting time in the history of obesity research and development, most importantly for patients. Today, I'm pleased to share the compelling clinical progress on MariTide, our investigational therapy for obesity, diabetes and obesity-related conditions.
Obesity is a prevalent and serious chronic disease that requires new medicines, which are not only efficacious in clinical study, but also effective in widespread clinical practice. Medicines such as MariTide that are built for long-term use, are highly active, tolerable, convenient and less complicated. In November, we presented key results from the Phase II chronic weight management study and initial insights from the Phase I low dose initiation study.
Let me start by summarizing 4 key attributes of MariTide that are, therefore, now well known. First, MariTide is the first monthly or even less frequent therapy for obesity. As shared today at the ADA and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine, monthly MariTide showed approximately up to 20% average weight loss without the weight loss plateau at 52 weeks. Second, MariTide demonstrated rapid and sustained improvement in cardiometabolic parameters, including hemoglobin A1c, blood pressure and C-reactive protein. Third, MariTide is well tolerated to target doses and initiation of therapy benefits from dose escalation like other members of the GLP-1 agonist class of medicines. And fourth, beyond fewer injections for patients, MariTide simple and infrequent dosing is more compatible with adherent long-term use than weekly injectables.
Today, we are excited to share new information and new insights deriving from the MariTide program. We will share underlying data from all arms of part 1 of the Phase II chronic weight management study that demonstrates consistent efficacy across all doses and monthly schedules as well as strong efficacy even from every other month dosing. Further, we shared new data from the Phase I low dose initiation study that shows how low initial doses and additional escalation steps improve tolerability without compromising efficacy.
Finally, today, for the first time, we shared the design of our 2 open Phase III studies of chronic weight management in people living with obesity or overweight with and without type 2 diabetes. Okay. Let's talk about the MariTide molecule and why it's so unique. MariTide is the first of its kind peptide antibody conjugate that is both a GLP-1 receptor agonist and a GIP receptor antagonist. With its unique antibiotic backbone, MariTide's long half-life delivers powerful, durable weight loss with predictable exposure and a monthly dosing profile that supports long-term use and benefit.
Inhibition of the GIP receptor has been validated now by experiments conducted in 3 research environments at Amgen by several prominent academic laboratories and through genetic experiments conducted by Mother Nature herself, all of which converge on the same finding that GIP pathway inhibition accentuates weight loss.
Turning now to the design of the Phase II study. Provided on Slide 6 for your reference is the study design for Part 1 of our Phase II study. To briefly remind you, this double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial measuring the impact of MariTide on weight loss in adults living with obesity or overweight with and without type 2 diabetes. This study of 592 adult patients is comprehensive with 11 arms that characterize 52-week weight loss from 3 target doses of MariTide, 140, 280 and 420 milligrams, 2 arms feature dose escalation arising from a 70 milligrams starting dose.
Efficacy was measured using 2 standard methods in our field, the efficacy estimate and the treatment policy estimate. Both measured weight loss efficacy at 52 weeks and both were clinically meaningful and statistically significant. Today's presentation will report data using the efficacy of demand, consistent with recent presentations in the field. For those who are interested, we provide a more detailed description of each in this slide presentation as a reference.
Let's explore the 52-week Phase II efficacy of MariTide in chronic weight management. In adult subjects with obesity or overweight without type 2 diabetes across all active treatment arms, MariTide delivered progressive durable weight loss up to approximately 20% at 52 weeks with no plateau, indicating the potential for additional benefit beyond 52 weeks. Notable here is the smooth, consistent downward trend in the weight loss curve important for patient experience and unique compared to some weekly therapies. In addition, nearly all participants up to 98% achieved a clinically meaningful weight reduction of at least 5%, a benchmark associated with improved cardiometabolic health.
Let me take you to the next slide where we break out the 420-milligram arms. This side exclusively focuses on the 4 arms assessing a 420-milligram target dose. Here again, we observed robust and consistent weight loss across all arms. Now you've heard us many times indicate that dose escalation does not compromise MariTide's weight loss efficacy. Here, we show that a 420-milligram dose given with and without prior dose escalation, produces comparable weight loss of 52 weeks without a plateau. In fact, the best-performing 420-milligram monthly treatment arm featured dose escalation.
We are also excited to share today that 420 milligrams given every other month delivering comparable weight loss to monthly dosing, highlighting the potential for a less frequent administration schedule without sacrificing clinical benefit. These results reinforce the flexibility of MariTide's dosing strategy and its promise as a differentiated patient-friendly treatment option. These data were in adults with obesity and overweight without type 2 diabetes.
Now let's look at MariTide efficacy and historically tougher-to-treat population, those living with obesity with type 2 diabetes. Yet again, across all tested doses, MariTide delivered smooth, consistent reductions in body weight, up to approximately 17% at 52 weeks with no evidence of plateau suggesting the potential for further weight loss with longer treatment. While these are Phase II data to our knowledge, a 17% reduction in body weight is the most substantial weight loss observed in this population to date.
Further, nearly 99% of participants derived a clinically meaningful weight loss of more than 5%, again, a key threshold associated with improved outcomes. Taken together, both cohorts demonstrate clinically meaningful, statistically significant and competitive weight loss at 52 weeks. These patients facing obesity with type 2 diabetes are at much higher risk for cardiovascular disease. So let's look at the impact of MariTide on their cardiovascular risk factors.
In adults living with obesity with type 2 diabetes, MariTide delivered robust glycemic control and broad cardiometabolic benefits, demonstrating therapeutic potential well beyond weight loss. We observed a rapid, deep and sustained reduction in hemoglobin A1c across all dose arms. At the 420-milligram monthly dose, MariTide achieved an impressive 2.2% point reduction from baseline. Notably, half of the participants receiving this dose were restored to normal glycemia defined as a hemoglobin A1c below 5.7%, a powerful marker of disease control. Beyond glucose lowering, MariTide improved a range of key cardiovascular and inflammatory biomarkers.
As shown in the table on the right, here, we observed a clinically meaningful 11 millimeters of mercury reduction in systolic blood pressure, a 28% decrease in triglycerides and a compelling 72% reduction in hsCRP, a validated marker of systemic inflammation. Together, these findings suggest MariTide could become the first monthly or less frequent therapy for type 2 diabetes, addressing multiple drivers of comorbid cardiovascular disease. A monthly therapy has been a long-standing goal in the field of diabetes drug development. A dedicated Phase II study of MariTide in patients with type 2 diabetes with and without obesity is currently ongoing.
Let's now look at MariTide's effect on cardiometabolic parameters in adults living with obesity or overweight without type 2 diabetes. Even in patients without diabetes, MariTide improved glycemic control and delivered comparably broad cardiometabolic benefits. Across all dose arms, MariTide led to a consistent reduction in hemoglobin A1c with an average absolute decrease of 0.4 percentage points from baseline. Importantly, among participants who entered the study with prediabetes, 70% to over 95% across the various dose arms achieved normal glycemia defined as a hemoglobin A1c below 5.7%. On the right, we see MariTide's impact on cardiometabolic risk factors in pooled 420-milligram dose arms we observed and 11 millimeters of mercury reduction in systolic blood pressure, a 19% reduction in triglycerides and a 53% reduction in C-reactive protein, again, a key marker of systemic inflammation.
These statistically significant improvements in validated disease-driving biomarkers extend the potential impact of MariTide beyond weight loss, underscoring its potential to improve long-term cardiovascular health in a broad patient population. Having now discussed MariTide's impressive efficacy, let's turn to tolerability. MariTide is a safe medicine that has proven increasingly well tolerated through early clinical development. Across multiple studies, MariTide's overall safety has remained consistent with the GLP-1 class, offering a well-characterized and familiar profile. The most frequent adverse events have been gastrointestinal nature and are predominantly mild and short-lived, occurring early in the initiation of therapy.
At all target doses, monthly MariTide is very well tolerated, likely owing to durable and steady drug exposure conferred by the antibody backbone. We have taken steps to improve the patient in low starting doses and stepwise dose escalation. In the Phase II study, even modest 1-step dose escalation substantially reduced GI events. Indeed, only 8% of patients on dose escalation arms discontinued treatment due to GI-related events. In the dedicated Phase I low-dose initiation study, we observed that lower starting doses with 2-step dose escalation cut vomiting nearly in half and 0 patients on low-dose arms discontinued treatment for any adverse events.
[ MariTide ] is well tolerated at target doses, let's look at the underlying data. After initiation of therapy, MariTide is very well tolerated at target dose, as you see reflected here over 52 weeks of treatment. Here, we share vomiting events for patients receiving 420 milligrams monthly or 420 milligrams every other month, both without dose escalation. Each bar represents the proportion of participants who experienced new vomiting events within the indicated week. Here, without anti dose escalation, vomiting events peaked immediately following the first injection and then decline rapidly thereafter. Very few new events occurred beyond the first week of treatment. Note, there are no spikes with subsequent 420-milligram injections monthly or even every other month. At target dose, MariTide is very well tolerated.
In this next slide, added on the right, we share results from step dose escalation arms, which meaningfully reduced GI events using a 70-milligram starting dose. GI events on both dose escalation arms were primarily observed with initial dosing. They were primarily mild and short-lived in nature. Based on these Phase II findings, highly encouraged by the excellent tolerability at target dose, we became interested to improve upon tolerability at initiation of therapy. In parallel, we conducted a dedicated Phase I low-dose initiation study to explore 2-step dose escalation using even lower initial doses.
As shown in the schema on Slide 15, 121 patients living with obesity or overweight here without type 2 diabetes were randomized to 1 of 3 dose escalation schedules, 2 of which used 2-step dose escalation with lower initial doses of 21 or 35 milligrams. In November, we referenced preliminary data from this study. Today, we present complete data from the primary analysis at day 43. Day 43 is relevant because at that point, all patients have completed dose escalation and have received a first target dose, which in this case, is 350 milligrams. In the 2 arms that feature lower initial doses, we saw markedly improved tolerability, in particular with respect to GI symptoms of nausea and vomiting. As before, these symptoms were predominantly mild and short-lived.
As shown on the next slide, we collected daily patient-level symptom data to comprehensively characterize the 3 arms. Lower initial doses of MariTide improved tolerability during the initiation of therapy. Shown here are the daily vomiting data for all 121 patients on study grouped by treatment assignment. Each row in these 3 boxes is an individual participant and each day is accounted for by a square. Empty squares indicate days without any reported symptoms and color squares indicate a day with a symptom characterized as mild and green, moderate in yellow, severe in red. Note, there's no red. The chart is organized left to right by dose escalation strategy, starting with Group 3 on the left, which used the 1-step dose escalation with a starting dose of 70 milligrams akin to the Phase II study. Then Group 2 is shown with a 2-step dose escalation using an initial dose of 35 milligrams.
And finally, Group 1 is displayed on the right, also with a 2-step dose escalation featuring an even lower initial dose of 21 milligrams. Clear from these data is that dose escalation with lower initial doses improves MariTide's tolerability profile as there are far fewer green squares with progressively lower initial doses. Group 1 emerges as the best tolerated starting dose of 21 milligrams with very few vomiting events that are mostly mild and short-lived, for example, a single event on a single day. Indeed, the vast majority of vomiting events are isolated incidents. So let's step back and reflect on the progressive learning journey we've taken to improve the GI tolerability of MariTide, particularly during the initiation of therapy.
Here, in one figure, we bring together the path to improve GI tolerability. Graphs on the left are incident vomiting data from the Phase II chronic weight management study, where MariTide was administered at fixed doses of 420, 280 and 140 milligrams without any dose escalation. As shown here, vomiting incidence was high across all groups, ranging from about 70% to nearly 90%. In the middle panel, we present the effect of a lower starting dose of 70 milligrams and 1 step dose escalation, also studied in Phase II, which meaningfully decreased GI symptoms and suggested that additional dose escalation could further improve tolerability. And on the right, we present the most recent data from the Phase I low-dose initiation study, which features even lower starting doses of 21 milligrams or 35 milligrams and 2-step dose escalation, cutting incident vomiting by almost half to approximately 23% to 24%.
Leading experts in our field link GI side effects of current GLP-1 agonist medicines to the abrupt changes in trough to peak blood concentrations after weekly injection. The stability of the antibody backbone of MariTide reduces the frequency of injection and produces steady, stable drug levels. For visual reference, we included in the appendix pharmacokinetic data from the New England Journal of Medicine article that illustrates this. Taken together, the optimization of MariTide dosing has established excellent tolerability at target doses and a meaningful improvement in GI symptoms, nearly a threefold improvement with low initial doses and stepwise dose escalation. We next asked what the impact of lower initial dosing and 2-stope dose escalation would be on early weight loss efficacy.
On this slide, we shared today for the first time the weight loss data from the Phase I low-dose initiation study. We observed strong initial weight loss with both 2-step dose escalation regimens to a target dose of 350 milligrams. We see no obvious impact on effectiveness and weight loss efficacy with dose escalation, indicating that all doses employed are active doses of MariTide. Together, these results underscore a key insight. MariTide's tolerability can be improved through lower initial doses while maintaining meaningful and competitive weight reduction.
Okay. Zooming out, our MariTide dose escalation strategy has evolved through a disciplined data-driven approach, culminating in a Phase III dosing regimen designed to deliver an excellent patient experience and a competitive profile, delivering long-term adherence. This slide summarizes the learnings across the dose escalation journey and how these learnings directly informed our Phase III approach. We've explored progressively lower starting doses and patients have benefited from 1 step and then 2-step dose escalation. In Phase III, we integrate and extend these findings with a 21-milligram low starting dose and now 3-step dose escalation. We're confident in our Phase III design and pleased to share with you today.
On this slide, we highlight the study design used in our 2 randomized placebo-controlled Phase III chronic weight management studies, one in adults with obesity or overweight without type 2 diabetes and a second study in adults with obesity or overweight with type 2 diabetes. As shown, both studies include a 72-week treatment period as patients on the Phase II study were continuing to lose weight through to the end of the 52-week endpoint without plateau. Initiation of MariTide treatment features a 3-step dose escalation over 8 weeks from 21 milligrams to 35 milligrams to 70 milligrams before reaching their assigned target dose. Following dose escalation, participants receive 1 of 3 monthly target doses of 140, 210 or 350 milligrams. All 3 doses are expected to be efficacious, studied here comparatively to characterize the dose response anticipating patient needs.
We selected monthly Maritide at 350 milligrams as the top target dose to deliver clinically meaningful and competitive efficacy based upon the Phase II results and pharmacologic modeling of both efficacy and exposure data collected to date. These 2 studies initiated in March are enrolling very well with robust demand, indicative of significant interest in MariTide and continued widespread unmet need. We're continuing to advance the MariTide program on multiple fronts. Beyond chronic weight management, this year, we are initiating 3 additional Phase III studies to explore MariTide's potential in serious obesity-related conditions, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure and obstructive sleep apnea. These studies reflect the broad potential of MariTide to impact not only obesity, but also key cardiometabolic and respiratory comorbidities.
Additionally, we have 2 ongoing studies, Part 2 of our Phase II chronic weight management study that explores an additional 52 weeks of MariTide and a dedicated Phase II study in participants with type 2 diabetes. Together, this comprehensive clinical program will serve to further position MariTide as a broad standard of care for patients with obesity and related conditions. Let me close by summarizing why we believe MariTide has the potential to be an important medicine. MariTide is monthly, the most advanced obesity treatment in development with monthly or less frequent dosing. Efficacy is strong with approximately 20% weight loss at 52 weeks without a plateau and with clinically meaningful improvement in cardiometabolic parameters, including hemoglobin A1c, MariTide has the potential to transform the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other obesity-related conditions.
MariTide is safe and increasingly well tolerated with dose escalation. We've significantly improved GI tolerability without compromising weight loss efficacy. The Phase III program is underway, well informed by clinical data and now featuring 3-step dose escalation to well-tolerated target doses. In sum, MariTide is positioned as a potentially transformative therapy, not only for achieving weight loss, but for enabling sustainable long-term health improvement for people living with obesity and related conditions.
Thank you for your time and your interest in the MariTide program. We look forward to continuing to share our progress with you. Let's now turn to Q&A.
Thank you, Jay. Juliane. Can we have our first question, please?
[Operator Instructions] Our first question comes from Salveen Richter from Goldman Sachs.
2. Question Answer
With regard to the Phase III trial design here, could you speak to the confidence that you have enough information at this point to run this dose escalation portion to manage the vomiting and nausea. And I guess, maybe to that point, with the 8-week 3-step dose escalation study, why not extend that period or add more doses to the intermediate aspect of that titration arm?
Salveen, thanks for the question and the interest in the Phase III program. I'll ask Jay to comment on that.
Thanks, Salveen. We're very confident in the design of the Phase III study that starts low at 21 milligrams and progresses through 3 steps of dose escalation. MariTide is just different than weekly injectable peptides as a monoclonal antibody, dose escalation is more smooth, more steady. And as we just shared, the Phase II and Phase I studies is perfectly instructed on the value of lower initial starting doses and additional steps of dose escalation. 2-step dose escalation had a meaningful improvement akin to a typical GLP-1 profile. And as we showed on a heat map, low starting doses of 21 milligrams was just extremely well tolerated. 3-step dose escalation over 8 weeks will deliver an even more competitive profile.
Thank you, Jay. Julianne, question, please? .
Our next question comes from Courtney Breen from Bernstein.
Courtney, we can't hear your question. You might be on mute.
Okay. Julianne, maybe the next question?
Certainly, our next question comes from Michael Yee from Jefferies.
Two parts. One is in your heat map, I believe that your data there is clearly showing that a 2-step significantly reduces vomiting. And so my understanding is that 3 step would significantly lower that even more. Can you confirm that understanding based on the heat map data that you show? And if they do that, wouldn't efficacy get better because you're staying on the drug and therefore, in the upcoming data in November, you would expect efficacy to further improve beyond there.
Thanks, Michael. Jay, 2 parts of the question. The heat map in the 2-step, would you expect improvement on the 3 steps? And does that lead to better efficacy given that people will be more adherent and will be able to continue on therapy?
Yes. I'm happy to speak to how we arrived at 3-step dose escalation from the 2-step dose escalations in the Phase I low-dose initiation study. Mike, from 21 milligrams, where we saw only 2.4% incident vomiting, there was an increase in vomiting stepping up to 70. I mean it was small, but it was apparent. When we stepped from 35 to 70, that change was lower. And so it's quite sensible that proceeding from 21 through 70, 35 to 70 can produce an even better patient experience, and we believe that we will significantly reduce incident nausea and vomiting.
Can this read through to better efficacy on the drug? It's always hard to compare Phase II and Phase III data, though some of that's going on right now. But we do believe that by improving the initiation of drug experience that this will lead to better persistence on the drug, better adherence on the drug and that this great profile that we saw in the heat map with 2-step dose escalation will only improve in Phase III clinical investigation.
Julianne, next question, please.
Our next question comes from Yaron Werber from TD Cowen.
And I have maybe also a quick 2-part question. We just hosted an event and one of the things they were talking about is whether patients because the potency lose weight too quickly, it's important for them to have an option to fall back to another dose. So can you confirm in the study if a patient is losing weight too fast, can they dose reduce and how that would work? And then secondly, just confirm that all doses are going to be an auto-injector in the Phase III?
All right. Thank you, Yaron. Jay, you want to address the first question and then Susan, perhaps I can have you ask -- answer the question about the availability. Jay?
Yaron, thanks for the question. It is a concern in the field. that patients can lose weight too abruptly on these medicines. And I made mention during the presentation, the shape of this efficacy curve has proven quite interesting and exciting to investigators that we met with here at the ADA meeting in Chicago. This gradual, steady, consistent decline in weight is attractive from a clinical management standpoint. On this trial, should patients develop adverse events related to the medicine, there is built into the study a defined flexibility to adapt dosing along the way.
Yes. I think as you said, Jay, the differentiation here should be very strong in our dose escalation and in the tolerability of the product at target dose in the chronic phase of management. So while allowing for it, I think we'll see good tolerability. Susan, on the auto-injector?
Yes, on the auto injector, so in the Phase III trial, we are initiating the trial with pre-filled syringes, but will be in the course of the trial having patients use a handheld single injection, single chamber, patient-friendly pen, which we expect to bring to market.
Thank you. Thanks, Yaron. Julianne, next question.
Our next question comes from Terence Flynn from Morgan Stanley.
Maybe 2 for me. The first one was the discussion raised the point about evaluating the minimally effective dose in the trial. So just wondering if you think you've adequately answered that question. And then the second one has to do with discontinuations beyond AEs, recognize the rate of DCs due to AEs is fairly low, but it looked like the broader rate of discontinuations was high. So just wondering if you can give any more insight there? And then anything you can do to improve upon that in Phase III?
Thanks, Terence. I think both of those, Jay, would be for you.
Yes, in Phase III clinical investigation, in particular for medicines beyond oncology, it's very important to establish dose response in clinical investigation. We feel very confident in the target doses that we've selected in 140, 210 and 350 milligrams. We learned in the study of patients with obesity or overweight with type 2 diabetes that doses above 280 milligrams would be required to see full efficacy and benefit. On a larger Phase III clinical trial, in particular, with a longer follow-up to 72 weeks, we are confident that these medicines will exhibit dose response behavior and the pharmacologic and pharmacokinetic data strongly support a dose-dependent exposure to the medicine. And this is something that we and the regulators firmly agree on.
Great. And the second part of that question, Jay, was discontinuation beyond the GI AEs in the trial.
Yes, we expect the discontinuation rate to markedly improve as we enter Phase III clinical investigation, both because of improved tolerability with 3 step dose escalation arising from lower doses as well as the Phase III has more flexibility in dosing than we permitted in the Phase II clinical trial.
Thank you, Jay. Thank you, Terence. Julianne, next question please.
Our next question comes from Trung Huynh from UBS.
I thought the discussion was quite critical in the data you presented. You brought out adverse event profile of discontinuation rates, vomiting and then even aspect of your Phase III design. Just what are your thoughts on the presentation and how do you respond to that.
Okay. Thank you. Jay, over to you for that, please.
Yes. Thanks for the question. From our standpoint, the session here at the ADA was brilliant. I so enjoyed the reflection from those investigators closest to this research. Here in Chicago, we've met with dozens of thought leaders who see MariTide as truly differentiated, offering simplicity and convenience that they haven't seen before in this field and different than the thinly differentiated weekly injectables that are rising up. This medicine is going to help so many people.
Thank you, Jay. Julianne, next question please.
Our next question comes from Evan Seigerman from BMO Capital Markets.
As we think about kind of the future of MariTide beyond induction therapy, would you ever consider a trial where you look at MariTide as a maintenance therapy for some of the commercially available GLP-1s? I mean kind of what could that look like?
Yes. It's a question that we received quite frequently, Evan. So thanks for your interest in that. Jay, perhaps you could comment? And then, Susan, maybe you could add.
Yes. Just as Murdo just said, we're getting this question about MariTide quite a bit, which we take as a sign of interest and expectation that people will want to be on this medicine.
In order to fully characterize MariTide in the way that you asked, we first need to understand MariTide in a maintenance setting after some degree of weight loss. And indeed, we have an open maintenance study right now. Part 2 of the Phase II clinical trial assesses an additional 52 weeks of MariTide therapy offered to patients on Part 1 of the trial who achieved 15% or more body weight loss. And from this study, we're going to have a chance to understand MariTide at lower doses for maintenance at even quarterly schedules of 420 milligrams. And so this study will give us some guidance as to what maintenance might look like. And that's maintenance after MariTide dosing.
Your question also alludes to the possibility of switching to MariTide from other medicines. We're developing MariTide to be upfront therapy and maintenance therapy. And so in the fullness of time, it will be really important for us to provide guidance to prescribers and to patients how to safely transition off weekly injectable therapy onto a more convenient, simple and sustained MariTide therapy. And we'll have more to say about that in the near future.
And Jay, I've heard at this meeting, and this is really, I think, where you can comment, Susan, is there does appear to be an unmet need in the market where patients on weekly GLP-1s, not just for convenience reasons, but perhaps even tolerability reasons may want to switch. So perhaps you could comment on that.
Yes. Murdo, to begin with, again, I think monthly MariTide is a great option for patients that are initiating therapy. But certainly, particularly as we see the Part 2 of the Phase II study, as Jay said, with the different maintenance arms for maintenance for patients because today, what we do know is that for the number of patients that are treated today, which 90% of patients in the market are not treated, the 10% that are -- 10% or less that are treated, about 50% of them go off therapy within 1 year. So exploring this both in the Part 2 is going to be part of our plan, but we'll also be looking at other options.
Thanks, Susan, thanks for a very topical question there, Evan.
Our next question comes from David Amsellem from Piper Sandler.
So I have a commercialization-related question here. So you've got in practice, most likely, it will be multistep dose escalation, and there will be some degree of patient handholding. I guess my question here is, as you think about patients being managed through this journey, do you think that MariTide has the kind of profile that could gain significant traction among general practitioners? Or do you think this will be a product that will mostly be used by obesity specialists? And in terms of that, how does this color or not color you're thinking about the overall opportunity?
David, thanks for the question. Perhaps I can start and then ask Susan to speak specifically to MariTide. We've obviously been on a long journey in chronic cardiovascular care here at Amgen, ensuring that primary care physicians receive the education and experience that they need to be able to adequately treat their patients. And we've done this with Repatha, and we continue to expand the prescribing of Repatha by primary care physicians. Roughly 50% of all Repatha prescriptions in the U.S. are generated by primary care doctors. So it's absolutely our plan to make sure that we're educating both the specialists, the obesity specialists, the cardiologists, endocrinologists and other specialties that focus on obesity, but also those important primary care physicians who have large numbers of patients who could benefit from MariTide.
But Susan, perhaps you could talk about what you've heard at this meeting in terms of the profile and how conducive it might be for primary care.
Yes. So I do think that MariTide has -- because of its unique profile, is going to be used by both specialists and primary care physicians. But specifically in primary care, the way that we've designed the Phase III trial and how we think that MariTide works will have a very particular benefit to primary care physicians that have very busy offices, lots of patients that they're treating. We have an easier dose escalation process that's quite simple. And then after that, patients will be on monthly therapy, be able to get a prescription, be able to last for the remainder of that year, reset the prescription the following year and be able to maintain their therapy
Thanks, Susan. Thanks for the question, David, Juliane, next question, please.
Our next question comes from Dave Risinger from Leerink Partners.
So considering how Slide 21 describes MariTide second ongoing Phase III study as a chronic weight management study in type 2 diabetes, does Amgen plan to seek an indication for weight loss in type 2 diabetic patients? Is that the planned indication but not for the treatment of diabetes like tirzepatide is indicated for? And then just to follow on. Obviously, those are 2 different trials for 2 different indications, I believe. Is a single trial enough for approval in each of the indications you're seeking?
Thanks for the question, Dave. Jay, do you want to take that one?
Yes. No, thank you, Dave. For the chronic weight management indication, we need 2 separate studies. The FDA requires separately studying patients with obesity and overweight with diabetes and patients with obesity or overweight without diabetes. We intend to and we are developing MariTide for patients with type 2 diabetes through a separate thread of clinical investigation. And it's important that this is separate and that it begin with Phase II because some patients with type 2 diabetes do not suffer from obesity or overweight. And we need to characterize MariTide's activity and importantly, safety in that cohort as well.
And Susan, maybe a reminder on the rest of the Phase III program that we're also developing.
Yes. So that type 2 diabetes Phase II trial is in progress right now. So we're moving that forward quickly. But in addition to that, we're also initiating studies in cardiovascular disease with ASCVD, a heart failure study as well as sleep apnea.
Great. Thank you, Susan. Thank you, Jay. Thanks, Dave. Julianne, next question please.
Our next question comes from Umer Raffat from Evercore ISI.
I have a rhetorical and a regular question, if I may. First, the rhetorical. I feel like Dr. Julia Rosenstock on almost every company that I can think of on this disclosure slide, except Amgen. And I was curious why that is. And secondly, on my more regular question, could you speak to any outliers in your low dose of the type 2 diabetes cohort where there was a 25% LDL elevation?
Thanks, Umer. We'll take the real question. Any comment on the outliers potentially, Jay, in the type 2 diabetes study.
If Umer, you are referring to outliers in weight loss on the type 2 diabetes study, the chronic weight management study that had a cohort for type 2 diabetes patients in these cascading plots in that cohort, as with all cohorts, we see outliers with respect to weight loss. The performance of -- by weight loss was quite consistent. On the LDL side, the change in type 2 diabetes is also very consistent and really rarely, if ever,changed.
Umer, I would only add that if you want real LDL control patients should be initiated with a PCSK9 like Repatha.
Our next question comes from Chris Schott from JPMorgan.
This is Taylor Hanley on for Chris Schott. So just looking ahead, as we think about how the future obesity market could maybe fragment into different segments, Amgen clearly has a long-acting agent. But can you touch on how high of a priority it is for the company to build a portfolio of obesity assets and potentially play in these different market fragments?
So thank you, Taylor. I would -- before we talk about the broader obesity portfolio, I would just remind you that we will have a large cardiovascular presence given Repatha and also our development program and our Lp(a) program with olpasiran. But Jay, perhaps you could comment on our obesity and metabolic portfolio.
Thanks for the question and the interest. We've been in obesity research a long time. We didn't just show up in this meeting because it got hot and interesting. MariTide, you can tell from the sophistication of the molecule is quite unique and belies an incredible amount of expertise that we enjoy Amgen research. We have 2 clinical stage assets behind MariTide is AMG 513, though we've not disclosed that mechanism of action as yet. It is progressing through Phase I clinical investigation quite well and is an injectable therapy.
And then our preclinical portfolio is also strong, featuring both incretin as well as non-incretin mechanisms of action, injectable medicines and some rising oral medicines. And so please expect to see more from Amgen and our research portfolio in obesity.
Thank you, Jay. We continue to build out that strategic cardiovascular metabolic focus for the customer-facing organization, anticipating, of course, the VESALIUS trial for Repatha in the second half of this year, where we will expand our primary care presence in the U.S. and around the world. Thank you, Taylor, for the question.
Our next question comes from Matthew Phipps from William Blair.
Since you want to go ahead and launch a cardiovascular outcomes trial, I assume you'd only take one dose into that trial. Can you tell us which target dose you would? And then what influence do you think keeping patients in clinic for 7 days after each treatment might have had on that Phase I 2 dose escalation study? Just thinking about lower discontinuation rates maybe from patient compensation.
Yes. So Matt, we're not providing details on cardiovascular outcomes trial design at this point. But Jay, perhaps you could comment on the Phase 1 in clinic.
Matt, it's actually a pretty insightful question. In clinical investigation, we call that a potential ascertainment bias. We took the decision to be very thorough in our characterization of the side effects associated with MariTide so that we could, in a very short period of time, make really important decisions discriminating between doses. And so then a higher event rate is actually very helpful to us from a decision-making standpoint. I suspect that using the MINVR reporting form as discussed today and asking patients every single day if they have nausea or vomiting led to a very sensitive surveillance and detection. We'll find out now that we're in Phase III clinical investigation, the true impact of these new dose escalation approaches.
Thanks, Jay, and thank you.
Our next question comes from Courtney Breen from Bernstein.
Hope you can hear me now?
We can hear you loud and clear. Thanks for getting back on Courtney.
Fantastic. I apologize for the issue before. And I also apologize if this question was due to my absence in getting back on. But just really quickly, as we think about the titration specifically, I think the differentiation for MariTide in many ways is the dose interval and the mechanism of action. It also feels like you're trying to differentiate on a relatively short titration for this product. Can you talk about why that is an important factor to you and why you haven't gone to a monthly sequence in this titration and perhaps extended it out over a longer period. I mean we've seen a number of Phase IIIs that have extended that out to 6 months as well. So would love to just hear those parameters and why you're really focused on that short titration period.
Thanks, Courtney. That is a variation on a question that we have not yet had. So I'll ask Jay to comment and provide [indiscernible].
No. Thanks, Courtney. And thanks for recognizing that the dosing interval really is a major advance. We see how our companies are working to prepare their molecules for monthly dosing. And here, we've shared today strong efficacy even with every other month dosing. You asked whether the 8-week dose escalation, which is shorter than in some cases, the 6-month period of dose escalation that some medicines in this class require was selected based on differentiation, and it really wasn't. It could be more simple and convenient for patients, but we selected this particular sequence of doses and timing of doses based on the clinical experience of the Phase II and Phase I programs as well as the different pharmacologic properties of an antibody.
When you give an injected peptide, you get a very high peak dose and then it goes away and then a very high peak dose and it goes away. And that sawtooth pattern, we believe, contributes to the ability to dose escalate more swiftly. When you give a dose of MariTide, as was shared today by our investigators in the ADA presentation, you see that this dose just hangs out with smooth exposure and that this affords us this 8-week path to dose escalation.
Yes. And I think you were asking also about the monthly interval, Courtney. We are interested in continuing to explore frequent options at target dose in our clinical program. So that maintains a differentiation option for us and something that can help patients persist and adhere to medicine. Thank you, Courtney, for the question, Julianne.
Our next question comes from James Shin from Deutsche Deck.
Two for me. Is 420 milligram still on the table for any of the longer intervals? And number two, has immunogenicity work been commenced for the antibody component of MariTide?
Thank you, James. Jay, do you want to take those 2? .
Sure. Thanks, James. We see no immunogenicity challenge with MariTide, having now treated almost 700 patients. And so we're quite pleased with the performance of MariTide as a protein peptide antibody conjugate medicine. 420 milligrams by our data and our pharmacometric modeling does not present itself to be required as a dose to deliver competitive and clinically meaningful efficacy, rather 350 milligrams is optimal for this medicine.
I suppose, as you asked, 420 milligrams is always still on the table. We have a clinical experience with it. It was quite active and well tolerated, but we are not carrying 420 milligrams into the Phase III program for chronic weight management.
Thanks, Jay. Thank you, James.
Our next question comes from Gary Nachman from Raymond James.
This is Denis Reznik on for Gary Nachman. Can you just remind us as to what percentage of eligible patients rolled over into the MariTide Phase II Part 2? And then if you're seeing any blinded dropouts or any unexpected safety concerns there on the part 2?
Yes. So Jay, the part 2 of the Phase II had a 15% weight loss eligibility, what percentage of patients rolled over?
Yes, 94% of patients rolled over from Part I to Part 2, indicating that when we invited those that achieved 15%, as you said, Murdo, 94% signed up had a chance of getting another year of MariTide.
Thanks for the question, Julianne.
Our next question comes from Mohit Bansal from Wells Fargo.
I think I just want to further build upon Courtney's question. Since you said that the drug hangs around for a while, why not dose titrate up every 4 week versus every 2 weeks in the beginning just to make it even more simpler given that it is a monthly drug. So wouldn't it introduce some additional complexity here?
Thanks for the question, Mohit. Similar question to Courtney. Jay, 4-week versus 2-week interval in the dose escalation.
Yes. Thanks, Mohit. We surely thought about that. And if that appeared to be required from the clinical data or the pharmacokinetic modeling, we would surely have undertaken this. These are active doses of the medicine that wouldn't serve to delay the efficacy derived from Maritide. When we look at the incident nausea and vomiting and other adverse events, I mean there are very few of them. They're mild in nature, and they tend to drop off after a couple of days after the medicine is given. And so the clinical experience in pharmacokinetic modeling strongly supports the mode of dose escalation that we've pursued.
Yes. I think it's important also, Mohit, to observe that in the 2-step dose escalation employed in the Phase I, we're already approaching the same kind of tolerability profile that semaglutide has been able to establish in the market. And so we feel quite good about the 3-step dose escalation that we've taken into the Phase III and the interval within it. Thank you for the question, Julianne.
Our next question comes from Kripa Devarakonda from Truist Securities.
Regarding the MariTide once every other month regimen, can you talk about the AE profile of patients who were treated with this regimen? Was there any difference between the reduction in AEs with each successive dose with this? And I know you said your weekly data that you presented suggests that the first week after you give the dose is the worst. But is it possible to be a little bit more granular about the occurrence of these events?
Thanks for the question, Jay, 2 questions there. Each successive dose in the every other month. And then more detail on the weekly, I think the heat map is probably the right reference on that one.
Yes. Thanks for the question. Look, the efficacy that we observed with every other month dosing is very exciting. We're studying every 12-week or quarterly dosing in maintenance. And so when we collect these data, we'll sit back and think about alternate more flexible dosing schedules. You asked about adverse events. Indeed, the adverse events and dropout rate on every other month dosing are higher than on other arms. The adverse events concentrate, however, to that first dose. And in the every other month cohort, there was no dose escalation. And so I wouldn't take any learnings out of those comparisons. You also asked about successive doses, and I found this very interesting. that after 8 weeks, 2 months after receiving the dose of MariTide 420 milligrams, getting that second dose didn't trigger patients to have a big spike in gastrointestinal adverse events, suggesting that this tolerization to the GLP-1 mechanism can last a really long time with a medicine like MariTide.
I really don't have anything more granular than daily vomiting data like we showed today, but do please spend some time in the supplemental files from the New England Journal paper where there are some additional insights.
Thank you, Jay. Thanks for the question. question.
Our next question comes from Tim Anderson from Bank of America.
Kind of a 3-part question on cardiovascular outcomes trial. So by the time you guys launch there will be several products entrenched in the market. Will you be required to do an active comparator trial for your cardiovascular outcomes study? That's the first question. Second question is the time frame for completing such a study? And then last question is, will a cardiovascular outcomes trial be required for approval?
Yes. We had a question on the cardiovascular outcomes trial earlier. We're not at liberty to describe the protocol and trial design on that at this point. So more to follow there. But thank you for the interest. It's clearly an important area that we intend to evaluate as an opportunity. And obviously, there's a lot of overlap with the rest of the portfolio that we have in cardiovascular, so something that we'll look into and we'll get back to you.
Yes. And the only other thing to add to that, Murdo, is that for the chronic weight management, our first indication, and that trial is not required for approval.
Yes. Thank you for that.
Our next question comes from Geoff Meacham from Citi.
This is Jeremy on for Geoff Meacham. I just want to ask more along the line of [indiscernible] dose really targeting to 140 through 350. Is there any reason why are the 2 higher target doses [indiscernible].
It's very hard to hear the question. Could you just restate maybe just try speaking right into the mic that will help us out a lot.
Yes. Can you hear me better now?
Yes, perfect. Thank you. .
Okay. Great. Yes. Sorry about that. My question is asking about a target doing and the dose titration. Any reason why you guys aren't going to titrate from 70 to 140 [indiscernible] up to 350. It just seems like doing it that way might be a bit better phase for efficacy and safety tolerability...
So I think the question is from 70 to target those, why are we not stepping through the other target doses to get to 350, Jay?
Yes. I think 2 reflections there. First is in the Phase II, we had 2 dose escalation arms, as I showed a moment ago. One of them was a step-through approach after 70 milligrams. And actually, there was no benefit either at the moment of dosing of the step-through dose or in totality of adverse events when comparing the step dose to the step through doses.
Additionally, when you start to dissect the timing of symptoms from the Phase I low-dose initiation study, once hitting a target dose of 70 milligrams, patients are pretty well tolerating MariTide therapy and then receiving 350 milligrams is feasible. So we're not stepping through on this trial because it doesn't appear to be required.
Thanks, Jay. Thanks for the question, Jay. Last question, Juliane. Unfortunately, we're up on time here, but let's close out with another one.
Our last question comes from Luca Issi from RBC Capital Markets.
Maybe Jay, one more, if I can start from the dose. Obviously, we've seen very impressive reduction in weight loss here when you look at the Phase, the top dose there was obviously 420 milligrams, while in the Phase III, you're going to do 140, 210, 350 when you look obviously beyond escalation, which are obviously [indiscernible] 420 that you did in Phase II. I guess the question is what gives you confidence that such dose will be both good enough to mitigate the toxicity and at the same time, still retain the same impressive efficacy that you've seen in Phase II? Any color there, much appreciated.
So Luca, I believe your question is with the dose selection in the Phase III, do we feel we'll be able to hit the same target efficacy that we were able to establish in the Phase II. And I think you asked about tolerability as well.
That's correct.
Yes, thanks for the question. Indeed, we have pivoted from a top dose of 420 milligrams from the Phase II study to a top dose of 350 milligrams in Phase III. This is not to mitigate toxicity. Any gastrointestinal adverse event improvement will derive from dose escalation. But actually, at target doses in the Phase II study, all 3 target doses were very well tolerated at cruise altitude at the steady state of monthly dosing. And 350 milligrams by the clinical data we've collected to date and by our pharmacologic modeling will be adequate to deliver clinically meaningful, statistically significant and competitive weight loss.
Jay, Susan, thank you very much. Thank you, everyone, for taking the time on the call today. I believe Jay mentioned it already, but I would encourage you to take a look at the manuscript in the New England Journal. It's an extremely well written and clear paper with a very comprehensive supplement to that article where you can probably see even more detail on the questions that were raised today on the call. We look forward to telling you more about the Amgen portfolio as we move forward. Thank you again.
This concludes our Amgen conference call from the American Diabetes Association 85th Scientific Session. You may now disconnect.
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Amgen — Special Call - Amgen Inc.
Amgen — Special Call - Amgen Inc.
📣 Kernbotschaft
- Kurzfassung: Amgen präsentierte auf der ADA neue klinische Daten zu MariTide: monatliche (bisweilen alle 2 Monate) Verabreichung ergab ~20% mittleren Gewichtsverlust bei Personen ohne Typ‑2‑Diabetes und ~17% bei Betroffenen mit Typ‑2‑Diabetes nach 52 Wochen, dazu breite Verbesserungen bei HbA1c, Blutdruck, Triglyceriden und Entzündungsmarkern.
- Tolerabilität: GI‑Nebenwirkungen sind Hauptproblem, lassen sich aber deutlich reduzieren durch niedrige Startdosen und schrittweise Titration; Phase‑III‑Schema nutzt 3‑stufige Titration (21→35→70 mg) vor Zieldosen.
🎯 Strategische Highlights
- Molekülcharakter: MariTide ist ein Peptid‑Antikörper‑Konjugat, kombiniert GLP‑1‑Agonismus mit GIP‑Antagonismus und lange Halbwertszeit, wodurch monatliche oder selteneres Dosing möglich wird.
- Wirkprofil: Robust: HbA1c‑Reduktion bis 2,2 Prozentpunkte (420 mg in Phase II), syst. BD −11 mmHg, Triglyceride −28% und hsCRP −72% in T2D‑Kohorte; hohe Anteile erreichten ≥5% bzw. ≥15% Gewichtsreduktion.
- Entwicklungspfad: Phase‑III‑Programm gestartet (72 Wochen, Zieldosen 140/210/350 mg, 3‑Schritt Titration); zusätzliche Phase‑III‑Studien für ASCVD, Herzinsuffizienz und Schlafapnoe geplant.
🔭 Neue Informationen
- Primärdaten: Vollständige Part‑1‑Daten der Phase II zeigen konsistente Wirksamkeit über Dosen und monatliche/alle‑2‑Monate‑Schemata; Phase‑I Low‑Dose‑Init‑Studie (Tag‑43‑Analyse) bestätigt bessere Verträglichkeit bei 21/35 mg Start.
- Phase‑III‑Design: Top‑Dose 350 mg gewählt (420 mg wird nicht standardmäßig in Phase III genutzt); Studien im März gestartet, Einschreibung läuft gut.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- Titrationstiefe: Analysten hinterfragten, warum 8‑wöchige 3‑Stufen‑Titration statt längerer Titration gewählt wurde; Management begründet mit Pharmakokinetik (stabile Exposition) und Daten aus Phase I/II.
- Toleranz vs. Persistenz: Diskussion über ob verbesserte Tolerabilität (weniger Erbrechen) direkt zu besserer Adhärenz und damit Wirksamkeit führt; Management erwartet bessere Discontinuation‑Raten in Phase III, konkrete Zahlen offen.
- Offene Punkte: Details zu CV‑Outcomes‑Studie (Design, aktiver Vergleich) wurden nicht genannt; Immunogenität scheint kein Problem in ~700 behandelten Patienten; regulatorische Anforderungen für Indikate (separate Studien mit/ohne T2D) bestätigt.
⚡ Bottom Line
- Relevanz: MariTide wirkt differentiell: monatliche Gabe mit hohen Gewichtsverlusten und breiten kardiometabolischen Effekten erhöht das kommerzielle Potenzial deutlich. Risiken bleiben: GI‑Toxizität in der Praxis, Persistenz/Adhärenz, Zulassung/Label‑Ausgestaltung und Marktakzeptanz gegenüber etablierten GLP‑1‑Therapien. Phase‑III‑Ergebnisse und Real‑World‑Tolerabilität sind die nächsten entscheidenden Trigger.
Amgen — Goldman Sachs 46th Annual Global Healthcare Conference 2025
1. Question Answer
Great. Good morning, everyone. Thank you so much for joining us. I'm really pleased to have with us the Amgen team today. So next to me is Jay Bradner, Head of R&D; Justin Claeys, Head of IR; and Peter Griffith, CFO. I'm Salveen Richter, I cover the biotechnology sector. Thank you for joining us. So to start here...
Maybe peter can start with a few opening comments, if that works. Peter, turning it over to you.
Thank you so much. Salveen, thank you, and it's great to be here. It's great to see you and the Goldman team, and we always appreciate the invitation. And look, good morning, and thank all of you for being with us today. With the first half of 2025 nearly over, which I think is surprising to all of us, we're encouraged by the momentum we've built across the business.
First quarter revenues grew 9% and non-GAAP EPS increased 24% year-over-year, supported by strong performance across the portfolio with 14 products delivering double-digit growth in the first quarter. Let me highlight key drivers across the end market products and also across the rapidly advancing pipeline. So let's start with general medicine. Repatha is now a multibillion-dollar run rate with Q1 2025 revenue up 27% to $665 million -- excuse me, $656 million.
Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, and we see continued robust growth for Repatha, supported by broad access and growing adoption in both primary care and cardiology. Bone builder, EVENITY, also delivered in the first quarter with revenue up 29% year-over-year. Despite its strong growth, more than 90% of very high-risk, postmenopausal women remain untreated for osteoporosis, highlighting substantial remaining opportunity for impact.
And in terms of the pipeline in general medicine, our 2 Phase III studies for MariTide in chronic weight management are initiated and rapidly enrolling. We're looking forward to the Phase III readout from Repatha's VESALIUS cardiovascular study in the second half of the year, evaluating primary prevention in high-risk patients.
Olpasiran is progressing in a fully enrolled Phase III outcomes trial for secondary prevention in patients with elevated Lp(a). So let's turn over to rare disease. We recently launched UPLIZNA as the first FDA-approved therapy for IgG4-related disease, and we're preparing for December 14 PDUFA date in generalized myasthenia gravis.
We had over $1 billion in product sales in the first quarter in our rare disease portfolio. And please keep in mind the 4 major products in our rare disease portfolio are earlier in their life cycle.
Now let's look at inflammation. TEZSPIRE in severe, uncontrolled asthma was up 65% year-over-year in the first quarter. We're advancing TEZSPIRE in additional indications, a PDUFA date in October in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and a Phase III study is now enrolling patients in both COPD and eosinophilic esophagitis.
So now let's go to oncology. Bispecific T cell engager platform continues to advance much to the benefits of patients. We began this journey with BLINCYTO, our first approved T cell engager therapy, which has transformed the treatment landscape in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and delivered 52% year-over-year growth in the first quarter of '25.
Building on that foundation, we recently presented compelling Phase III data for IMDELLTRA at ASCO, showing a 40% reduction in the risk of death and extended median overall survival by more than 5 months compared to standard of care chemotherapy in relapsed small cell lung cancer.
These data support the potential for IMDELLTRA to redefine standard of care in second-line small cell lung cancer. We're also progressing IMDELLTRA into earlier lines of small cell lung cancer and continue to expand the T cell engager platform with xaluritamig in advanced prostate cancer. And finally, in oncology, we look forward to 2 Phase III readouts this year for bemarituzumab in gastric cancer. And biosimilars portfolio continues to do well, a very important contributor to our business, generated $735 million in product sales in the first quarter, up 35% year-over-year.
Recent U.S. launches, including PAVBLU, WEZLANA and BEKEMV are performing well. We're advancing the next wave of biosimilars, including -- against the innovators KEYTRUDA, OPDIVO and OCREVUS, now all in Phase III. And just finally, we know we're all focused on the policy and macro environment. We're closely tracking developments related to tariffs, taxes and pricing. We're not going to speculate on specific outcomes.
We continue to engage with policymakers and advocate for a policy environment that fosters innovation, access and sustainable research and development investment, which we believe are critical to addressing the needs of patients globally. The world needs a lot more innovation, not less. We know there's a lot of interest in the upcoming ADA meeting. So let me turn it over to Jay for a couple of brief comments on that. We'll flip it back over to you for Q&A, Salveen.
Thank you.
Sure. Thank you, Peter. In terms of the MariTide data at the American Diabetes Association meeting a little bit later this month, you'll be hearing about the underlying details to part 1 of the Phase II study, along with some additional data from the Phase I pharmacokinetic low-dose initiation study. As a reminder, this second study characterized dose escalation at even lower starting doses where we observed substantial improvements in tolerability to MariTide.
The ADA discussion of these data will be split into 2 parts. First, there will be a session for 1.5 hours on Monday afternoon, June 23, with key opinion leaders, experts in the field of metabolism and obesity. This will be followed by a company-sponsored virtual call with the investment community, where we'll have a chance to recap the important findings as well as take questions thereafter.
And Salveen, we'll turn it over to you.
Great. Well, thank you so much for the overview here. Peter, just to start, you touched on the businesses, but help us understand what your key priorities are for the company today and what the forward strategy is.
Sure. Thank you, Salveen. I'd say, #1, the key strategy for Amgen, we feel like our strategy is going very well. So our strategy right now is execution. And we are focused on execution, both in the in-market portfolio and in our rapidly advancing pipeline, a laser focus right now.
So let's just think about what we have going on. You asked the question on the fourth quarter call about what are the growth drivers. So growth drivers in the market, Repatha, we talked about that; EVENITY; TEZSPIRE; then the innovative oncology portfolio, up 10% in the first quarter year-over-year, includes BLINCYTO, as I mentioned, up 52% year-over-year. And then into rare. So rare was up over $1 billion in the first quarter. UPLIZNA, TAVNEOS and KRYSTEXXA continue to be strong.
We're optimistic about TEPEZZA, too. We think our expansion in the sales force and working hard with general ophthalmologists and with endocrinologists to penetrate that highly unpenetrated market. I mean, 20,000 patients or so in the United States, we think that are acute, [indiscernible] that are chronic according to their clinical activity score, the CAS, we're becoming optimistic about our belief that we can penetrate that in a thoughtful way.
So rare, we really like that rare business. And of course, UPLIZNA. It's great to be in IgG4 with a PDUFA date also in generalized myasthenia gravis. And then we turn over into -- excuse me, into inflammation, TEZSPIRE, again, up 65% in the quarter. We really see that as a great opportunity to explore and continue in those indications in COPD and continuing into the chronic rhinosinusitis with eosinophilic esophagitis.
And we think TEZSPIRE as well as UPLIZNA represent opportunities far beyond just the one product and one indication, so to speak -- pipelines and the products, so to speak, with both of those. We think those are very strong. And so in biosimilars, we continue -- that continues to execute. So we had the 6 we talked about, Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, innovative oncology, rare and strength in the biosimilars and more coming there.
So we're focused on that from an execution standpoint. You'll certainly explore the pipeline with Jay. And of course, that all goes in addition to MariTide in general medicine, which we continue to allocate capital to. We continue to expand capacity. We have state-of-the-art manufacturing. We continue to work on and expand throughout our network system.
We announced another $1 billion this year in North Carolina for a second drug substance plant. We announced another $900 million into Ohio for a second finished drug product plant. We're sitting on a CapEx guide of $2.3 billion this year. So we're allocating capital behind our volume increase, which includes MariTide.
So a lot of activity going on. I've had an opportunity to visit our facilities recently throughout the United States. The capacity increases are going very, very well. We continue to be very focused on yield management, too, and the science of manufacturing and how do we do that. Because if we can improve the yield, then that means it's less bricks, mortar and dirt that we have to use. We can utilize that in terms of our volume growth.
And we continue to be very focused on what we're doing around the world, too. So all in all, the strategy is set, we're focused on execution. We're very excited about the innovation we have coming. And so that always is capital allocation priority #1 at Amgen, it will always stay that way.
Maybe 2 follow-ups here. One is you'll be at pre-Horizon debt levels in the second half of the year, how important is BD to you as a lever, be it sizable deals or just doing maybe collaborations and in-licenses as you've always done. But secondly, you also touched on some of the discussions that are playing out around tariffs and drug pricing policy here. How are you as a company communicating with the administration, but also kind of positioning yourself around various -- these various scenarios should they play out?
Sure. First on business development. We always expect ourselves to have that aperture open, looking at all opportunities. Number one, capital allocation, best innovation, internal and external. So aperture is always open. We look at all sizes. We look at all shapes. We look -- we're structurally agnostic. As you mentioned, collaborations, licensing, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions.
We expect to have an opinion on all of that. But as you so importantly note, we've been focused on returning to the pre-acquisition capital structure by the end of this year. We've now paid down about $10.8 billion of debt since we announced that transaction, which is about what we said we would pay down. So we expect to be right where we wanted to be and what we indicated to our investors to where we indicated to our investors we would be by the end of this year.
So we feel good about that. And if opportunities come around, we'll certainly engage in them. And Jay is very active with our business development group, with our commercial group, making sure that we continue to secure the best innovation, whether external, internal. Now flipping over kind of [indiscernible] side of the world, how are we engaging with policymakers? I would share with you, I think most of you who know us know we're always engaged with policymakers, and we always have been.
We want to be able to shape that story for innovation. We want to be able to shape it for patients, for access, for value for patients. So there's really no change in how we approach that. We certainly are making sure we're swinging by and seeing the policymakers and speaking directly to them.
I was in Washington last week, expressing our advocacy for patients and how we want them to have that access and value and how we want more innovation. We want to make sure that from a research and development standpoint, not just Amgen, but the industry continues to be the leader in the world. That's very, very important to us. You asked about are we running scenarios? Are we thinking about that? We're Amgen, we expect a lot out of ourselves.
So we want to be prepared. We want to be on the balls of our feet, and we are there all the time. We want to make sure we have the capital to allocate to innovation, so that Jay and the team continue to come up with innovative, first-in-class and best-in-class medicines for patients in the United States and all around the world. So that's how we're approaching that right now.
We shared with you that we've baked into our thinking this year, enacted and implemented tariffs. We're not going to speculate beyond that. We are looking at what's happening on a tax standpoint. We're reasonably optimistic that will be neutral to maybe just slightly negative, but we'll see. We always think through that very carefully. And going forward, we'll keep our eyes and ears open and make sure we're doing everything we need to do to consider what's happening out there in the environment and do a great job of making sure we keep our margins healthy as healthy as we can.
And if we need to flex them a little bit to provide a little bit more capital into innovation, we'll share with you and all of our investors where we are there. We guided to about a 46% operating margin this year, down from 47% last year, but that's due to great opportunities in the pipeline in research and development. So it's a longer answer maybe than you wanted, but we're excited about the business. We're okay taking anything on out there in the environment, and we think we can take it on as well as anyone, and it's always patients first at Amgen.
Jay, maybe jumping into MariTide here with the presentation at the American Diabetes Association. It's going to be the first time that we see full data after your top line Phase II presentation. So maybe help us understand in a 90-minute presentation, what we should hope to better understand about the profile of this drug.
Thanks, Salveen. Well, for sure, we've already had a chance to share last fall the most salient and directional insights from the Part 1 of the Phase II MariTide chronic weight management study. You'll recall this is a large 592-patient Phase II study that sought to characterize the effect of MariTide with a monthly or less frequent dosing. We have an every 8-week regimen in there as well over 52 weeks. That study continues with Part 2 that we'll share data -- we intend to share data later this year.
At the ADA meeting, we'll have a chance to go beyond the most directional observations, which we've already shared that the medicine confers quite clinically meaningful and competitive weight loss of approximately 20% that performs very well even in the very difficult diabetic population that delivers very strong efficacy against the cardiometabolic parameters that read through, hopefully, to the other serious diseases that track with obesity and that MariTide with dose escalation and low starting doses is very well tolerated.
In fact, over the period of these 52 weeks that patients were on drug in Part 1 of the study, after the initial dose escalation phase, tolerability was outstanding. We've shared all of these insights. These are the insights and the dose-ranging data that helped us craft, define, draft and now enroll and open our Phase III studies in chronic weight management. So at the ADA meeting, we'll have a chance to unpack additional data from the other arms, the arms that don't feature dose escalation, discussion in more detail on some of these cardiometabolic parameters as well as a mechanistic consideration that's emerging around why inhibition of the GIP receptor proves to be so important. So we look forward to sharing the Part 1 insights at the ADA.
Jay, if I could just reiterate the comments you made in your prepared remarks. That 90-minute session will be actually led by key opinion leaders as part of a continuing medical education session and then there'll be a company-sponsored event after that. So we think that will be informative for investors to hear directly from KOLs on how they view the data also.
Will there be additional information on the Amgen-sponsored call post the KOL?
Just to reiterate what Jay said earlier, it's really more just our summarization of what's to be shared in the 90-minute session and a chance to take Q&A and for folks to hear from us directly.
It seems when we speak with physicians that there's clearly an interest in further understanding the profile, one from the tolerability standpoint and recognizing that it is a first dose dynamic and seeing how you're able to manage through with titration on the front end. But then secondly, fully understanding the maintenance aspect here. When do you think between this data read and then the presentations in the second half of the year or beyond, we'll be able to fully see that profile emerge to kind of, I guess, reflect that or kind of understand the Phase III dynamic in the context of that?
Well, we're in Phase III clinical investigation now. And so we'll have a chance to really see the optimized dose escalation and target doses at work when we read out that trial. There will be additional insights for sure at the ADA that help to shape and frame and really underscore these observations that we have made, which can come as no surprise that lower initial dosing and stepwise dose escalation improve the tolerability, honestly, of all GLP-1 receptor agonist containing medicines.
We will read out additional data from our Phase II study in type 2 diabetes. There will be some insights there. But the rubber meets the road in Phase III and the study is underway. There's intense demand for participation on this trial, and we're seeing excellent enrollment, which I think [ belies ] the residual and significant unmet need even with incumbent medicines.
In discussing the outlook for the obesity market, you've often pointed to patient heterogeneity and market segmentation. So in this context, where do you think you could position MariTide and see the most commercial success?
I could start on the properties of the medicine, and then Justin, perhaps you could fill in on the commercial positioning. We intend MariTide to be a medicine for both the initiation of chronic weight management therapy as well as for maintenance, and it really has a chance to shine in both. We see progressive and actually very steady weight loss throughout the first calendar year without a weight loss plateau.
This is what clinicians really want is to treat a patient, have them come back to clinic and their weight is improving without radical excursions of their weight. Second, the flexibility with monthly dosing, the convenience, this will read through the persistence on the medicine we perceive. The recent real-world study was just published this week looking at 2 incumbent medicines and adherence and persistence and compliance, all integrated together in the real world, maybe 50% to 60% of patients remain on those excellent therapies at the end of a calendar year.
Are they hard to access? Are they not well tolerated through the maintenance phase? There could be many reasons why. We think this is a particular attribute of a monthly or even less frequently dosed medicine. As I shared, we have q.8-week data to share with the community in Part 1. And in Part 2, which is really more of our maintenance second year of therapy, we're even exploring q.12-week or quarterly dosing. Combined with a very competitive profile in cardiometabolic parameters, here, we're talking about reductions of LDL-C, double-digit reductions in systolic blood pressure, improvements in hemoglobin A1c in absolute percentage points of 2.2 in the diabetic population as well as significant reductions in hsCRP.
These are validated biomarkers in all of the serious and chronic diseases that to benefit, you need to be on therapy a long time. And so building a medicine for long-term, well-tolerated use that can deliver outstanding efficacy is really coming through with the MariTide program. Justin?
Yes. I would just make 3 points on the commercial positioning and opportunity there. I think the first one is that this is, as you pointed out, Salveen, a really unique situation with how large and underpenetrated the overall market is. By some estimates, you're talking about 1 billion people or more in the world who suffer from obesity or related conditions.
And so it's really a unique situation in terms of the global public health crisis that comes with this and the fact that the penetration is just barely scratching the surface right now. I think the second point is, given the large population, given the heterogeneity, as you pointed out, there will definitely be room for multiple therapies and multiple modalities. We see room for injectables. We see room for orals and different mechanisms as well.
So we certainly feel like physicians are looking for more tools in the tool belt. We're definitely getting positive feedback from the opinion leaders that we engage with. And I think the third point is that we definitely see MariTide as being competitive and having a differentiated profile that can work in a number of different settings. Jay and the team are generating data and not just in one indication, but across a number of areas that will allow us to be competitive.
And as Jay pointed out, this is a different molecule. The unique formulation and the durable effect and the data that we continue to generate, we feel like it's going to allow MariTide to compete in a number of areas.
Just with regard to biomarkers for MariTide here, should we expect to see some of these at ADA, including CRP? And I do have a question, Peter, about how you're thinking about -- I mean I know it's early days, but how you're thinking about the pricing model for obesity here or how that evolves over time?
Well, first, on the biomarkers, as I shared, we've already provided insights to the most salient efficacy in biomarker data that have shaped the Phase III program, but additional underlying data, including biomarker data, will be presented at the ADA.
I think -- it's a little early, Salveen, for us to kind of think about pricing. We'll stay tuned on that. And we've got a fantastic commercial group, as you know, and Susan Sweeney is heading our entire obesity effort. So we've got our finger on the pulse there. We'll watch it and see how that develops. I think to Justin's point, the heterogeneous approach to lot of things involved in obesity, we'll keep watching it and do what's best for patients and do what's best for shareholders, too.
Yes. Just wanted to jump into the cardiovascular vertical in a bigger way. So you clearly have Repatha that's inflecting and you're going to layer on top MariTide on top of this infrastructure. But you do have olpasiran that's in trials now and fully enrolled in the Phase III. When might we see initial data from this program? And how will you position this drug in your broader CV portfolio? Also just speak to the read-through that could play out from the Novartis study.
Thank you. These are very top-of-mind considerations for us right now. Cardiovascular disease is an area of leadership for Amgen. Repatha is proving to be a really important medicine for patients worldwide who suffer from cardiovascular disease and can't achieve adequate LDL-c control. This experience of bringing cardiovascular outcomes, secondary prevention medicine to the marketplace worldwide is a great platform for us to expand our impact and create more value.
We'll read out the VESALIUS-CV primary prevention study. That will be a very exciting moment. And I do hope and expect that hypothesis to read through. Regarding olpasiran, which is this next batter up, this is a very exciting medicine. Olpasiran has truly best-in-class characteristics. In our line of work, people throw that term around a lot.
Here, it's unambiguously true that this subcutaneously injectable siRNA that traffics to the liver and shuts down the expression of one of the known and validated remaining cardiovascular risk factors, lipoprotein(a), Lp(a) and an inflammatory lipoprotein, atherogenic lipoprotein to greater than 95% and our nearest competitor, Novartis, as you mentioned, about 80% reduction.
Our medicine is given every 12 weeks or quarterly versus a more frequent route of schedule administration with Novartis. Still, we're very interested to see directionally what Novartis will show from their secondary prevention study that I believe the readout was pushed back into the next calendar year. We as well will read out -- expect to read out our secondary prevention Lp(a) study next year as well.
These data will -- I think, will be particularly interesting to observe the overall risk reduction. I think that's what everybody is excited about seeing myself as well. It is a validated hypothesis at the genetic level where 1/5 of people, 1 out of 5 of us in this room here today have elevated Lp(a) and you can't eat better, you can't exercise more, you can't take a statin and make that go down adequately.
And so these gene-targeted therapies, these truly targeted therapies, I think, can usher in a new dimension of targeted treatment for cardiovascular disease. And following on behind Repatha and then olpasiran, we have an opportunity with MariTide, not just in chronic weight management but in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, kidney disease that comes with so many of the comorbid conditions and, and, and. so I believe that at Amgen, we are a leader in the field of cardiovascular medicine and intend to be for many years to come.
If I could just add one point on the timing of the Phase III readout, we know there's quite a lot of interest there. If you look on clinicalTrials.gov, you'll see a date of December 2026. That was the initial estimate that when the study started. It's -- as Jay mentioned, it's an event-driven trial. And as we accrue events over time, we'll get a better sense of that. So I would say probably stay tuned on the date. That's obviously an initial estimate that we could update in the future.
Great. You also have the UPLIZNA approval recently that's in IgG4 mediated diseases as well as an upcoming approval for myasthenia gravis potentially. Help us understand how big these commercial opportunities are for your drugs and where you will position the MG drug in that competitive landscape?
Yes. I think I'll take that one, Salveen. So on IgG4, first, just to remind, the data were phenomenal, hazard ratio of 0.13, so 87% reduction in the risk there. So we're very excited to bring that to market into patients that recently launched. One thing to note is we've estimated the patient size of 20,000. But to be honest that diagnosis and that even the diagnosis code has only been around for just a few years. So probably more to learn as we better engage with the community in those patients.
But so far so good on the launch. In terms of myasthenia gravis, again, we thought the data were fantastic. Key points to note, the -- you have 2 doses upfront and then every 6 months after that, that's a very different durable profile versus other offerings on the market today. You also have the benefit of the steroid tapering that was built into the trial design. So in a real-world setting, when you think about very strong efficacy that grows over time, every 6-month dosing, steroid tapering, we think that's a really strong offering for patients. So we're excited to get that one to market.
Great. Last question for you, Jay. You have a very broad pipeline here. Is there anything else that you want to highlight that we didn't discuss?
Oh, boy. Well, we have incredible strength in line as well as in the pipeline across all 4 of our pillars. But as we didn't have a chance to speak significantly about the cancer pipeline, and I'm a cancer guy, cancer doctor, I would just remind that this T cell engager platform through all of the hype cycles associated with alternative approaches, cell therapies and the like, this T cell engager platform is reading through to real, profound improvements in overall survival in common cancers, and we should not lose sight of the potential of these first 3 medicines, blinatumomab, which marched right to frontline therapy in acute lymphoblastic leukemia and becomes, in my opinion, as a blood cancer doctor, an appropriate standard medicine now in the core treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
At ASCO, just a couple of weeks ago -- a week ago, we had a chance to share data from the second-line small cell lung carcinoma study with IMDELLTRA, the DLL3 targeting CD3 bispecific antibody. And directionally, when you see a medicine work in third line and then it marches forward to second line and defeats head-to-head standard of care chemotherapy and wins not only with 5 months of median overall survival but also wins on grade 3 treatment-emergent adverse events, wins on efficacy and tolerability, Hopefully, this becomes an expected standard for these patients who many of them don't live long enough to get to third line to see a medicine like this.
It is indeed already improved after platinum-containing frontline therapy. And time can't move fast enough now as we're studying IMDELLTRA in frontline treatment of extensive stage and limited-stage small cell lung cancer. And then lastly, our CEP1 bispecific, CD3 bispecific for prostate cancer. This story is shaping up very, very nicely. We've already shared very meaningful responses with a high proportionate response rate in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer and just following the same mantra of working in relapsed disease, moving to second line, moving to frontline.
Indeed, we've already opened neoadjuvant studies of this medicine, anticipating and expecting that its value can be much greater to patients, the earlier it's used and used in combination. So more to watch and look out for in the CD3 bispecific platform, which remains a very important and active platform within Amgen research.
Great. Well, with that, thank you so much.
Thank you, Salveen.
Thank you, Salveen.
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Amgen — Goldman Sachs 46th Annual Global Healthcare Conference 2025
Amgen — Goldman Sachs 46th Annual Global Healthcare Conference 2025
📣 Kernbotschaft
- Kernaussage: Amgen betont "Execution" – robustes Q1-Wachstum, breites, schnell voranschreitendes Pipeline-Set und gezielte Kapitalallokation. Management setzt auf organisches Wachstum (Repatha, TEZSPIRE, EVENITY, Biosimilars), starke Onkologie-Assets und ein großes Chancenfeld im Bereich chronische Gewichtsbehandlung (MariTide).
🎯 Strategische Highlights
- In‑Market: Repatha, TEZSPIRE, EVENITY und Biosimilars liefern zweistellige Zuwächse; Biosimilars als stabiler Umsatzträger.
- Pipeline: MariTide in Phase III (ADA‑Präsentation, Fokus auf Toleranz/Erhaltung), olpasiran fully enrolled Phase III, T‑Zell‑Engager (IMDELLTRA) mit starken Phase‑III‑Daten.
- Kapital: CapEx‑Guide $2.3 Mrd., neue Werke ($1 Mrd. NC, $900 Mio. OH) und ~$10.8 Mrd. Schuldenrückzahlung; BD‑Apertur bleibt offen.
🔭 Neue Informationen
- Q1‑Daten: Umsatz +9% YoY, non‑GAAP EPS +24% YoY; Repatha Q1 ~ $656M (+27%), TEZSPIRE +65%, Biosimilars $735M (+35%).
- Zeitpunkte: VESALIUS‑CV (Repatha primärpräventiv) Readout H2; ADA‑Session mit MariTide: 90 Minuten am 23. Juni; olpasiran sekundäre Prävention: fully enrolled, readout erwart. 2026 (event‑driven).
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- MariTide‑Profil: Schwerpunkte Tolerabilität bei niedrigem Einstieg, Erhaltungsdosis (q8–q12w) und Biomarker‑Effekte; Management verweist auf weitere ADA‑Daten und laufende Phase‑III.
- Kommerz/Preis: Pricing‑Diskussion noch offen; Amgen beobachtet Markt, betont HCP‑Feedback und unterschiedliche Marktsegmente.
- Risiken/Timing: Lesbarkeit von Olpasiran/Novartis‑Daten, regulatorische/Politik‑Risiken (Tarife/Steuern/Preispolitik) und Margendruck durch erhöhte F&E (operating margin ~46% guidance).
⚡ Bottom Line
- Implikation: Call bestätigt Phase der Skalierung: solides Umsatzwachstum und hohe Pipeline‑Optionalität (MariTide, olpasiran, bispezifische Onkologie) bei kontrollierter Kapitalverwendung. Hauptrisiken sind politische Preisgestaltung und die Abhängigkeit von bevorstehenden Studienreadouts.
Amgen — Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference 2025
1. Question Answer
Good morning, everyone. I'm Michael Yee, Senior Biotechnology Analyst here at Jefferies. And very excited to continue on with our next fireside discussion here at the Jefferies Healthcare Conference. I am quite pleased to have members of the Amgen team up here with us. That includes the CFO, Peter Griffith, Executive Vice President, Murdo Gordon, and of course, 1 of the best IR leaders out there, Justin Claeys, who we all know.
I would love to give maybe Peter or Murdo an opportunity just to make some opening comments, obviously, the company has a lot going on commercially been executing quite well and crushing numbers and some of the legacy stuff. But obviously, some of the R&D pipeline is a big focus, and I'm sure everyone will be at ADA in a couple of weeks.
So maybe Peter or Murdo, you'd love to give some opening comments about the state of Amgen, and then we'll go into some key questions.
Mike, thank you. And Murdo, Justin, we've got Adam, our Treasurer here with us today. We're really glad to be here. We really appreciate it, Mike. But Mike, I can't let it go the video this weekend, right? I can't let the video go. I had my 4-year-old grandson Cameron walked in. He looked at the video, and he said, is that Mike, He said that it's not okay. He said that's not okay. But in all seriousness, we're glad to be here.
You got a shot on in the video today. And thank you And so look, we are really excited about the business. We're excited to be here. So with that, we're seeing strong momentum and the breadth and the depth of what we're doing. We're seeing innovation at speed and scale at Amgen. First quarter revenues increased 9% and earnings -- non-GAAP earnings per share were up 24% year-over-year. The strength was broad-based, as you saw, with 14 products delivering double-digit growth. Many of the near-term growth drivers were very strong in the quarter. We have an exciting pipeline advances across the therapeutic areas.
So let's start with General Medicine. Repatha and EVENITY together delivered over $1 billion in revenue in the first quarter, up 28% year-over-year. Significant opportunity ahead for both brands, and I'm sure you'll hear a lot from Murdo on that. With 100 million patients globally in need of further LDL cholesterol lowering and 90% of very high-risk patients for postmenopausal osteoporosis, not receiving appropriate therapy.
In obesity, our 2 Phase III studies for MariTide in chronic weight management are initiated and enrolling. At the ADA meeting in June, we look forward to sharing further details of the 52-week MariTide data from Part 1 of our Phase II trial, along with additional data from our previously discussed Phase I pharmacokinetic study testing lower starting doses of MariTide. And for our LP(a) therapy olpasiran, our secondary prevention Phase III cardiovascular outcomes trial is fully enrolled.
Now let's go over to rare disease. UPLIZNA recently launched as the first FDA-approved therapy for IgG4-related disease. And we're now on track for December 14 PDUFA date and generalized myasthenia gravis for UPLIZNA. Mike, I know you're interested in TEPEZZA and which addresses the complex patient journey, many patients with low clinical activity scores or CAS scores are undiagnosed or not referred for appropriate treatment. So educating physicians across specialties, particularly endocrinologists and general ophthalmologists is essential. We've expanded our field force and are executing our commercial strategy to better reach these prescribers.
Now let's go over to inflammation. TEZSPIRE continues to grow in severe uncontrolled asthma. We have an October 19 PDUFA date for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, and we're enrolling patients in Phase III studies in both COPD and eosinophilic esophagitis.
Now let's go to oncology with ASCO last weekend. Our industry-leading bispecific T-cell engager platform is progressing very well. And we're excited about the potential patient benefits from BLINCYTO and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. IMDELLTRA in small cell lung cancer and xaluritamig in advanced prostate cancer. We're also looking forward to 2 Phase III readouts this year for bemarituzumab in first-line gastric cancer.
Biosimilars generated $735 million in revenue in the first quarter, up 35% year-over-year, driven by our latest United States launches of PAVBLU and WEZLANA. We're also advancing BEKEMV as biosimilar to SOLIRIS in the United States on April 2 and are advancing our next wave of biosimilar candidates, including biosimilars to OPDIVO, KEYTRUDA and OCREVUS, all of which are now in Phase III.
With respect to the second quarter '25 and specifically the outlook for operating expenses, let me remind our audience and you of our comments from the first quarter earnings call that we had certain research and development expenses previously expected in the first quarter that we now expect in the second quarter including milestone payments and other investments. And with that said, we expect the second quarter at 25% year-over-year non-GAAP total OpEx growth in the low teens.
And finally, let me acknowledge the interest in the macro and policy environment, including the tariffs, taxes and pricing. It's a fluid situation. We're not speculating on any specific policy proposals or implementation mechanisms at this stage. With that said, we firmly believe that society needs more innovation, not less. And we remain actively engaged with policymakers on policies that improve patient access while supporting sustainable and important innovation in research and development and in manufacturing.
And with that, Mike, back to you.
Well, a lot to unpack there. Let me start with the fact that 1 of the big surprises is that the commercial business certainly for the last few quarters, it seems quite evident that people who are aren't even looking at some of these things because there's so much focus on MariTide has been doing quite strong. EVENITY, Repatha, some of these numbers are up significant double digits. And nobody thought that was going to be the case a couple of years ago, and these are crossing multibillion now. So maybe for Murdo or for Peter, do you expect that, that type of significant growth can continue, and that's why you feel so confident about the numbers this year even in the face of a biosimilar of denosumab which was a thing that people were quite concerned about like a year ago.
Here we are now, I think when just launched like yesterday, I saw an announcement. So where are you with the risks of the biosimilar offset by the fact that you've got strong growth of your products that are going to offset that. So you're going to grow through a biosimilar against your biggest drug. Can you comment on that dynamic?
Yes. Thanks, Mike. We're really pleased, obviously, with the execution of our commercial and medical and all our customer-facing teams around the world. But if you look at our portfolio, and Peter went through it pretty rapidly. If you look at the major growth drivers that are already approved and in market and in line, you've got Repatha, you've got EVENITY, you've got TEZSPIRE. They're the very large market products with a lot of untapped growth potential.
Then you go into innovative oncology, think BLINCYTO, think IMDELLTRA, which we just...
Tarlatamab, which is a big thing at ASCO.
Yes, big data at ASCO showing for the first time ever a 40% improvement in overall survival in second-line small cell lung cancer. Then you go into the rare disease portfolio with 4 key products, growth driving there and expanding international. And then you look at our biosimilars portfolio, which is also growing nicely through the time period that you mentioned in the last few quarters. So we have a portfolio that isn't just 1 big product or 2 big products. It's a very broad portfolio of growth drivers.
So very pleased with that. You mentioned Repatha specifically. Yes, it's been a long journey. I can attest to that. But we are very pleased now with the way we've opened up access in the U.S. and the way Repatha is also growing around the world. In the U.S., we're seeing over 40% growth through the first quarter. That will continue in terms of being able to expand the volume of patients that we treat. We've substantially improved access now with over 50% of commercial lives having no prior authorization. You can prescribe Repatha with no attestation, no prior authorization at retail, it's a very easy product now for patients to get.
And then we've got a catalyst for Repatha in the back half of the year with the VESALIUS trial that's in a primary prevention, high-risk patient population. So we're trying to prevent that first heart attack or stroke by adding Repatha for aggressive LDL management in that patient population. So there are a number of really good catalysts. The other thing with Repatha this year is we will see less year-on-year price erosion. So for the last few years, price erosion has taken some of that volume growth out when it comes to net sales evolution. This year, we'll see more of that top line volume growth come all the way through.
EVENITY untapped patient population very low penetration so far. We have the responsibility of selling that product booking sales in the U.S. and Japan. The Japan markets way ahead of the U.S. in terms of patient penetration. And if we just catch up to that, that will be an impressive thing.
What are you -- so the net of those is that you are very confident about the strength of some of these volume growth businesses that you just mentioned, they are definitely -- have been beating numbers. And I think people are concerned that this year, certainly for the next 6 months and going into '26, that there's a biosimilar denosumab that is launched [indiscernible]. So what are you seeing out there? Are things within your expectations? I don't know prices of these things have been announced yet. But what should we expect? What should we expect to hear and what should we expect to happen because denosumab biosimilar is available.
I think -- I'm not sure what all the competitors will do. But so far, we've seen nominal differences in WAC pricing. So slightly lower than the innovator.
But the first one, I think, is out there from...
Sandoz launched yesterday. I think 10% to 14% depending on...
Okay. So modest...
Yes, they have 2 brands out 1 to XGEVA and 1 Prolia. But we -- again, this is something that we've been seeing all along. We understand the biosimilars business. We're a biosimilar competitor. We understand the dynamics of it competitively. We understand provider preference, particularly in the buy and bill space, which is where we are here with denosumab. Obviously, our roots in oncology have helped us understand the XGEVA picture. And then we are unique in that we are the only company with the footprint that we have in osteoporosis for Prolia. So I think we're in a good competitive...
So in the osteoporosis standpoint, as part of the -- like it Wall Street sees somewhere there's a biosimilar pricing and the collapse and maybe it falls by 50%. But you think that there is a particular advantage because of osteoporosis, which is, I think, 65% or 70% of the sales of denosumab that's unique because these are buy-and-bill centers treating elderly women with this injection. And so it's not just like a cancer biosimilar where everyone just swaps over. Is that...
I think it's different mostly in how the product flows through the supply chain. In oncology, you've got a concentration of GPOs and networks in the community that are relatively easy for a biosimilar competitor to cover with a field force with a contracting. In osteoporosis, it's a little bit different in that there are a lot of individual clinics that are buying small amounts that add up to a large amount.
So there's not going to be a salesperson come on over to them from Sandoz.
Well, -- there will be some, but footprint that we have is just a little more competitive than what we think the biosimilars will be able to deploy.
So when you take strong growth on your branded products that we've mentioned, some offset on denosumab this year. We're going to look for the second and the third quarters coming up. You said 10% to 14% discount that's at least the gross price. There could be some rebating and expenses, Peter, what was in the expectation at the beginning of the year and I don't recall exactly what you did the guidance, but I don't think there was much raising of guidance in the first quarter post EPS. But as you get more visibility, you're going to look at your guidance this year and based on what you guys are seeing, which seems bullish that you'll come back to the guidance.
Mike, we always look at guidance. We're very thoughtful and we've got a very strong well-controlled process on that at Amgen. But when we look at our operating margin as a percentage of product sales -- that's something we're very focused on. I have been thinking about that for many, many years, all the way back to when Justin Claeys was in corporate FP&A 12 or 15 years ago. And that's important to us because our investors expect us to be very efficient with the capital we deploy.
Having said that and having had a guiding principle of about 50% of product sales, for our operating income percentage for any number of years now, this year, we guided about 46%, okay? And we said we need to earn that flex, that flex down. We've got a pipeline that's really important to patients. And Murdo covered some of that -- I covered some of that in my opening remarks, whether it's olpasiran Phase III, absolutely MariTide, whether it's our oncology medicines, and then -- so we think about that. That's the #1 allocation is innovation. In this case, we're grateful for patients, for staff and for shareholders, how strong that pipeline is to allocate that capital into that. As we go along here in the next few years, look, we're going to have -- we've got an opportunity to do a great launch in IgG4-related disease in UPLIZNA. We got a great opportunity to get IMDELLTRA out what Murdo said, this important medicine. So we'll stay focused on that. And we're also, at the same time, while it's not OpEx, Mike, it's CapEx. We're deploying capital to build capacity. 14% volume growth in the first quarter.
So we're continuing to deploy capital there. So we want to be very predictable and disciplined on our capital allocation, innovation, investing in the business, returning capital to shareholders and to our debt holders. We're on track to get back to our pre-Horizon capital structure by the end of the year. So all in all, we are very disciplined. You probably ask me the next question would be, what are you doing to be as efficient as possible. And I would just make 1 note that as most companies our size, regardless of industry, we're pushing ourselves very, very hard on technology and AI. We're not going to work beyond the speed of accuracy and controls but we're going to push ourselves on that. And we've been doing that for a long time. We moved our head of R&D, as you know, Dave Reese as our Chief Technology Officer. We have high expectations of ourselves. And we know our investors do also on this. So we're going to stay focused on that.
So your branded drugs are growing. The impact of denosumab with you think is manageable and that you should be able to grow through that. And we will see that. I think when you look at this year's numbers, the guidance was for growth, I believe, in the exact numbers. And therefore, you'll take a look at the guidance this year after we get past denosumab and we'll see what the numbers look like, okay.
So then, therefore, 1 of the other developments, if the numbers are strong, are going to be based on what also the opportunity is for MariTide. So in just a few weeks, we'll be at ADA -- you guys are going to be presenting, I think, in a 1-hour session, it's all sort of split up. But there's a 1-hour session on MariTide. What should the takeaways be for people going to ADA? And what should -- what is the messaging from Amgen about how MariTide is going to compete against tirzepatide and some of these other big programs because I think people are still trying to scratch their head, how is MariTide going to compete. Lilly is a formidable competitor, right, Murdo?
I don't know.
What's the takeaway coming away from ADA?
Well, we respect all of the incumbents in the market, but our product is highly differentiated from what's available. So it starts with that. I mean, as a marketer, if you don't have a differentiated offering, it is hard to compete, but we have a differentiated offering, the only peptide antibody conjugate in the category. We've obviously given the top line, Jay has been very clear with what we presented so far on the Phase II trial that we'll read out on the 52-week data in its entirety at ADA.
A couple of things just to keep in mind that are very clear. Weight loss up to 20%, very clear that dose escalation is important for the tolerability of the product. And we had a number of cohorts in this trial where we didn't dose escalate. So you'll see those data and then you'll see in the same presentation, a Phase I PK study, which we've alluded to publicly already. You'll see that dose escalation actually significantly improves tolerability of the product. And we will take those learnings and apply them into Phase III. This is the tricky part.
We're going to show 52-week data from a Phase II trial that was intended to cover the range of possible ways of treating patients with MariTide many of which we have not taken into Phase III, many of which we have taken into Phase III. So the real challenge will be for people to look at what we present at ADA and then look at our Phase III program and from that, reduce what the profile of MariTide to be in the market.
Right. So to be clear, you've started Phase III big studies, but you haven't disclosed the doses or the titration?
That's correct.
Okay. So when we go to people are going to ADA see the original Phase II design, which was designed to cover a whole range of different doses, including the titration. But to be fair, Wall Street initially saw some of that data and the -- it's been verbally said on that conference call what the GI and nausea rates were. But Wall Street was a bit sour on those numbers and the stock went down. And then you have disclosed that you have a further titration enhancement in Phase I that you think significantly lowers those numbers, to be fair. I think those numbers have also been disclosed. But the weight loss has not been disclosed yet. So people think like, well, Murdo, you're going lower dosing, lower dosing. Maybe that improves tolerability, but how are you going to get more weight loss? And you guys are saying, you will see good weight loss with that.
Yes. I think what you're going to see, just to remind everybody, you're going to see some cohorts in the Phase II with no dose escalation, right? And then you're going to see a Phase I trial where we did a 2-step dose escalation. And what we've learned from that will allow us then to optimally design the dose escalation in the Phase III. We are still confident, though, that our dose escalation, given the profile of MariTide will be a good patient experience and will not compromise maximum weight loss.
Will we have some weight loss follow-up numbers on that new titration that was initially disclosed back in November?
Well phase -- this was a Phase I trial. So we weren't really looking for efficacy.
Okay. So how do we know that you can get good weight loss with a lower step titration? How do we know that?
Well, you can see in the kinetics of the efficacy of the product, and you can model from that.
Okay. So I think one of the parts, too, is that in the Phase II, there was an initial titration and that weight loss is similar to no titration. So that's part of the messaging.
Yes. I think the curves for us look very good, and that's why we made the choice that we've made for Phase III.
And you guys have not disclosed too much on the actual injection. But in the Phase III, are you using a pen injection or that comes later? Or what is the administration in the Phase III?
We'll be talking about that at the ADA.
Okay.
And Mike, on that, we've been really clear.
This is like, yes, just a simple injection.
We've been really clear on that. This device can be very patient-friendly and incorporates in Amgen's long experience on use of devices. We have a fantastic process development group. We think it's as good as there is worldwide, best protein engineers, best at viscosity, best at excipients, good on patient-friendly devices all the way from the device we use for our EYLEA biosimilar to what we do in Repatha gets delivered to well over 1 million patients. So we understand what needs to be done on that and we'll talk about it at the right time, but we're very confident in terms of how that's going to get delivered.
And the most important part of this device is that the patient will only have to use it once a month or potentially even less frequently. So I think they'll enjoy.
You said pen and simple in these things. So people are -- they're skeptical, but you say you have it. By the way, Lilly just announced a collaboration to do a long-acting, I think, yesterday, so they're trying. But you have that and you're going forward in Phase III with it. So a lot of investors, particularly generalists just seem to believe that if you're giving this dose once a month, it's either a lot of drug or that there's tolerability issues. What are the things that will come out later this year because there's 2-year data, guys, that we're going to get more information on MariTide that's going to say, "Hey, look, see this is more differentiated or what would we get later this year that could be scenarios to help people understand how good this product could be.
Well, I think you're referring to what we call Part 2 or Phase II, where we follow patients out beyond 52 weeks for an additional year. So just a couple of things to keep in mind on that trial. The way that works is anybody who lost at least 15% weight loss or more is rerandomized into a prospective trial. And so the data from that part -- that second part of that trial will be available by the end of the year. And we'll make sure that we characterize the design of that trial because it's a little different than what people are used to. It's not just taking the existing Part 1 and following everybody for another year.
They do get randomized stay on a monthly -- in some cases, one arm comes off, that's cool because you see what goes on.
Yes.
In some cases, they just stay on for monthly, they could have more weight loss.
Yes, because we didn't see a plateau in the first 52 weeks. So we're curious to see. The challenge will be not having continuity of cohorts through that period.
Right because they were rerandomized or something, okay.
But we will see at least what different dosing intervals and/or different doses, including placebo, will do to that weight loss maintenance.
One of the arms is quarterly. Is that a totally plausible, viable scenario?
We'll see. But given the kinetics of MariTide and given that we're maintaining weight loss, it's possible that quarterly is a suitable dose for many patients.
And Mike, I would just add one point that in terms of the Part 1 to Part 2, over 90% of the patients who are given the choice to continue did continue. So in terms of the patient experience, we think that's a good...
Right. Yes. Well, first of all, the discontinuation rate, which is a lot of people that was very small to begin with and then you're saying people continued on.
That's right. It was 8% discontinuation rate in the dose escalation arms due to GI, 11% due to...
I mean, Murdo, that's a commercial question don't like that people say, well, the numbers, they look at the incidence table and they see this and they stack it at tirzepatide. But you guys have tried to emphasize that you think that the onset or the time course of that adverse event, if we have a plot is all like in the first dose, and you don't really see it in the second dose. Is that true? Is that a fair way to characterize it?
Well, it's what we've seen. We see the tolerability of the products in the dose escalation cohorts, all of the -- not all, but the vast majority of the nausea and vomiting was per first dose and on subsequent doses was very, very low. And that's another good reason for the persistency of this product to potentially be better and for the patient experience to be better. But let's level up here. We've got a product that we know we can dose escalate to improve that tolerability even on that first dose because we haven't optimized that yet. We don't think the Phase II is the best we can do.
Right, you started at a lower dose.
We think we can do it even better. So first dose experience, improve it, weight loss up to 20%, maintenance options of every other month, potentially quarterly, but we're already improving at the monthly option. And then we're covering the waterfront with a Phase III program that will bring in ASCVD indications, CKD, chronic sleep apnea and on and on. So -- we're going into this market with a full package of clinical trials, a highly differentiated product and an offering that, quite frankly, by the time we launch, patients will be interested in because taking a weekly injection and in some cases, feeling nauseous on the day of your dose on a weekly injection will be an incentive for patients to look for something.
It's kind of interesting, Murdo, because in many cases, new patients, but there could be a significant amount is swapping. And so they've already been on a GLP-1 and a swap versus a de novo, maybe the side effects are even a little bit less. It's sort of interesting, you should -- are you planning to start a safety or some sort of design study where people are already on a drug and then they come on to this one?
Look, there are a lot of questions to answer with the promise that MariTide offers for patients. And we have a group of thought leaders advising us on ideas like that, and we're taking those ideas seriously.
Mike, maybe if I could jump in for a moment. Dr. Braden or Jay Braden would say, you brought the question up of generalists -- a big slug of drug or this is a...
Once a month.
But he constantly reminds people that this is a monoclonal antibody. This is different. And so with a couple of peptides conjugated to it. And so he would really make the point that the pharmacokinetics of that are much more stable for us, he believes, than these other medicines, which I think these are my words, and he may use them, but are a little bit sawtooth that may go up and down in the pharmacokinetics.
With people who are looking at the doses like MIRCERA as an example for those who familiar with MIRCERA, but also the tirzepatide dosing that is a peptide that is not an antibody with an Fc. So you cannot compare 420 milligrams to a peptide.
And Amgen is monoclonal antibody. I mean that's who we are, right. 80% plus of our approved medicines, 40% approved medicines are monoclonal antibodies. And that's who we are. And I think...
We'll show the data, they get around to it. We got to put up the data. Let's see the data and through this year. So lastly I want to hit on in the last minute is another important blockbuster because it's right around the corner, right? So Lp(a), you guys are a cardiovascular powerhouse. You're selling billions of dollars of Repatha. So Novartis is going to read out a Phase III Lp(a), many people think it could be positive. You have a product that's also in Phase III, you already complete enrollment. You think it could be better? It could be. What do you see out of Lp(a) in the last minute? And we should pay attention to this because Novartis reads out.
Yes. We definitely think we have an opportunity with olpasiran for a best-in-class profile. We've got a very large ongoing secondary prevention clinical trial. We're looking, obviously, very closely at what the competitors might put out between now and when our trial reads out. I'll just say 30-odd years ago, I was sitting in citywide endocrinology rounds in Toronto. And I heard about this independent atherogenic lipoprotein particle called Lp(a). So this is -- it's not new science in understanding the correlation between elevated levels of Lp(a) and elevated incidence of cardiovascular events. And so there's a volume of evidence that shows the correlation.
The question is, when you have a drug like olpasiran that lowers Lp(a) by over 95%, can you knock down events? And our hope is that the answer to that is yes because we are still obviously working very hard to aggressively lower LDL. You can't do much about your Lp(a) diet exercise, lifestyle modification, won't bring it down. It's genetically determined. You got to have a drug. And I do think that the adoption behavior will be different because you won't have that, I'll eat better, I'll exercise.
Right, that's independent of diet, is that a factor.
Yes. So I think there'll be more urgency to treat, and we're starting in secondary prevention. If you think about the history of LDL, it usually starts in primary or it starts with just LDL modification. Here, we're starting about hard endpoints. So I think the promise of olpasiran is significant, and it's 100% overlap with what we're already doing with Repatha.
Guys, thank you so much. Look forward to the progress this year and the more data, and we look forward to all of the developments. So thank you guys very much.
Thank you, Mike.
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Amgen — Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference 2025
Amgen — Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference 2025
📣 Kernbotschaft
- Takeaway: Amgen stellt sich als breit aufgestellter Wachstumskandidat dar: starke kommerzielle Dynamik (Q1: Umsatz +9%, non‑GAAP EPS +24% YoY), mehrere Near‑term‑Katalysatoren (Repatha, EVENITY, TEZSPIRE, MariTide, olpasiran) und ein wachsendes Biosimilars‑Geschäft. Management betont Kapitaldisziplin, Investitionen in Pipeline und Produktion sowie aktives Policy‑Engagement.
🎯 Strategische Highlights
- Kommerzielle Stärke: 14 Produkte mit zweistelligem Wachstum; Repatha und EVENITY >$1 Mrd. zusammen (+28% YoY); Biosimilars $735 Mio (+35% YoY).
- MariTide‑Programm: Phase‑III gestartet; 52‑Wochen Daten (Part 1) auf ADA, Fokus auf Dosistitration zur besseren Verträglichkeit; Device für monatliche (ggf. seltener) Applikation in Planung.
- Wissenschaft & Onkologie: Bispezifische T‑Zell‑Engager und mehrere Phase‑III‑Readouts (z.B. bemarituzumab) sowie volle Enrollment für olpasiran (Lp(a)).
🔭 Neue Informationen
- Guidance & OpEx: R&D‑Ausgaben verschoben von Q1 in Q2; Management erwartet für Q2 einen spürbaren OpEx‑Anstieg (non‑GAAP OpEx‑Wachstum genannt) und betont CapEx für Kapazitätserweiterung.
- Marktzugang Repatha: US‑Zugangsverbesserung mit >50% der kommerziellen Lives ohne Prior Authorization; weniger Preis‑Erosion erwartet, mehr Volumendurchfluss ins Top‑Line.
- MariTide‑Neuheit: Phase‑I PK‑Daten zeigen, dass Dosistitration Verträglichkeit verbessert; Phase‑III Dosen/Titrationsschema noch nicht offen gelegt; Part‑2 Follow‑up‑Daten bis Jahresende geplant.
❓ Fragen der Analysten
- Biosimilar‑Risiko: Kritische Nachfrage zu Prolia/Denosumab‑Biosimilars (Sandoz‑Launch: ca. 10–14% WAC‑Rabatt): Management sieht den Osteoporose‑Markt und Buy‑and‑Bill‑Struktur als vorteilhaft gegenüber reiner Onkologie‑Substitution.
- MariTide‑Profil: Analysten haken nach Titration, Erstdosis‑GI‑Events, Langzeitwirkung und Device; Management bestätigt bessere Erstdosis‑Toleranz durch optimierte Titration, aber Phase‑III‑Details folgen.
- Olpasiran & Wettbewerb: Fragen zur Positionierung gegenüber Wettbewerbern (z. B. Novartis): Amgen sieht olpasiran als potenziell best‑in‑class und betont Sekundärprävention‑Endpoint‑Fokus.
⚡ Bottom Line
- Relevanz: Der Fireside‑Chat bestätigt: Amgen setzt auf Diversifikation zwischen etablierten Blockbustern, Next‑gen‑Biologics und Biosimilars. Kurzfristige Unsicherheiten (Denosumab‑Biosimilars, OpEx‑Timing, MariTide‑Titration) bestehen, sind aber vom Management quantitativ adressiert. Für Aktionäre bedeutet das: solides aktuelles Cash‑Flow‑Profil plus mehrere klinische Katalysatoren, die bei positiven Ergebnissen das Wachstum weiter beschleunigen könnten.
Finanzdaten von Amgen
Umsatz
Der Umsatz stellt die Summe aller Einnahmen eines Unternehmens z. B. für dessen Produkte oder Dienstleistungen dar.
Umsatz (TTM) einfach erklärtDirekte Kosten
Direkte Kosten sind die Kosten, die direkt im Zusammenhang mit der Herstellung des Produkts oder der Dienstleistung entstehen.
Bruttoertrag
Der Bruttoertrag gibt an, wie viel vom Umsatz nach Abzug der direkten Herstellkosten im Unternehmen verbleibt. Berechnet man den prozentualen Anteil vom Umsatz, spricht man von der Bruttomarge (engl. Gross Margin).
Brutto Marge einfach erklärtVertriebs- und Verwaltungskosten
Die Vertriebs- & Verwaltungskosten (engl. Selling, General & Administrative expenses, kurz SG&A) beinhalten alle Aufwände für Marketing und den Verkauf sowie die allgemeine Verwaltung des Unternehmens.
Forschungs- und Entwicklungskosten
Die Forschungs- und Entwicklungskosten (engl. research & development costs, kurz R&D) geben Auskunft darüber, wie viel das Unternehmen in die Forschung und die Entwicklung seiner Produkte investiert. Vor allem prozentual vom Umsatz und im Vergleich zu direkten Wettbewerbern sind die Kosten interessant.
EBITDA
Das EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) ist der Gewinn des Unternehmens vor Zinsen, Steuern und Abschreibungen. Berechnet man den prozentualen Anteil vom Umsatz, spricht man von der EBITDA-Marge.
Abschreibungen
Abschreibungen stellen Wertminderungen von Vermögensgegenständen des Unternehmens dar (z.B. durch Abnutzung von Maschinen).
EBIT (Operatives Ergebnis)
Das EBIT (engl. Earnings Before Interest and Taxes) ist der Gewinn des Unternehmens vor Zinsen und Steuern, das auch als operatives Ergebnis bezeichnet wird. Berechnet man den prozentualen Anteil vom Umsatz, spricht man von
der EBIT-Marge.
Nettogewinn
Der Nettogewinn stellt den Gewinn oder Verlust nach Abzug aller Kosten dar.
Nettogewinn einfach erklärtaktien.guide Basis
| Dez '25 |
+/-
%
|
||
| Umsatz | 36.751 36.751 |
10 %
10 %
100 %
|
|
| - Direkte Kosten | 10.737 10.737 |
3 %
3 %
29 %
|
|
| Bruttoertrag | 26.014 26.014 |
13 %
13 %
71 %
|
|
| - Vertriebs- und Verwaltungskosten | 7.050 7.050 |
1 %
1 %
19 %
|
|
| - Forschungs- und Entwicklungskosten | 7.272 7.272 |
22 %
22 %
20 %
|
|
| EBITDA | 16.747 16.747 |
10 %
10 %
46 %
|
|
| - Abschreibungen | 5.167 5.167 |
8 %
8 %
14 %
|
|
| EBIT (Operatives Ergebnis) EBIT | 11.580 11.580 |
20 %
20 %
32 %
|
|
| Nettogewinn | 7.711 7.711 |
89 %
89 %
21 %
|
|
Angaben in Millionen USD.
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Firmenprofil
Amgen, Inc. ist ein Biotechnologieunternehmen, das sich mit der Entdeckung, Entwicklung, Herstellung und Vermarktung von Humantherapeutika befasst. Zu seinen Produkten gehören die folgenden Marken: Aranesp, BLINCYTO, Corlanor, ENBREL, EPOGEN, IMLYGIC, KYPROLIS, Neulasta, NEUPOGEN, Nplate, Parsabiv, Prolia, Repatha, Sensipar, Vectibix und XGEVA. Das Unternehmen wurde am 8. April 1980 von William K. Bowes, Jr., Franklin Pitcher Johnson, Jr., George B. Rathmann und Joseph Rubinfeld gegründet und hat seinen Hauptsitz in Thousand Oaks, CA.
aktien.guide Basis
| Hauptsitz | USA |
| CEO | Mr. Bradway |
| Mitarbeiter | 31.500 |
| Gegründet | 1980 |
| Webseite | www.amgen.com |


