Shares of Japan's Eisai tumble after EU rejects Alzheimer's drug
TOKYO, July 29 (Reuters) -Shares of Japan's Eisai 4523.T tumbled 11% and were on track for their biggest one-day fall in three years on Monday, after the European Union's regulator rejected the drugmaker's Leqembi treatment for early Alzheimer's disease.
The EU drugs regulator last week said the risk of serious brain swelling did not outweigh the drug's small impact on slowing cognitive decline.
Both Eisai and partner Biogen BIIB.O have said they will seek re-examination of the recommendation, but did not disclose what information they would provide the regulator.
"Because EU approval was broadly expected, we consider this a very big negative surprise," Jefferies analyst Stephen Barker wrote in a note to clients.
"Rejection by the EU might also hurt Leqembi's image in the U.S. and Japan, potentially hurting sales in those markets as well."
Eliminating European Leqembi sales from estimates could mean an eventual cut of overall sales estimates by around 20% and reduce the "fair value" of Eisai shares about 1,000 yen each, Barker said.
Shares of Eisai fell 11% in morning trade in Tokyo to 5,890 yen and were on track for their biggest one-day fall since July 2021.
That came after shares of Biogen fell around 7% in U.S. trading on Friday.
The therapy, also known as lecanemab, is approved in the U.S., China, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan and South Korea, and would have been Europe's first drug to treat the neurodegenerative condition rather than its symptoms.
Reporting by David Dolan; Editing by Edwina Gibbs
Related Assets
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
