Just As We Said Before We Went Off Into The Mountains -- Merck HAS Seen An NYSE Stock Price Bump -- Of ~13%... Nice.

While the specific story I link below also points -- at the head -- to the perceived easing of "US drug price control threats" (via Tangerine's endless flip-flopping), the more immediate driver for Merck is the factor we pointed to: pembrolizumab (likely) in subcutaneous delivery form -- extends patent life to the late 2030s.

Here's the Yahoo! story / analysis -- but TrumpRx [what a joke!] is going nowhere, and while Pfizer may be genuinely interested, it looks to me more like faint-praise -- admiring the [naked] emperor's new robes. Hilarious -- but the story is correct, as to direction (on pharma stock prices):

. . .Merck is working on different strategies to drive Keytruda's long-term growth. These include innovative immuno-oncology combinations, including Keytruda with LAG3 and CTLA-4 inhibitors. In partnership with Moderna, Merck is developing a personalized mRNA therapeutic cancer vaccine (V940/mRNA-4157) in combination with Keytruda for patients with certain types of melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Last month, the FDA approved a subcutaneous formulation of Keytruda, known as Keytruda Qlex, which can enhance patient convenience. With Keytruda’s intravenous or IV formulation set to lose exclusivity in 2028, the newly approved SC version comes with its own set of patents that extend protection well beyond that date. . . .

Onward, and that is likely the only power alley item for today. Grinning into the Fall sunshine here -- crisp and fire-hue-dappled leaves a-fallin', now!

नमस्ते