Trump's Policies Delay Drug Launches for Pharma Companies
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 14 hours ago
0mins
Catch up on the top industries and stocks that were impacted, or were predicted to be impacted, by the comments, actions and policies of President Donald Trump with this daily recap compiled by The Fly.STRAIT OF HORMUZ:CBS News Senior White House Correspondent Weijia Jiangon X, "I called President Trump for some clarity on this post. He says the U.S. is not pulling assets in and around the Strait of Hormuz yet: 'At some point I will, not quite yet, but countries have to come in and take care of it. Iran has been decimated, but they're going to have to come in and do their own work.'"President Trump has expressed to his aides that he is prepared to complete the U.S. military campaign against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, The Wall Street Journal's Alexander Ward and Meridith McGraw. Trump and his advisors have concluded that efforts to open the chokepoint would extend the conflict beyond his timeline of four to six weeks, and the president has decided that the U.S. should achieve its main goals of crippling Iran's navy and its missile stocks while pressuring Tehran diplomatically to resume the free flow of trade, the report states.DELAYED DRUG LAUNCH:Drugmakers have delayed the launches of some medicines in Europe as the industry deals with U.S. pressure and pricing shifts from President Donald Trump, Maggie Fick, Bhanvi Satija and Dominique Patton of Reuters, citing executives, pricing policy shifts, and data shared with the journal. The White House has been pushing for lower prescription drug costs, with Trump looking to tie the cost for Americans to what is paid elsewhere. This has led drugmakers to pause bringing some medicines to European markets to avoid pulling down prices in the U.S. market. Publicly traded companies in the space include AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers, Eli Lilly, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Rocheand Sanofi.
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Analyst Views on AZN
Wall Street analysts forecast AZN stock price to rise
14 Analyst Rating
13 Buy
0 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 193.880
Low
157.61
Averages
213.64
High
252.18
Current: 193.880
Low
157.61
Averages
213.64
High
252.18
About AZN
AstraZeneca PLC is a United Kingdom-based science-led biopharmaceutical company. The Company focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines. The Company operates across therapy areas, including Oncology; Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM); Respiratory and Immunology (R&I); Vaccines and Immune Therapies (V&I), and Rare Disease. In the Oncology area, its key products include Tagrisso, Imfinzi, Calquence, Lynparza, and Enhertu. The key products of CVRM area include Farxiga/Forxiga, Brilinta/Brilique, Crestor, and Lokelma. In the R&I area, the key products are Symbicort, Fasenra, Breztri/Trixeo, and Tezspire. In the V&I Therapies area, the products are Beyfortus and FluMist. The products in the Rare Disease area are Ultomiris, Soliris, Strensiq, and Koselugo. It has about 191 projects in its development pipeline, including 19 new molecular entities (NMEs) in the late-stage pipeline. The Company distributes its products in over 125 countries.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Capital Returns and Reinvestment: The company increased its dividend to $3.30 per share for 2026 while committing to a roughly one-third increase in capital expenditures, alongside a $15 billion investment in China through 2030, signaling management's confidence in long-term growth prospects.
- Pipeline Depth and Market Share: AstraZeneca recorded 16 positive Phase 3 readouts and 43 regulatory approvals in 2025, with over 20 Phase 3 trial readouts expected in 2026, each approval representing a potential new revenue stream and reinforcing its leadership position in the oncology market.
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- Alternative to Animal Testing: The FDA released draft guidance on March 18, 2026, to assist drug developers in validating new approach methodologies as alternatives to animal testing, reflecting its commitment to scientific rigor and humane practices, which could reshape drug development standards.
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- Broad Patient Population: The drug showed efficacy in both former smokers and the overall population, including current smokers, across all blood eosinophil counts and stages of lung function severity, highlighting its broad applicability and clinical relevance.
- Favorable Safety Profile: Tozorakimab was generally well tolerated during the trials, exhibiting a favorable safety profile, which bolsters confidence in its future use in COPD treatment.
- Ongoing Research: AstraZeneca is conducting additional Phase III trials, PROSPERO and MIRANDA, to further validate tozorakimab's efficacy in COPD, while also exploring its potential in severe viral lower respiratory tract disease, showcasing its versatility in multiple indications.
See More
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- Positive Price Target Adjustment: Guggenheim raised AstraZeneca's price target from 16,000 GBp to 16,500 GBp, reflecting optimism about the company's upcoming 20+ Phase 3 trial readouts expected in 2026, which could further drive stock price appreciation.
- Capital Returns and Reinvestment: The company increased its dividend to $3.30 per share for 2026 while committing to a roughly one-third increase in capital expenditures, alongside a $15 billion investment in China through 2030, signaling management's confidence in long-term growth prospects.
- Pipeline Depth and Market Share: AstraZeneca recorded 16 positive Phase 3 readouts and 43 regulatory approvals in 2025, with over 20 Phase 3 trial readouts expected in 2026, each approval representing a potential new revenue stream and reinforcing its leadership position in the oncology market.
See More
AstraZeneca's efzimfotase alfa Phase III Trials Show Positive Results
- Clinical Trial Success: AstraZeneca's efzimfotase alfa demonstrated positive results in a Phase III clinical trial for a broad hypophosphatasia patient population, showing significant improvement in bone health at week 25 compared to placebo, indicating the drug's potential in treatment.
- Pediatric Trial Outcomes: The MULBERRY Phase III trial results indicated that children who had not previously been treated with Strensiq achieved the primary endpoint after using efzimfotase alfa, further validating the drug's efficacy and safety in pediatric patients.
- Good Safety Profile: Positive results from the CHESTNUT Phase III trial showed that efzimfotase alfa was well-tolerated in pediatric patients switching from Strensiq and maintained the treatment benefits on bone health at week 25, demonstrating its feasibility in clinical applications.
- Adolescent Trial Results: The HICKORY Phase III trial showed numerical improvement in adolescents and adults, but did not achieve statistical significance in the primary endpoint of the six-minute walk test, suggesting potential efficacy differences across age groups.
See More
FDA Accelerates Biosimilar Drug Development and Approves New Treatments
- Accelerated Biosimilar Development: On March 9, 2026, the FDA recommended streamlining unnecessary clinical pharmacokinetic studies when scientifically justified, aiming to expedite biosimilar drug development and improve medicine affordability, thereby enhancing market competitiveness.
- Alternative to Animal Testing: The FDA released draft guidance on March 18, 2026, to assist drug developers in validating new approach methodologies as alternatives to animal testing, reflecting its commitment to scientific rigor and humane practices, which could reshape drug development standards.
- New Therapy Approval: On March 10, 2026, the FDA approved Wellcovorin as the first treatment for cerebral folate deficiency, a rare neurological condition, marking a significant advancement in neuroscience and potentially offering new hope for patients.
- Gene Therapy Innovation: The FDA approved Rocket Pharma's Kresladi on March 26, 2026, as the first gene therapy for Severe Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency Type I, showcasing the potential of gene therapy in treating rare diseases and possibly driving stock price increases for related biotech companies.
See More
AstraZeneca's Antibody Therapy Achieves Phase 3 Trial Success
- Trial Success: AstraZeneca's antibody therapy tozorakimab successfully met key goals in two Phase 3 trials for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), demonstrating a significant reduction in annualized COPD exacerbations among over 2,000 patients.
- Treatment Regimen: The OBERON and TITANIA trials evaluated the efficacy of 300 mg tozorakimab versus placebo administered every four weeks, showing effective improvement in patient conditions on top of standard care.
- Good Safety Profile: AstraZeneca reported that the therapy was generally well tolerated with a favorable safety profile, laying a solid foundation for future clinical applications and enhancing the company's competitiveness in the respiratory disease sector.
- Ongoing Research: AstraZeneca is currently conducting two additional late-stage trials for tozorakimab and plans to present full results from OBERON and TITANIA at an upcoming medical conference, further advancing the therapy's market potential.
See More
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- Clinical Trial Results: The Phase III OBERON and TITANIA trials demonstrated that tozorakimab significantly reduced the annualized rate of moderate-to-severe COPD exacerbations in former smokers, indicating its potential to transform COPD treatment paradigms across diverse populations.
- Favorable Safety Profile: Tozorakimab exhibited good tolerability and safety during the trials, suggesting its applicability in COPD patients and the potential to provide new treatment options that mitigate the risks associated with exacerbations.
- Global COPD Burden: With COPD being the third leading cause of death globally, affecting nearly 400 million people, and over 50% of patients experiencing exacerbations despite standard care, the urgent need for new therapies and market opportunities is underscored.
- Future Research Directions: Ongoing Phase III trials, PROSPERO and MIRANDA, aim to further validate tozorakimab's efficacy in COPD and other respiratory diseases, advancing the role of biologics in respiratory care.
See More
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- Trial Success: AstraZeneca's Phase III OBERON and TITANIA trials for COPD demonstrated that tozorakimab significantly reduced the annualized rate of moderate-to-severe exacerbations compared to placebo, indicating its potential as a new therapeutic option.
- Broad Patient Population: The drug showed efficacy in both former smokers and the overall population, including current smokers, across all blood eosinophil counts and stages of lung function severity, highlighting its broad applicability and clinical relevance.
- Favorable Safety Profile: Tozorakimab was generally well tolerated during the trials, exhibiting a favorable safety profile, which bolsters confidence in its future use in COPD treatment.
- Ongoing Research: AstraZeneca is conducting additional Phase III trials, PROSPERO and MIRANDA, to further validate tozorakimab's efficacy in COPD, while also exploring its potential in severe viral lower respiratory tract disease, showcasing its versatility in multiple indications.
See More
