Research from Water Tower Research, Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research

Research from Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research is a leading equity research firm that provides research on micro, small and mid cap companies.

Water Tower Research was founded by Wall Street veterans after witnessing a fundamental shift in the investment research industry with the result being a declining knowledge base among investors, a lack of awareness and a shrinking pool of fundamental research being conducted on companies across the small-cap and micro-cap spectrum. The same issues are now increasingly occurring in the mid-cap space. This sea change within the investment community is impacting not only the companies themselves but also current shareholders and potential investors. With significantly less active sell-side sponsorship by Wall Street, a substantial information gap has developed between companies and various constituents in the financial community. The net result is fewer channels for insight and information to flow between companies and investors.

Equity Research Firm

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>M&amp;A and deal activity provided a much-needed tailwind for biotech last week.</li><li>Exiting a positive, but mostly expected, ASCO weekend, we witnessed the second-largest biotech acquisition in 2025, with SNY buying BPMC for $9.1 billion, and a mega-licensing deal, as BMY will pay up to $11.1 billion for co- rights to BNTX’s PD-1/VEGF (read-across to TIL, SMMT, PFE, MRK).</li><li>Gene and cell therapy (NTLA, BEAM, CRSP) got a boost, as the heads of the HHS, FDA, CBER, NIH, and CDC expressed support for faster rare disease approvals at an FDA roundtable. </li></ul>

M&amp;A and deal activity provided a much-needed tailwind for biotech last week.Exiting a positive, but mostly expected, ASCO weekend, we witnessed the second-largest biotech acquisition in 2025, with SNY buying BPMC for $9.1 billion, and a mega-licensing deal, as BMY will pay up to $11.1 billion for co- rights to BNTX’s PD-1/VEGF (read-across to TIL, SMMT, PFE, MRK).Gene and cell therapy (NTLA, BEAM, CRSP) got a boost, as the heads of the HHS, FDA, CBER, NIH, and CDC expressed support for faster rare disease approvals at an FDA roundtable. 

Biopharma Week in Review Large M&A and Licensing Deals Provide a Boost

<ul><li>The holiday-shortened week was fairly quiet on the macro front, as certain vaccine-related actions by health agencies were largely expected.</li><li>Mainly affected was MRNA, which had a new COVID-19 vaccine approved with a restrictive label and HHS funding canceled for pre-pandemic bird flu vaccines.</li><li>Public comments for the Section 232 investigation are rolling out, signaling pharma tariffs could be imminent, with expectations of ~25%.</li></ul>

The holiday-shortened week was fairly quiet on the macro front, as certain vaccine-related actions by health agencies were largely expected.Mainly affected was MRNA, which had a new COVID-19 vaccine approved with a restrictive label and HHS funding canceled for pre-pandemic bird flu vaccines.Public comments for the Section 232 investigation are rolling out, signaling pharma tariffs could be imminent, with expectations of ~25%.

Biopharma Week in Review - Possible Calm Before the Storm; Pharma Tariffs Looming

Head of Research, Krungthai XSpring

Waraporn Wiboonkanarak

Head of Research

A full service Thai brokerage

Krungthai XSpring

Krungthai XSpring is a full service broker. The company provides a wide range of investment services such as Securities Brokerage, Derivative Agent Business, Securities Borrowing and Lending, Securities Trading, Underwriting, Financial Advisory, Wealth Advisory, Private Fund Management and International Markets Securities Trading. 

In terms of credibility, Fitch Ratings has assigned Krunghtai XSpring a long-term rating of AA- and a national short-term rating of F1+ with stable outlook.

<ul><li>Vaccine stocks (NVAX, BNTX, PFE, MRNA, PCVX) had a good week, as the FDA provided new regulatory policy for COVID-19 vaccines.</li><li>While more restrictive and unconventionally delivered in a NEJM op-ed, the publication reduced uncertainty for vaccine makers and gave full support for the measles vaccine by FDA heads.</li><li>Biopharma shrugged off MFN pricing targets, as implementation remained unclear. </li></ul>

Vaccine stocks (NVAX, BNTX, PFE, MRNA, PCVX) had a good week, as the FDA provided new regulatory policy for COVID-19 vaccines.While more restrictive and unconventionally delivered in a NEJM op-ed, the publication reduced uncertainty for vaccine makers and gave full support for the measles vaccine by FDA heads.Biopharma shrugged off MFN pricing targets, as implementation remained unclear. 

Biopharma Week in Review - FDA Provides Some Certainty for Vaccines; ASCO Abstracts Snippets

<ul><li>Large pharma’s bounce from the mostly ineffective Most- Favored-Nation (MFN) executive order was short-lived, as new CMS draft guidance for Medicare price negotiations threatened certain drug combos.</li><li>President Trump’s MFN executive order lacked a clear plan to lower drug prices, with any immediate moves likely facing legal challenges.</li><li>Listen to the WTR Biotech Flashcast for our MFN take.</li></ul>

Large pharma’s bounce from the mostly ineffective Most- Favored-Nation (MFN) executive order was short-lived, as new CMS draft guidance for Medicare price negotiations threatened certain drug combos.President Trump’s MFN executive order lacked a clear plan to lower drug prices, with any immediate moves likely facing legal challenges.Listen to the WTR Biotech Flashcast for our MFN take.

Biopharma Week in Review MFN Fears Overdone but Medicare Negotiation Changes Reapplied Pressure

Research from ACF Equity Research, ACF Equity Research

ACF Equity Research

Research from ACF Equity Research

Accuracy | Clarity | Foresight

ACF was set up to improve the effectiveness of capital markets for smaller and mid-sized companies. The majority of jobs are created by smaller companies not global companies. If we can help improve companies use of capital markets more projects will be completed, more jobs created, more global GDP grown, which in turn helps create more resources for education, leading to equality and opportunity for those who are still oppressed by ignorance and poverty.

ACF Equity Research is an independent research house specialising in the highest specification independent equity research for corporate clients.

We deliver premium independent corporate sponsored equity research characterised by its accuracy, clarity and foresight based upon a fundamental valuation approach.

Our independent research is designed to educate our professional investor readers about your company, with an emphasis on clear and accurate explanations. Our mission is to improve company’s liquidity through credible equity research services, excellent international distribution and reliable access for investment managers.

We believe in the importance and value of clarity, the careful articulation of technical ideas, concepts and solutions.

Our team of analysts are independently minded individuals who believe in thoroughness, technical competence and clear punchy communications.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Lung Cancer Cough (LCC) is an under-served, perhaps unserved therapeutic subsegment of the Lung Cancer/Oncology market.</li><li>57-65% of early diagnosis lung cancer patients suffer from LCC, it is a highly debilitating condition.</li><li>The US lung cancer therapeutics market consensus values range from ~USD 29.9bn in 2023 to ~USD 71.3bn in 2034, suggesting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2% over our 10 year forecast period.</li></ul>

Lung Cancer Cough (LCC) is an under-served, perhaps unserved therapeutic subsegment of the Lung Cancer/Oncology market.57-65% of early diagnosis lung cancer patients suffer from LCC, it is a highly debilitating condition.The US lung cancer therapeutics market consensus values range from ~USD 29.9bn in 2023 to ~USD 71.3bn in 2034, suggesting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2% over our 10 year forecast period.

Merus NV - ACF Thematic Oncology Lung Cancer Cough LCC 25042025

United States

Merck & Co., Inc. is a global health care company that delivers health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products, which it markets directly and through its joint ventures. The Company has operations in pharmaceutical, animal health, and consumer care.

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Merck & (MRK UN)

Biopharma Week in Review Large M&A and Licensing Deals Provide a Boost

Gene and cell therapy (NTLA, BEAM, CRSP) got a boost, as the heads of the HHS, FDA, CBER, NIH, and CDC expressed support for faster rare disease...

Water Tower Research

Biopharma Week in Review - Possible Calm Before the Storm; Pharma Tariffs Looming

The holiday-shortened week was fairly quiet on the macro front, as certain vaccine-related actions by health agencies were largely expected.

Water Tower Research

Biopharma Week in Review - FDA Provides Some Certainty for Vaccines; ASCO Abstracts Snippets

Vaccine stocks (NVAX, BNTX, PFE, MRNA, PCVX) had a good week, as the FDA provided new regulatory policy for COVID-19 vaccines.

Krungthai XSpring

Biopharma Week in Review MFN Fears Overdone but Medicare Negotiation Changes Reapplied Pressure

President Trump’s MFN executive order lacked a clear plan to lower drug prices, with any immediate moves likely facing legal challenges.

Water Tower Research

Merus NV - ACF Thematic Oncology Lung Cancer Cough LCC 25042025

Lung Cancer Cough (LCC) is an under-served, perhaps unserved therapeutic subsegment of the Lung Cancer/Oncology market. 57-65% of early diagnosis...

ACF Equity Research

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