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.

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<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

Global Healthcare Analyst

Tina Banerjee

<ul>
<li>Eisai received approval for its insomnia drug, Dayvigo in China. Daiichi Sankyo and Merck have voluntarily withdrawn BLA seeking accelerated approval in the U.S. for patritumab deruxtecan for NSCLC.</li>
<li>Samsung Biologics secured two CMO contract worth KRW441B from unnamed pharmaceutical companies in Asia and Europe. SK Bioscience has completed a major expansion of its vaccine production facility in Andong.</li>
<li>CSPC Pharmaceutical is in negotiations regarding three potential outlicensing deals. Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals received approvals for three drugs in China. Hansoh’s third BLA for Xinyue has been accepted by NMPA.</li>
</ul>


Eisai received approval for its insomnia drug, Dayvigo in China. Daiichi Sankyo and Merck have voluntarily withdrawn BLA seeking accelerated approval in the U.S. for patritumab deruxtecan for NSCLC.
Samsung Biologics secured two CMO contract worth KRW441B from unnamed pharmaceutical companies in Asia and Europe. SK Bioscience has completed a major expansion of its vaccine production facility in Andong.
CSPC Pharmaceutical is in negotiations regarding three potential outlicensing deals. Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals received approvals for three drugs in China. Hansoh’s third BLA for Xinyue has been accepted by NMPA.


APAC Healthcare Weekly (June 1)- Eisai, Daiichi, Samsung Bio, SK Bioscience, CSPC, Hengrui Pharma

Head of Research, Krungthai XSpring

Waraporn Wiboonkanarak

Head of Research

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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

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 & Co (MRK US)

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

APAC Healthcare Weekly (June 1)- Eisai, Daiichi, Samsung Bio, SK Bioscience, CSPC, Hengrui Pharma

Eisai's Dayvigo approved in China. Daiichi Sankyo withdrew BLA in US. Samsung Bio secures CMO contracts. SK Bioscience expands vaccine...

Tina Banerjee

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

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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

APAC Healthcare Weekly (June 1)- Eisai, Daiichi, Samsung Bio, SK Bioscience, CSPC, Hengrui Pharma

​Eisai's Dayvigo approved in China. Daiichi Sankyo withdrew BLA in US. Samsung Bio secures CMO contracts. SK Bioscience expands vaccine...

Tina Banerjee

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

Eisai's Dayvigo approved in China. Daiichi Sankyo withdrew BLA in US. Samsung Bio secures CMO contracts. SK Bioscience expands vaccine...