The latest Market Talks covering the Health Care sector. Published exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires at 4:20 ET, 12:20 ET and 16:50 ET.
0848 ET - Ipsen made two acquisitions this week, but this happened more by chance than planning, Chief Business Officer Philippe Lopes-Fernandes says in an interview. The French drugmaker said it would buy Kartos Therapeutics, a company developing a drug for a rare blood cancer, for up to $1.75 billion and Memo Therapeutics, which is working on a treatment for a kidney infection, in a separate deal that could exceed 700 million euros. "We've been working on that for months. That's why [the coincidence] is more serendipity than planning," Lopes-Fernandes says. Both deals complement Ipsen's existing work in oncology and rare diseases, and the company is looking for more, Lopes-Fernandes adds. Shares fall 1.1%. (adria.calatayud@wsj.com)
0823 ET - Pharmaceutical groups have room of maneuvering to make biotech acquisitions work despite a rebound in valuations of biotech companies, according to Ipsen's Chief Business Officer Philippe Lopes-Fernandes. "Things are a bit more expensive than three years ago. But, on the other side, if you address the deals in the right way, you can you can still get good value and this good value is also creating more money for funds to reinvest in early innovation," Lopes-Fernandes says. "I don't think that there's therapeutic area that is overvalued, there are still tremendous unmet needs." The Nasdaq Biotechnology index is up 19% since the start of 2026, and up 55% compared with a year ago. (adria.calatayud@wsj.com)
0807 ET - Big pharmaceutical companies' flurry of drug-licensing deals in China means the country's assets are no longer cheap, Ipsen's Chief Business Officer Philippe Lopes-Fernandes says. China attracted big pharma in the first place because of the amount of innovative research being produced there, the speed at which it was being developed, and low costs, Lopes-Fernandes says in an interview. "In the past it was cheaper to do deals in China. That's not the case anymore," he says. "Because of the competition with large pharma, it's even becoming more expensive than in some other geographies." Ipsen shares fall 1.6%. (adria.calatayud@wsj.com)
0518 ET - Share prices of Malaysian glove makers are expected to remain relatively supported through the August earnings season, driven by windfall earnings in April and May, CIMB Securities analyst Chun Sung Oong says in a note. However, the outlook for 2H is expected to become more challenging as average selling prices decline alongside easing raw-material costs and persistent industry overcapacity, he says. The glove sector could remain oversupplied through at least 2027, as supply growth from new Southeast Asian capacity is expected to outpace global demand, he adds. Margin pressure may intensify as fixed costs remain elevated, Oong says. CIMB maintains its neutral rating on Malaysia's glove-manufacturing sector, pegging Kossan Rubber Industries as its preferred pick. (yingxian.wong@wsj.com)
0123 ET - Roche Holding's estimate of the peak sales potential for a new experimental lung-cancer drug seems conservative, Citi analysts say in a research note. The Swiss drugmaker on Thursday said the drug, divarasib, met primary and key secondary goals in a late-stage trial of patients with a type of lung cancer who had been previously treated. The positive trial results represent an important first step toward approval of a medicine that has potential to be another blockbuster, according to Citi. Roche has guided for divarasib annual peak sales of 1 billion to 2 billion Swiss francs. Citi estimates the first trial alone could unlock peak sales of 1.4 billion francs, with two additional studies offering room for potential upgrades. (adria.calatayud@wsj.com)
2208 ET - Malaysia's corporate earnings growth is expected to slow in 2H as rising costs and weaker sales weigh on profitability, Public Investment Bank analyst Eltricia Foong and team say in a note. While lasting peace in the Middle east remains uncertain, even if the conflict ends, oil and gas producers could take at least six months to fully restore supplies, they say. They adopt a more conservative stance on bank earnings, citing concerns that escalating cost pressures could weaken consumer and business confidence and lead to a deterioration in asset quality. Public IB cuts its end-2026 target for Malaysia's benchmark Kuala Lumpur Composite Index to 1680 from 1730 to factor in lower earnings growth estimates. CIMB, Tenaga Nasional, IHH Healthcare and Gamuda are among its top picks. (yingxian.wong@wsj.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 03, 2026 12:20 ET (16:20 GMT)
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