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Phase 3 DeLLphi-305 Study Delivered Highly Significant and Clinically Meaningful Overall Survival Benefit Versus Durvalumab Alone

Study Also Met Secondary Progression-Free Survival and Objective Response Rate Endpoints 

, /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) today announced landmark results from the Phase 3 DeLLphi-305 study, which met its primary endpoint at a pre-specified interim analysis, demonstrating a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival with IMDELLTRA® (tarlatamab-dlle) in combination with AstraZeneca's Imfinzi® (durvalumab) compared to durvalumab alone. This study tested IMDELLTRA as a first-line maintenance treatment for people with extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) whose disease had not progressed following initial treatment with durvalumab, platinum-based chemotherapy and etoposide. The study also demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR) among patients treated with IMDELLTRA in combination with durvalumab.

Overall, the safety profile of IMDELLTRA in combination with durvalumab was consistent with the known safety profiles of the individual medicines. No new or unexpected safety signals were identified in DeLLphi-305. The study design included monitoring in a healthcare setting for 1 to 2 hours (6 to 8 hours in certain regions including Europe) following IMDELLTRA infusion on Cycle 1 Day 1 and Cycle 1 Day 8.

"IMDELLTRA has already revolutionized the standard of survival for patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer whose disease progressed on or after prior treatment. These landmark results from DeLLphi-305 suggest IMDELLTRA will further revolutionize the standard for survival earlier in the treatment journey and meaningfully shift the treatment paradigm for people facing this devastating disease," said Jay Bradner, M.D., executive vice president, Research and Development, Artificial Intelligence and Data at Amgen. "Despite clinical advances, extensive stage small cell lung cancer remains one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat cancers, and substantial improvements in survival are rare, underscoring the importance of these findings."

This marks the first Phase 3 study including a Bispecific T-cell Engager (BiTE®) therapy to demonstrate an overall survival benefit in the first-line maintenance setting for ES-SCLC.

"Given the aggressive nature of small cell lung cancer, many patients quickly relapse on current therapy and never reach second-line treatment. These patients do not have time to wait, making substantial progress in the first-line setting critically important," said Jacob Sands, MD, Associate Chief of the Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "In my career treating people with extensive stage small cell lung cancer, these are among the most compelling survival results I have seen, indicating the potential to reshape the natural history of small cell lung cancer. DeLLphi-305 represents an unprecedented milestone and suggests we may be entering a new era where meaningfully longer survival is possible for more patients."

Following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of IMDELLTRA for adults with ES-SCLC whose disease has progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy, the robust global DeLLphi clinical trial program has continued to evaluate its potential across earlier stages of disease and lines of treatment, both as a monotherapy and in combination regimens. Building on the DeLLphi-303 trial, which showed very encouraging efficacy and tolerability results for IMDELLTRA in combination with anti-PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of first-line ES-SCLC, DeLLphi-305 was designed to evaluate IMDELLTRA earlier in the course of disease, where more patients with SCLC may have the opportunity to benefit.

SCLC is one of the most aggressive forms of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 13-15% of the more than 2.6 million lung cancer cases diagnosed worldwide each year.1-3 Despite advances in the treatment of ES-SCLC, outcomes remain poor, with a median survival of approximately one year from the start of first-line maintenance treatment and only about 40% of patients receiving second-line therapy.4-7

Amgen plans to present detailed data from DeLLphi-305 at an upcoming international medical congress and share it with regulatory authorities.

About the Phase 3 DeLLphi-305 Study
The DeLLphi-305 trial is sponsored by Amgen, with partial funding and durvalumab provided by AstraZeneca. It is a global Phase 3, randomized, open-label clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of IMDELLTRA in combination with durvalumab compared to durvalumab alone as first-line maintenance treatment for patients with ES-SCLC who had not progressed following treatment with durvalumab, platinum-based chemotherapy and etoposide. Five hundred and sixty-three patients who completed initial treatment with durvalumab, platinum-based chemotherapy and etoposide were randomized 1:1 to receive either IMDELLTRA in combination with durvalumab or durvalumab alone until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Following IMDELLTRA infusion on Cycle 1 Day 1 and Cycle 1 Day 8, patients were monitored in a healthcare setting for 1 to 2 hours (6 to 8 hours in certain regions including Europe). The trial included patients with both treated and untreated asymptomatic brain metastases at baseline. The primary outcome measure of the trial is OS. Secondary endpoints include progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR).8

About Tarlatamab Clinical Trials 
Tarlatamab is being investigated in multiple studies including DeLLphi-303, a Phase 1b study investigating tarlatamab in combination with standard-of-care (SOC) therapies in first-line ES-SCLC; DeLLphi-304, a randomized Phase 3 study comparing tarlatamab monotherapy with SOC chemotherapy in second-line treatment of SCLC; DeLLphi-305, a randomized Phase 3 study comparing tarlatamab in combination with durvalumab vs. durvalumab alone as first-line maintenance treatment in ES-SCLC; DeLLphi-306, a randomized placebo-controlled Phase 3 study of tarlatamab following concurrent chemoradiotherapy in limited-stage SCLC; DeLLphi-308, a Phase 1b study evaluating subcutaneous tarlatamab in second-line or later ES-SCLC; DeLLphi-309, a Phase 2 study evaluating alternative intravenous dosing regimens with tarlatamab in second-line ES-SCLC; DeLLphi-310, a Phase 1b study of tarlatamab in combination with YL201 with or without durvalumab in patients with ES-SCLC; DeLLphi-311, a Phase 1b study of tarlatamab in combination with etakafusp alfa (AB248), a novel CD8+ T-cell selective interleukin-2 (IL-2), in patients with ES-SCLC; DeLLphi-312, a randomized Phase 3 study evaluating tarlatamab in combination with durvalumab, carboplatin and etoposide as an induction and maintenance therapy in first-line treatment of ES-SCLC; DeLLphi-313, a Phase 1b study of tarlatamab in combination with zocilurtatug pelitecan, a DLL3 targeting antibody drug conjugate, with and without durvalumab in patients with ES-SCLC, and DeLLphi-315, a Phase 3 study of subcutaneous tarlatamab in patients with second-line ES-SCLC.9

For more information, please visit www.tarlatamabclinicaltrials.com. 

About IMDELLTRA® (tarlatamab-dlle) 
IMDELLTRA is a first-in-class targeted immunotherapy engineered by Amgen researchers to bind to both DLL3 on tumor cells and CD3 on T cells, thereby activating T cells to kill DLL3-expressing SCLC cells. This results in the formation of a cytolytic synapse with lysis of the cancer cell.10,11 DLL3 is a protein that is expressed on the surface of SCLC cells in ~85-96% of patients with SCLC, but is minimally expressed on healthy cells, making it an exciting target.12,13

U.S. INDICATION
IMDELLTRA® (tarlatamab-dlle) is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. 

IMDELLTRA IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: CYTOKINE RELEASE SYNDROME and NEUROLOGIC TOXICITY including IMMUNE EFFECTOR CELL-ASSOCIATED NEUROTOXICITY SYNDROME 

Cytokine release syndrome (CRS), including life-threatening or fatal reactions, can occur in patients receiving IMDELLTRA®. Initiate treatment with IMDELLTRA® using the step-up dosing schedule to reduce the incidence and severity of CRS. Withhold IMDELLTRA® until CRS resolves or permanently discontinue based on severity.  Neurologic toxicity and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), including life-threatening or fatal reactions, can occur in patients receiving IMDELLTRA®. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of neurologic toxicity, including ICANS, during treatment and treat promptly. Withhold IMDELLTRA® until ICANS resolves or permanently discontinue based on severity.  WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS 

Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS): IMDELLTRA® can cause CRS including life-threatening or fatal reactions. In the pooled safety population, CRS occurred in 57% (268/473) of patients who received IMDELLTRA®, including 39% Grade 1, 15% Grade 2, 1.7% Grade 3 and 0.2% Grade 4. Recurrent CRS occurred in 24% of IMDELLTRA®-treated patients including 20% Grade 1 and 3.4% Grade 2; one patient experienced recurrent Grade 3. Among the 268 patients who experienced CRS, 73% had CRS after the first dose, 60% had CRS after the second dose, and 15% had CRS following the third or later dose. Following the Cycle 1 Day 1, Day 8, Day 15 infusions, 24%, 8%, and 1% of patients experienced Grade ≥ 2 CRS, respectively. From Cycle 2 onwards, 1.5% of patients experienced Grade ≥ 2 CRS. Of the patients who experienced CRS, 31% received steroids and 10% required tocilizumab. The median time to onset of all grade CRS from most recent dose of IMDELLTRA® was 16 hours (range: start of infusion to 15 days). The median time to onset of Grade ≥ 2 CRS from most recent dose of IMDELLTRA® was 15 hours (range: start of infusion to 15 days).

Clinical signs and symptoms of CRS included pyrexia, hypotension, fatigue, tachycardia, headache, hypoxia, nausea, and vomiting. Potentially life-threatening complications of CRS may include cardiac dysfunction, acute respiratory distress syndrome, neurologic toxicity, renal and/or hepatic failure, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).

Administer IMDELLTRA® following the recommended step-up dosing and administer concomitant medications before and after Cycle 1 Day 1 and Cycle 1 Day 8 IMDELLTRA® infusions as described in Table 3 of the Prescribing Information (PI) to reduce the risk of CRS. Administer IMDELLTRA® in an appropriate healthcare facility equipped to monitor and manage CRS. Ensure patients are well hydrated prior to administration of IMDELLTRA®.

Closely monitor patients for signs and symptoms of CRS during treatment with IMDELLTRA®. At the first sign of CRS, immediately discontinue IMDELLTRA® infusion, evaluate the patient for hospitalization and institute supportive care based on severity. Withhold or permanently discontinue IMDELLTRA® based on severity. Counsel patients and caregivers to seek medical attention should signs or symptoms of CRS occur.

Neurologic Toxicity, Including ICANS: IMDELLTRA® can cause life-threatening or fatal neurologic toxicity, including ICANS. In the pooled safety population, neurologic toxicity occurred in 65% of patients who received IMDELLTRA®, with Grade 3 or higher events in 7% of patients including fatal events in 0.2%. The most frequent neurologic toxicities were dysgeusia (34%), headache (17%), peripheral neuropathy (9%), dizziness (9%), and insomnia (8%). The incidence of signs and symptoms consistent with ICANS was 10% in IMDELLTRA®-treated patients including events with the preferred terms: ICANS (4.7%), muscular weakness (3.2%), cognitive disorder (0.6%), aphasia (0.6%), depressed level of consciousness (0.4%), seizures (0.4%), encephalopathy (0.4%), and leukoencephalopathy (0.2%). There was one fatal reaction of ICANS. Recurrent ICANS occurred in 1.5% of patients. Of the patients who experienced ICANS, most experienced the event following Cycle 1 Day 1 (2.5%) and Cycle 1 Day 8 (3.6%). Following Day 1, Day 8, and Day 15 infusions, 1.3%, 1.3% and 0.4% of patients experienced Grade ≥ 2 ICANS, respectively. ICANS can occur several weeks following administration of IMDELLTRA®. The median time to onset of ICANS from the first dose of IMDELLTRA® was 16 days (range: 1 to 862 days). The median time to resolution of ICANS was 4 days (range: 1 to 40 days). The onset of ICANS can be concurrent with CRS, following resolution of CRS, or in the absence of CRS. Clinical signs and symptoms of ICANS may include but are not limited to confusional state, depressed level of consciousness, disorientation, somnolence, lethargy, and bradyphrenia.

Patients receiving IMDELLTRA® are at risk of neurologic adverse reactions and ICANS resulting in depressed level of consciousness. Advise patients to refrain from driving and engaging in hazardous occupations or activities, such as operating heavy or potentially dangerous machinery, until neurologic symptoms resolve.

Closely monitor patients for signs and symptoms of neurologic toxicity and ICANS during treatment with IMDELLTRA®. At the first sign of ICANS, immediately discontinue the infusion, evaluate the patient and provide supportive therapy based on severity. Withhold IMDELLTRA® or permanently discontinue based on severity.

Cytopenias: IMDELLTRA® can cause cytopenias including neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia. In the pooled safety population, based on laboratory data, decreased neutrophils occurred in 16% of patients, including 9% Grade 3 or 4. The median time to onset for Grade 3 or 4 decreased neutrophil count was 41 days (range: 2 to 306 days). Decreased platelets occurred in 30% including 2.2% Grade 3 or 4. The median time to onset for Grade 3 or 4 decreased platelets was 67 days (range: 3 to 420 days). Decreased hemoglobin occurred in 56% of patients, including 4.7% Grade 3 or 4. Febrile neutropenia was reported as an adverse event in 1.5% of patients treated with IMDELLTRA®.

Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of cytopenias. Perform complete blood counts prior to treatment with all doses of IMDELLTRA®, up through Cycle 5 Day 15 and then prior to administration on Day 1 of each cycle starting with Cycle 6. Based on the severity of cytopenias, temporarily withhold, or permanently discontinue IMDELLTRA®.

Infections: IMDELLTRA® can cause serious infections, including life-threatening and fatal infections. In the pooled safety population, infections, including opportunistic infections, occurred in 43% of patients who received IMDELLTRA®, including 14% Grade 3 or 4. The most frequent infections were pneumonia (11%), urinary tract infection (9%), COVID-19 (6%), upper respiratory tract infection (4.7%), respiratory tract infection (4%), candida infection (2.1%), oral candidiasis (2.1%), and nasopharyngitis (2.1%).

Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of infection prior to and during treatment with IMDELLTRA® and treat as clinically indicated. Withhold or permanently discontinue IMDELLTRA® based on severity.

Hepatotoxicity: IMDELLTRA® can cause hepatotoxicity. In the pooled safety population, based on laboratory data, elevated ALT occurred in 39% of patients who received IMDELLTRA®, including 2.5% with Grade 3 or 4 ALT. Elevated AST occurred in 43% of patients, including 3.2% Grade 3 or 4. Elevated bilirubin also occurred in 16% of patients, including 1.3% Grade 3 or 4. Liver enzyme elevation can occur with or without concurrent CRS. Monitor liver enzymes and bilirubin prior to treatment with IMDELLTRA®, and as clinically indicated. Withhold IMDELLTRA® or permanently discontinue based on severity.

Hypersensitivity: IMDELLTRA® can cause severe hypersensitivity reactions. Clinical signs and symptoms of hypersensitivity may include, but are not limited to, rash and bronchospasm. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of hypersensitivity during treatment with IMDELLTRA® and manage as clinically indicated. Withhold or consider permanent discontinuation of IMDELLTRA® based on severity.  Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: Based on its mechanism of action, IMDELLTRA® may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with IMDELLTRA® and for 2 months after the last dose.  ADVERSE REACTIONS  

The pooled safety population reflects exposure to intravenous IMDELLTRA®, as a single agent, at the recommended dosage of IMDELLTRA® 1 mg on Cycle 1 Day 1 followed by 10 mg on Days 8 and 15, and then every 2 weeks until disease progression or intolerable toxicity in 473 patients with small cell lung cancer enrolled in three clinical trials: DeLLphi-300, DeLLphi-301 and DeLLphi-304. Among 473 patients who received IMDELLTRA®, 40% were exposed for 6 months or longer and 19% were exposed for greater than one year.  The most common (≥ 20%) adverse reactions were CRS (57%), fatigue (48%), decreased appetite (38%), dysgeusia (34%), pyrexia (33%), constipation (31%), musculoskeletal pain (31%) and nausea (25%).  The most common (≥ 5%) Grade 3 or 4 laboratory abnormalities were decreased lymphocytes (43%), decreased sodium (12%), decreased total neutrophils (9%) and increased uric acid (6%).  DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION: Important Dosing Information  

Administer IMDELLTRA® as an intravenous infusion over 1 hour. Administer IMDELLTRA® according to the step-up dose and schedule in the IMDELLTRA® PI (Table 1) to reduce the incidence and severity of CRS. Evaluate complete blood count, liver enzymes and bilirubin prior to administration of all doses of IMDELLTRA® up through Cycle 5 Day 15 and then prior to administration of IMDELLTRA® on Day 1 of each cycle starting with Cycle 6. More frequent evaluation may be necessary if clinically indicated. For Cycle 1, administer recommended concomitant medications before and after Cycle 1 Day 1 and Cycle 1 Day 8 IMDELLTRA® infusions to reduce the risk of CRS reactions as described in the PI (Table 3). IMDELLTRA® should only be administered by a qualified healthcare professional with appropriate medical support to manage severe reactions such as CRS and neurologic toxicity including ICANS. Due to the risk of CRS and neurologic toxicity, including ICANS, monitor patients from the start of the IMDELLTRA® infusion for 22 to 24 hours following Cycle 1 Day 1 and Cycle 1 Day 8 in an appropriate healthcare setting. Recommend that patients remain within 1 hour of an appropriate healthcare setting for a total of 48 hours from the start of the infusion with IMDELLTRA® following Cycle 1 Day 1 and Cycle 1 Day 8 doses, accompanied by a caregiver. Inform both the patient and the caregiver on the signs and symptoms of CRS and ICANS prior to discharge. Ensure patients are well hydrated prior to administration of IMDELLTRA®. Please see IMDELLTRA® full Prescribing Information, including BOXED WARNINGS.

About Amgen 
Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative medicines to fight some of the world's toughest diseases. Harnessing the best of biology and technology, Amgen reaches millions of patients with its medicines.

More than 45 years ago, Amgen helped establish the biotechnology industry at its U.S. headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California, and it remains at the cutting edge of innovation, using technology and human genetic data to push beyond what is known today. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline and portfolio of medicines to treat cancer, inflammatory conditions, rare diseases, heart disease and obesity and obesity-related conditions.

Amgen has been consistently recognized for innovation and workplace culture, including honors from Fast Company and Forbes. Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average®, and it is also part of the Nasdaq-100 Index®, which includes the largest and most innovative non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization.

For more information, visit Amgen.com and follow Amgen on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and Threads.

Amgen Forward-Looking Statements
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No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those we project. Discovery or identification of new product candidates or development of new indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a new indication for an existing product will be successful and become a commercial product. Further, preclinical results do not guarantee safe and effective performance of product candidates in humans. The complexity of the human body cannot be perfectly, or sometimes, even adequately modeled by computer or cell culture systems or animal models. The length of time that it takes for us to complete clinical trials and obtain regulatory approval for product marketing has in the past varied and we expect similar variability in the future. Even when clinical trials are successful, regulatory authorities may question the sufficiency for approval of the trial endpoints we have selected. We develop product candidates internally and through licensing collaborations, partnerships and joint ventures. Product candidates that are derived from relationships may be subject to disputes between the parties or may prove to be not as effective or as safe as we may have believed at the time of entering into such relationship. Also, we or others could identify safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with our products, including our devices, after they are on the market.

Our results may be affected by our ability to successfully market both new and existing products domestically and internationally, clinical and regulatory developments involving current and future products, sales growth of recently launched products, competition from other products including biosimilars, difficulties or delays in manufacturing our products and global economic conditions, including those resulting from geopolitical relations and government actions. In addition, sales of our products are affected by pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny and reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers, including governments, private insurance plans and managed care providers and may be affected by regulatory, clinical and guideline developments and domestic and international trends toward managed care and healthcare cost containment. Furthermore, our research, testing, pricing, marketing and other operations are subject to extensive regulation by domestic and foreign government regulatory authorities. Our business may be impacted by government investigations, litigation and product liability claims. In addition, our business may be impacted by the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities. Further, while we routinely obtain patents for our products and technology, the protection offered by our patents and patent applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by our competitors, or we may fail to prevail in present and future intellectual property litigation. We perform a substantial amount of our commercial manufacturing activities at a few key facilities, including in Puerto Rico, and also depend on third parties for a portion of our manufacturing activities, and limits on supply may constrain sales of certain of our current products and product candidate development. An outbreak of disease or similar public health threat, and the public and governmental effort to mitigate against the spread of such disease, could have a significant adverse effect on the supply of materials for our manufacturing activities, the distribution of our products, the commercialization of our product candidates, and our clinical trial operations, and any such events may have a material adverse effect on our product development, product sales, business and results of operations. We rely on collaborations with third parties for the development of some of our product candidates and for the commercialization and sales of some of our commercial products. In addition, we compete with other companies with respect to many of our marketed products as well as for the discovery and development of new products. Further, some raw materials, medical devices and component parts for our products are supplied by sole third-party suppliers. Certain of our distributors, customers and payers have substantial purchasing leverage in their dealings with us. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of our products that implicate an entire class of products could have a material adverse effect on sales of the affected products and on our business and results of operations. Our efforts to collaborate with or acquire other companies, products or technology, and to integrate the operations of companies or to support the products or technology we have acquired, may not be successful, and may result in unanticipated costs, delays or failures to realize the benefits of the transactions. A breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach of our information technology systems could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our systems and our data. Our stock price is volatile and may be affected by a number of events. Our business and operations may be negatively affected by the failure, or perceived failure, of achieving our sustainability objectives. The effects of global climate change and related natural disasters could negatively affect our business and operations. Global economic conditions may magnify certain risks that affect our business. Our business performance could affect or limit the ability of our Board of Directors to declare a dividend or our ability to pay a dividend or repurchase our common stock. We may not be able to access the capital and credit markets on terms that are favorable to us, or at all.

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CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks
Brianna Wilkins, 513-284-9807 (media)
Casey Capparelli, 805-447-1746 (investors)

REFERENCES

International Agency for Research on Cancer. Trachea, bronchus and lung fact sheet. Global Cancer Observatory: Cancer Today. Published 2024. Accessed September 2, 2026. https://gco.iarc.who.int/today/en/fact-sheets-cancers/15/trachea-bronchus-and-lung. Oronsky B, Abrouk N, Caroen S, et al. A 2022 update on extensive stage small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). J Cancer. 2022;13(9):2945-2953. doi:10.7150/jca.75622. Sabari JK, Lok BH, Laird JH, Poirier JT, Rudin CM. Unravelling the biology of SCLC: implications for therapy. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2017;14(9):549-561. doi:10.1038/nrclinonc.2017.71. Cramer-van der Welle CM, Schramel FMNH, van Leeuwen AS, Groen HJM, van de Garde EMW; Santeon SCLC Study Group. Real-world treatment patterns and outcomes of patients with extensive disease small cell lung cancer. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2020;29(5):e13250. doi:10.1111/ecc.13250. Shaw J, Pundole X, Balasubramanian A, et al. Recent treatment patterns and real-world survival following first-line anti-PD-L1 treatment for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. Oncologist. 2024;29(12):1079-1089. doi:10.1093/oncolo/oyae234. Paz-Ares L, Borghaei H, Liu SV, et al. Efficacy and safety of first-line maintenance therapy with lurbinectedin plus atezolizumab in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (IMforte): a randomised, multicentre, open-label, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2025;405(10495):2129-2143. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01011-6. Reck M, Mok TSK, Mansfield A, et al. Brief report: exploratory analysis of maintenance therapy in patients with extensive-stage SCLC treated first line with atezolizumab plus carboplatin and etoposide. J Thorac Oncol. 2022;17(9):1122-1129. doi:10.1016/j.jtho.2022.05.016. ClinicalTrials.gov. DeLLphi-305 clinical trial listing. Accessed July 16, 2026. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06211036.  ClinicalTrials.gov. Tarlatamab clinical trial listings. US National Library of Medicine. Accessed July 2026. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Giffin MJ, Cooke K, Lobenhofer EK, et al. AMG 757, a half-life extended, DLL3-targeted bispecific T-cell engager, shows high potency and sensitivity in preclinical models of small-cell lung cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2021;27(5):1526-1537. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-20-2845. Baeuerle PA, Kufer P, Bargou R. BiTE: Teaching antibodies to engage T-cells for cancer therapy. Curr Opin Mol Ther. 2009;11(1):22-30. Ahn MJ, Cho BC, Felip E, et al. Tarlatamab for patients with previously treated small-cell lung cancer. N Engl J Med. 2023;389(22):2063-2075. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2307980/ Rojo F, Corassa M, Mavroudis D, et al. International real-world study of DLL3 expression in patients with small cell lung cancer. Lung Cancer. 2020;147:237-243. doi:10.1016/j.lungcan.2020.07.026. SOURCE Amgen

8.9.2026 22:09

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Index S&P 500 -0,58 % na 7673,51 b. Nejsilnější sektory S&P Změna Nejslabší sektory S&P Změna Energie +1 % Zdravotní péče -2,6 % Utility +0,9 % Finanční sektor -1,4 % Reality +0 % Základní materiály -0,9 % Nejsilnější akcie S&P Změna Nejslabší akcie S&P Změna Lumentum Holdings (LITE) +11 % Howmet Aerospace (HWM) -11 % Intel Corp (INTC) +9,1 % Amgen (AMGN) -10 % Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) +7,8 % Stryker Corp (SYK) -8,8 % Corning (GLW) +7,6 % GoDaddy (GDDY) -8,3 % Coherent Corp (COHR) +7,1 % Expedia Group (EXPE) -7,9 %
Daniel Marván, Fio banka, a.s.

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Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

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Stock to Watch: Amgen (AMGN - Free Report) Thousand Oaks, CA-based Amgen is one of the biggest biotech companies in the world, with a strong presence in the oncology, general medicine, inflammation and rare diseases markets. The company used advances in cellular and molecular biology to develop two of the biotech industry’s earliest and most successful drugs, Epogen (anemia) and Neupogen (white blood cell stimulant). Amgen successfully launched two next-generation products, Aranesp and Neulasta.  Meanwhile, the acquisition of Immunex Corporation gave Amgen access to the multi-blockbuster drug Enbrel. However, all these older drugs are facing declining sales due to biosimilar or branded competition. Amgen’s key products are Prolia, Xgeva, Repatha, Blincyto, Vectibix, Nplate, Kyprolis, Evenity, Otezla, Aimovig, Lumakras/Lumykras, Tezspire, Imdelltra, Tavneos, Kanjinti, Mvasi and Amgevita biosimilars. However, key drugs, Prolia and Xgeva, lost patent exclusivity in 2025. Multiple biosimilars have been launched globally.

AMGN is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. AMGN has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 5.2% for the current fiscal year.

13 analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.61 to $22.97 per share. AMGN also boasts an average earnings surprise of +11.3%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, AMGN should be on investors' short list.

Key Takeaways Novartis' phase III pelacarsen study fails to reduce major cardiovascular events versus placebo.Pelacarsen lowered Lp(a) levels, but the study missed its primary endpoint in 8,323 patients.Novartis faces generic pressure as it works to grow newer brands and strengthen its drug portfolio. Novartis (NVS - Free Report) announced that the late-stage study on investigational candidate, pelacarsen, failed.

Pelacarsen is an investigational antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) designed to potently inhibit lipoprotein (a), Lp(a), production at its source.

Novartis secured global rights from Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS - Free Report) to develop, manufacture and commercialize pelacarsen under a licensing and collaboration agreement.

Shares of Novartis lost 4.7% in after-hours trading following the results while IONS was down 10%.

Year to date, Novartis shares have gained 16.1% compared with the industry’s growth of 14.5%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

More on NVS’ Late-Stage CVD StudyLp(a)HORIZON is a phase III, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group, multi-center global cardiovascular outcomes trial evaluating whether pelacarsen can reduce the incidence of four-point major adverse cardiovascular events in 8,323 patients with elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels and established cardiovascular disease.

However, the study did not meet the primary endpoint of reducing the risk of cardiovascular events, a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, and urgent coronary revascularization requiring hospitalization, as compared to placebo.

Elevated Lp(a) is an inherited cardiovascular risk factor that affects approximately one in five people worldwide, with no approved targeted therapies currently available.

Nonetheless, lower lipoprotein (a), Lp(a), levels were achieved with pelacarsen in this study population, which was receiving guideline-directed treatments, including lipid lowering and antihypertensive therapies.

The failure of this late-stage study is a setback for NVS as the company is looking to develop new drugs in wake of generic competition for some of its blockbuster drugs.

Moreover, the targeted market has huge potential and the successful development of pelacarsen would have been a significant boost for the company.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals discovered pelacarsen and led its early development. In February 2019, Novartis exercised its option to license the rights to develop and commercialize pelacarsen as a targeted cardiovascular therapy.

Meanwhile, sales of biotech giant Amgen (AMGN - Free Report) too declined 5% in after-hours trading on Sept. 4 following NVS’ announcement.

Investors were probably wary as AMGN is developing olpasiran, best-in-class small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) molecule that reduces lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) synthesis in the liver, in late-stage studies.

The failure of NVS’ study on pelacarsen clouds the prospects of AMGN’s olpasiran as well.

Novartis Looks to Strengthen PortfolioNVS’ cardiovascular portfolio comprises blockbuster drug Entresto.

However, generic competition, including the loss of U.S. exclusivity, has adversely impacted Entresto sales of late.

Despite a massive decline in Entresto sales, Novartis delivered a strong second-quarter performance, demonstrating that its portfolio of newer growth products is increasingly capable of offsetting the impact of generic competition for Entresto.
Oncology drug Promacta is also facing generic competition.

Strong demand for key growth brands, including Kisqali, Kesimpta, Scemblix, Pluvicto and Leqvio, is boosting the top line.

With 2026 marking the largest patent cliff in the company's history, execution remains the key investment theme.

Last week, NVS announced positive top-line results from the late-stage REMODEL-1/-2 studies on remibrutinib in relapsing multiple sclerosis.

Remibrutinib is a highly selective oral Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor that blocks the BTK pathway, reducing the activation of B cells and innate immune cells to modulate immune regulatory networks and associated neuroinflammation.

The studies met their primary endpoint, significantly reducing annualized relapse rate versus Aubagio in the targeted patient population.

Remibrutinib 25 mg is already approved as Rhapsido by the FDA in September 2025 and the EMA in April 2026 for the treatment of adults with CSU.

NVS’ Zacks Rank

Alley Investment Management Company LLC lessened its stake in Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN – Free Report) by 5.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 24,058 shares of the medical research company’s stock after selling 1,253 shares during the quarter. Alley Investment Management Company LLC’s holdings in Amgen were worth $8,712,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of AMGN. Anfield Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Amgen by 1,000.0% during the 4th quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 77 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 70 shares during the period. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in Amgen by 275.0% during the 4th quarter. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC now owns 75 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares during the period. Tower View Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Amgen by 331.6% during the 1st quarter. Tower View Wealth Management LLC now owns 82 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares during the last quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Amgen by 49.2% during the 4th quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 97 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Evergreen Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Amgen in the 1st quarter valued at $37,000. 76.50% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Amgen In related news, SVP Nancy Grygiel sold 2,970 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $402.16, for a total transaction of $1,194,415.20. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 7,340 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,951,854.40. This represents a 28.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Rachna Khosla sold 1,252 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $416.43, for a total transaction of $521,370.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 6,404 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,666,817.72. This represents a 16.35% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 6,222 shares of company stock worth $2,540,926. 0.85% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Truist Financial raised their target price on Amgen from $340.00 to $362.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on Amgen from $370.00 to $400.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their price target on shares of Amgen from $350.00 to $400.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 18th. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on shares of Amgen from $427.00 to $457.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of Amgen from $420.00 to $440.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $380.43. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Amgen

Amgen Stock Performance Shares of AMGN opened at $444.12 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $240.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.60, a PEG ratio of 3.19 and a beta of 0.43. Amgen Inc. has a twelve month low of $269.77 and a twelve month high of $447.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.44, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 1.37. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $395.82 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $366.66.

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The medical research company reported $6.29 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.62 by $0.67. Amgen had a net margin of 22.95% and a return on equity of 124.14%. The firm had revenue of $10.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.43 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $6.02 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Amgen has set its FY 2026 guidance at 22.300-23.500 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Amgen Inc. will post 22.97 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Amgen Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 11th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 21st will be issued a $2.52 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 21st. This represents a $10.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. Amgen’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.65%.

Amgen Company Profile (Free Report)

Amgen Inc (NASDAQ: AMGN) is a global biotechnology company founded in 1980 and headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. The company focuses on discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering human therapeutics that address serious illnesses. Amgen’s work centers on biologic medicines derived from cellular and molecular biology, with an emphasis on translating advances in human genetics and protein science into therapies for patients.

Amgen’s commercial portfolio has historically included biologics used in oncology, supportive care, nephrology, bone health and cardiovascular disease.

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Athena Investment Management decreased its holdings in Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN – Free Report) by 42.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,236 shares of the medical research company’s stock after selling 1,647 shares during the quarter. Athena Investment Management’s holdings in Amgen were worth $810,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. boosted its holdings in Amgen by 7.9% in the fourth quarter. Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. now owns 22,008 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $7,204,000 after acquiring an additional 1,609 shares during the last quarter. Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking S.P.A. purchased a new stake in Amgen during the fourth quarter valued at about $22,441,000. National Pension Service increased its stake in Amgen by 4.7% during the fourth quarter. National Pension Service now owns 1,239,549 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $405,717,000 after acquiring an additional 55,489 shares during the last quarter. Integrated Advisors Network LLC increased its stake in Amgen by 50.5% during the first quarter. Integrated Advisors Network LLC now owns 18,941 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $6,664,000 after acquiring an additional 6,356 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc raised its holdings in shares of Amgen by 2.5% in the 4th quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 3,811,451 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $1,247,526,000 after purchasing an additional 94,494 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.50% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Amgen In related news, SVP Rachna Khosla sold 1,252 shares of Amgen stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $416.43, for a total transaction of $521,370.36. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 6,404 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,666,817.72. The trade was a 16.35% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, SVP Nancy A. Grygiel sold 2,970 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $402.16, for a total transaction of $1,194,415.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 7,340 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,951,854.40. The trade was a 28.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 6,222 shares of company stock worth $2,540,926 in the last ninety days. 0.85% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Amgen News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Amgen this week: Positive Sentiment: New evidence that Amgen’s cholesterol drug Repatha reduced the risk of death among patients at high risk of heart attack or stroke strengthens the drug’s clinical profile and could support broader use, sales growth and reimbursement. Amgen’s Repatha reduces risk of death in people at high risk of heart attack or stroke Positive Sentiment: Commentary highlighted Repatha’s potentially significant cardiovascular opportunity, adding to investor enthusiasm about a product that could become an important long-term growth driver beyond Amgen’s current results. Jim Cramer on Amgen’s cardiovascular opportunity Positive Sentiment: Analyst H. Engel of Erste Group raised the firm’s 2027 EPS estimate to $24.43 from $23.50, signaling improved expectations for Amgen’s earnings trajectory, although the firm maintained a Hold rating. Neutral Sentiment: Amgen will present at the Wells Fargo Healthcare Conference, giving investors a potential update on its pipeline, commercial outlook and strategy. The announcement itself contains no new financial guidance. Amgen to present at the 2026 Wells Fargo Healthcare Conference Negative Sentiment: U.K. regulators suspended Tavneos for new patients and halted its sale after determining that the main supporting study contained unreliable data. The action threatens sales of the rare-disease treatment and raises the risk of additional regulatory scrutiny or restrictions in other markets. UK regulator suspends Amgen’s Tavneos for new patients Amgen Stock Performance Amgen stock opened at $442.84 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $239.41 billion, a PE ratio of 27.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.16 and a beta of 0.43. Amgen Inc. has a one year low of $269.77 and a one year high of $447.03. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $393.99 and its 200 day moving average price is $366.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.44, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 1.37.

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The medical research company reported $6.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.62 by $0.67. The company had revenue of $10.05 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.43 billion. Amgen had a net margin of 22.95% and a return on equity of 124.14%. Amgen’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $6.02 earnings per share. Amgen has set its FY 2026 guidance at 22.300-23.500 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Amgen Inc. will post 22.97 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Amgen Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 11th. Investors of record on Friday, August 21st will be issued a dividend of $2.52 per share. This represents a $10.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 21st. Amgen’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.65%.

Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms have recently weighed in on AMGN. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on Amgen from $427.00 to $457.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their target price on shares of Amgen from $350.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 18th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Amgen from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, August 8th. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Amgen from $420.00 to $440.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Mizuho boosted their price objective on shares of Amgen from $303.00 to $352.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 18th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Amgen has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $380.43.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Amgen

About Amgen (Free Report)

Amgen Inc (NASDAQ: AMGN) is a global biotechnology company founded in 1980 and headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. The company focuses on discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering human therapeutics that address serious illnesses. Amgen’s work centers on biologic medicines derived from cellular and molecular biology, with an emphasis on translating advances in human genetics and protein science into therapies for patients.

Amgen’s commercial portfolio has historically included biologics used in oncology, supportive care, nephrology, bone health and cardiovascular disease.

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Jim Cramer is flagging an Amgen drug that Wall Street has largely ignored, and he thinks the cardiovascular opportunity behind it could rival the most valuable pharmaceutical market ever created.

Jim Cramer used his August 31 CNBC Stop Trading segment to argue that Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN | AMGN Price Prediction) has rallied in 2026 due to a catalyst Wall Street had overlooked:

“People are talking about the incredible movement in Amgen, which is up about 31% this year. And a lot of it has to do with a particular drug that people aren’t talking about, which is Repatha.“

Amgen recently pushed to a new 52-week high of $447.03, and the company has a market cap of roughly $233 billion.

Cramer Says Repatha Is the Catalyst Investors Are Missing Jim Cramer described Repatha as “A shot that you take every other week, and what it does is reduce the risk of death by 20% in people who have high risk for a heart attack or stroke.” Cramer also said the drug “works against diabetes and high cholesterol.”

Cramer noted how cardiologists are increasingly pushing LDL cholesterol as low as possible, an evolving practice pattern that, in his view, expands the pool of patients who could be candidates for intensified lipid-lowering therapy over time. He paired that with a commercial caveat: “This Repatha is so revolutionary, but it was hard. You had to fight the insurance companies.” Efficacy and reimbursement are separate issues, and payer resistance can gate the revenue ramp-up.

Repatha Sales Jumped 37% to $953 Million On Amgen’s Q2 2026 earnings call held August 4, CEO Robert A. Bradway said, “Starting with general medicine, Repatha delivered $953 million in second-quarter sales, growing 37% year over year.” Management flagged that U.S. new-to-brand prescriptions are growing more than 50% year over year, split roughly evenly between expanded cardiologist use and adoption by primary-care physicians treating high-risk primary-prevention patients.

Repatha is one of six growth drivers that grew 26% in aggregate and represented nearly 70% of second-quarter product sales. Amgen raised full-year guidance to $38.2-$39.4 billion in revenue and non-GAAP EPS of $22.30 to $23.50. On August 31, Amgen published fresh cardiovascular data from the ESC Congress 2026 tied to Repatha’s primary-prevention profile, the same day Cramer’s segment aired.

Why Cramer Is Comparing the Opportunity to Eli Lilly Cramer said Repatha could be the biggest opportunity behind what Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) is targeting with its GLP-1: “That’s going to be the biggest market of all time, with the exception of what Eli Lilly has tapped into.” On August 27, in the Am I Diversified segment, Cramer called Lilly “the trillion dollar drug company that I like so much.”

Lilly carries a market cap around $1.05 trillion and trades at a forward P/E of 32, versus Amgen’s forward P/E of 19. Lilly shares are up 9.83% year to date after a 6.44% pullback in the past week.

Key Takeaways Repatha is becoming a big piece of Amgen’s story. With quarterly sales approaching $1 billion and growing 37% annually, the drug is becoming a meaningful growth engine for the company. Cramer argues that investors may still be underestimating how large that cardiovascular opportunity can become.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Statistically Significant and Clinically Meaningful Disease and Symptom Improvements Compared to Placebo Maintained Through Week 52

Efficacy in a Third Epithelial-Driven Inflammatory Disease Supports Broad Potential of TEZSPIRE

, /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) and AstraZeneca today announced positive top-line results from the Phase 3 CROSSING trial of TEZSPIRE® (tezepelumab-ekko) in patients living with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). TEZSPIRE demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements across co-primary and key secondary endpoints at week 24 which were sustained through week 52. The co-primary endpoints were histologic remission and the frequency and severity of dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). The safety profile of TEZSPIRE was generally consistent with its approved indications.

EoE is a chronic and progressive epithelial-driven inflammatory disorder of the esophagus affecting more than 470,000 people in the U.S., with the prevalence increasing five-fold since 2009.1,2 Esophageal inflammation can lead to dysphagia, food impaction and esophageal narrowing.2 For patients, the risk of food moving slowly or becoming stuck can make daily meals difficult and stressful.3 Nearly half of patients, including adolescents, do not achieve adequate disease control with current first-line treatments, which include dietary restriction, swallowed topical corticosteroids and proton pump inhibitors.4-6 

"We're pleased that TEZSPIRE showed efficacy in a third epithelial-driven inflammatory condition, eosinophilic esophagitis," said Jay Bradner, M.D., executive vice president of Research and Development, Artificial Intelligence and Data at Amgen. "In this Phase 3 trial, TEZSPIRE improved both the underlying inflammation and the swallowing difficulties that can make eosinophilic esophagitis so disruptive for patients. That combination is important for patients and builds confidence in TEZSPIRE as a potential new treatment for people struggling with EoE."

CROSSING is a randomized, double-blind trial that evaluated the efficacy and safety of TEZSPIRE at one of two doses administered subcutaneously every four weeks compared to placebo in adults and adolescents with symptomatic and uncontrolled EoE while on maintenance therapy. In the trial, the first co-primary endpoint, histologic remission, was defined as having a low count of peak eosinophils in the esophageal tissue. The second co-primary endpoint, the frequency and severity of dysphagia, was assessed using the patient-reported Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire (DSQ) and measured as a mean change from baseline in DSQ score.7

"Despite the availability of first-line therapies or dietary interventions, many patients with eosinophilic esophagitis still experience substantial burden, including difficulty swallowing food and emotional and daily-life impacts of the disease," said Arjan Bredenoord, M.D., gastroenterologist and professor at the Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and primary investigator in the trial. "The impressive results from the CROSSING trial sustained over 52 weeks demonstrate that tezepelumab, taken every four weeks, could provide a new approach to treating EoE, with the potential to help more patients achieve remission and symptom improvement."  

Full results will be shared with regulatory authorities and the scientific community at an upcoming medical meeting.

TEZSPIRE® (tezepelumab-ekko) U.S. Indication

TEZSPIRE is indicated for:

the add-on maintenance treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with severe asthma. TEZSPIRE is not indicated for the relief of acute bronchospasm or status asthmaticus. the add-on maintenance treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with inadequately controlled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). TEZSPIRE® (tezepelumab-ekko) Important Safety Information 

CONTRAINDICATIONS
Known hypersensitivity to tezepelumab-ekko or excipients.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Hypersensitivity Reactions
Hypersensitivity reactions were observed in the clinical trials (e.g., rash and allergic conjunctivitis) following the administration of TEZSPIRE. Postmarketing cases of anaphylaxis have been reported. These reactions can occur within hours of administration, but in some instances have a delayed onset (i.e., days). In the event of a hypersensitivity reaction, consider the benefits and risks for the individual patient to determine whether to continue or discontinue treatment with TEZSPIRE.

Acute Asthma Symptoms or Deteriorating Disease
TEZSPIRE should not be used to treat acute asthma symptoms, acute exacerbations, acute bronchospasm, or status asthmaticus.

Abrupt Reduction of Corticosteroid Dosage
Do not discontinue systemic or inhaled corticosteroids abruptly upon initiation of therapy with TEZSPIRE. Reductions in corticosteroid dose, if appropriate, should be gradual and performed under the direct supervision of a physician. Reduction in corticosteroid dose may be associated with systemic withdrawal symptoms and/or unmask conditions previously suppressed by systemic corticosteroid therapy.

Parasitic (Helminth) Infection
It is unknown if TEZSPIRE will influence a patient's response against helminth infections. Treat patients with pre-existing helminth infections before initiating therapy with TEZSPIRE. If patients become infected while receiving TEZSPIRE and do not respond to anti-helminth treatment, discontinue TEZSPIRE until infection resolves.

Live Attenuated Vaccines 
The concomitant use of TEZSPIRE and live attenuated vaccines has not been evaluated. The use of live attenuated vaccines should be avoided in patients receiving TEZSPIRE.

ADVERSE REACTIONS 
The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 3%) are:

Asthma: pharyngitis, arthralgia, and back pain. Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps: nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, epistaxis, pharyngitis, back pain, influenza, injection site reaction and arthralgia. USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS 
There are no available data on TEZSPIRE use in pregnant women to evaluate for any drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or other adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. Placental transfer of monoclonal antibodies such as tezepelumab-ekko is greater during the third trimester of pregnancy; therefore, potential effects on a fetus are likely to be greater during the third trimester of pregnancy.

Please see the full   Prescribing Information including Patient Information and Instructions for Use.

You may report side effects related to AstraZeneca products by clicking here.

About TEZSPIRE® (tezepelumab-ekko)

TEZSPIRE is a first-in-class human monoclonal antibody that works on a primary source of inflammation: the airway and gut epithelia, which are the first points of contact for many viruses, allergens, pollutants and other environmental triggers and insults. Specifically, TEZSPIRE targets and blocks thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a key epithelial cytokine that sits at the top of multiple inflammatory cascades and initiates an overreactive immune response to allergic, eosinophilic and other types of epithelial-driven inflammation associated with severe asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).7,8-11

TSLP is released by the epithelium in response to inhaled or swallowed environmental inflammatory triggers. Across these disease states, the expression of TSLP is increased and correlates with disease severity.8-12  

TEZSPIRE is currently approved for the treatment of severe asthma in the U.S., EU, China, Japan and more than 70 countries across the globe, and for the treatment of inadequately controlled CRSwNP in the U.S., EU, China and Japan.

Beyond severe asthma and CRSwNP, TEZSPIRE is also in development for other potential indications including COPD and EoE.13-15

About Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)

EoE is a chronic and progressive epithelial-driven inflammatory disorder of the esophagus with prevalence growing across the world.1,2 It is characterized by inflammation, remodeling and esophageal epithelial dysfunction. Epithelial dysfunction and inflammation are important characteristics of EoE and impede the ability of the epithelium to act as a physical and immunological barrier against the external environment.2

The most common symptoms of EoE include difficulty and pain swallowing, food becoming stuck in the esophagus (which may require emergency medical interventions), nausea and vomiting, abdominal or chest pain, poor appetite and difficulty sleeping.2,16,17 Many patients, including adolescents, experience a substantial impact on their quality of life including significant anxiety related to swallowing and choking, depression and decreased work/school productivity.18,19

Patients are often treated with proton pump inhibitors or swallowed topical corticosteroids to manage inflammation.2,4 Nearly half of patients with EoE will not respond to standard first-line therapies or dietary treatment.5,6 Existing treatment options, including those targeting downstream mediators, may not fully address epithelial-driven inflammation.20,21

About the Phase 3 CROSSING Trial

CROSSING is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center, parallel-group, Phase 3 trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TEZSPIRE administered subcutaneously every four weeks, compared to placebo in patients aged 12-80 years with symptomatic and histologically active EoE. A total of 368 patients were randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive either a low or high dose of TEZSPIRE or placebo.7

The co-primary endpoints analyzed at week 24 were the proportion of patients with  histologic remission, defined as a peak esophageal eosinophil count less than or equal to six eosinophils per high-power field, and mean changes from baseline in the Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire (DSQ). The peak eosinophil count is obtained when biopsies of the tissue of the esophagus are examined under a microscope. A count of 15 or more peak eosinophils per high power microscopic field measured by esophageal biopsy is often the cutoff used to diagnose EoE.22,23 The DSQ captures the presence and severity of dysphagia symptoms in a daily diary with a four-item patient-reported questionnaire; the score is calculated over 14-day periods, ranging from zero to 84, with a higher score indicating more severe dysphagia. Key secondary endpoints assessed histologic remission and dysphagia symptoms at week 52; changes in endoscopic disease features (EoE-EREFS) and histologic severity and extent (EoE-HSS) at weeks 24 and 52, as well as endoscopic response, inflammatory remission and total endoscopic remission at week 52.7

In the trial, patients were allowed to remain on background medications for EoE, including proton pump inhibitors and swallowed topical corticosteroids, provided that they were stable prior to entry and during the treatment period.7

About the Amgen and AstraZeneca Collaboration

Amgen is in a collaboration with AstraZeneca for the development and commercialization of TEZSPIRE. Under the collaboration, both companies share global costs, profits and losses equally after payment by AstraZeneca of a mid-single-digit royalty to Amgen. AstraZeneca leads global development. In North America, Amgen, as the principal, recognizes product sales of TEZSPIRE in the United States, and AstraZeneca, as the principal, recognizes product sales of TEZSPIRE in Canada. AstraZeneca leads commercialization for TEZSPIRE outside North America. Amgen manufactures and supplies TEZSPIRE worldwide.

About Amgen 

Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative medicines to fight some of the world's toughest diseases. Harnessing the best of biology and technology, Amgen reaches millions of patients with its medicines.

More than 45 years ago, Amgen helped establish the biotechnology industry at its U.S. headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California, and it remains at the cutting edge of innovation, using technology and human genetic data to push beyond what is known today. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline and portfolio of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, inflammatory conditions, rare diseases and obesity and obesity-related conditions.

Amgen has been consistently recognized for innovation and workplace culture, including honors from Fast Company and Forbes. Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average® and it is also part of the Nasdaq-100 Index®, which includes the largest and most innovative non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization.

For more information, visit Amgen.com and follow Amgen on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and Threads.

Amgen Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the current expectations and beliefs of Amgen. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including any statements on the outcome, benefits and synergies of collaborations, or potential collaborations, with any other company (including BeOne Medicines Ltd.), the performance of Otezla® (apremilast), our acquisitions of ChemoCentryx, Inc., Dark Blue Therapeutics, Ltd. or Horizon Therapeutics plc (including the prospective performance and outlook of Horizon's business, performance and opportunities, and any potential strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities expected as a result of such acquisition), as well as estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial metrics, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, reimbursement activities and outcomes, effects of pandemics or other widespread health problems on our business, outcomes, progress, and other such estimates and results. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and more fully described in the Securities and Exchange Commission reports filed by Amgen, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this information as of the date of this news release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those we project. Discovery or identification of new product candidates or development of new indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a new indication for an existing product will be successful and become a commercial product. Further, preclinical results do not guarantee safe and effective performance of product candidates in humans. The complexity of the human body cannot be perfectly, or sometimes, even adequately modeled by computer or cell culture systems or animal models. The length of time that it takes for us to complete clinical trials and obtain regulatory approval for product marketing has in the past varied and we expect similar variability in the future. Even when clinical trials are successful, regulatory authorities may question the sufficiency for approval of the trial endpoints we have selected. We develop product candidates internally and through licensing collaborations, partnerships and joint ventures. Product candidates that are derived from relationships may be subject to disputes between the parties or may prove to be not as effective or as safe as we may have believed at the time of entering into such relationship. Also, we or others could identify safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with our products, including our devices, after they are on the market.

Our results may be affected by our ability to successfully market both new and existing products domestically and internationally, clinical and regulatory developments involving current and future products, sales growth of recently launched products, competition from other products including biosimilars, difficulties or delays in manufacturing our products and global economic conditions, including those resulting from geopolitical relations and government actions. In addition, sales of our products are affected by pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny and reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers, including governments, private insurance plans and managed care providers and may be affected by regulatory, clinical and guideline developments and domestic and international trends toward managed care and healthcare cost containment. Furthermore, our research, testing, pricing, marketing and other operations are subject to extensive regulation by domestic and foreign government regulatory authorities. Our business may be impacted by government investigations, litigation and product liability claims. In addition, our business may be impacted by the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities. Further, while we routinely obtain patents for our products and technology, the protection offered by our patents and patent applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by our competitors, or we may fail to prevail in present and future intellectual property litigation. We perform a substantial amount of our commercial manufacturing activities at a few key facilities, including in Puerto Rico, and also depend on third parties for a portion of our manufacturing activities, and limits on supply may constrain sales of certain of our current products and product candidate development. An outbreak of disease or similar public health threat, and the public and governmental effort to mitigate against the spread of such disease, could have a significant adverse effect on the supply of materials for our manufacturing activities, the distribution of our products, the commercialization of our product candidates, and our clinical trial operations, and any such events may have a material adverse effect on our product development, product sales, business and results of operations. We rely on collaborations with third parties for the development of some of our product candidates and for the commercialization and sales of some of our commercial products. In addition, we compete with other companies with respect to many of our marketed products as well as for the discovery and development of new products. Further, some raw materials, medical devices and component parts for our products are supplied by sole third-party suppliers. Certain of our distributors, customers and payers have substantial purchasing leverage in their dealings with us. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of our products that implicate an entire class of products could have a material adverse effect on sales of the affected products and on our business and results of operations. Our efforts to collaborate with or acquire other companies, products or technology, and to integrate the operations of companies or to support the products or technology we have acquired, may not be successful, and may result in unanticipated costs, delays or failures to realize the benefits of the transactions. A breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach of our information technology systems could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our systems and our data. Our stock price is volatile and may be affected by a number of events. Our business and operations may be negatively affected by the failure, or perceived failure, of achieving our sustainability objectives. The effects of global climate change and related natural disasters could negatively affect our business and operations. Global economic conditions may magnify certain risks that affect our business. Our business performance could affect or limit the ability of our Board of Directors to declare a dividend or our ability to pay a dividend or repurchase our common stock. We may not be able to access the capital and credit markets on terms that are favorable to us, or at all.

Any scientific information discussed in this news release relating to new indications for our products is preliminary and investigative and is not part of the labeling approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the products. The products are not approved for the investigational use(s) discussed in this news release, and no conclusions can or should be drawn regarding the safety or effectiveness of the products for these uses.

CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks
Elissa Snook, 609-251-1407 (media)
Casey Capparelli, 805-447-1746 (investors)

REFERENCES

Biedermann L. & Straumann A. Mechanisms and clinical management of eosinophilic oesophagitis: an overview. Nature Reviews Gastroenterol & Hepatol. 2023;20(2):101-119. Thel HL, et al. Prevalence and costs of eosinophilic esophagitis in the United States. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2025;23(2):272-280.e8. Cleveland Clinic. Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE): Symptoms & Treatment. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14321-eosinophilic-esophagitis. [Last accessed August 2026.] Hirano I, et al. AGA Institute and the Joint Task Force on Allergy-Immunology Practice Parameters clinical guidelines for the management of eosinophilic esophagitis. Gastroenterology. 2020;158(6):1776-1786. Strauss AL, Falk GW. Refractory eosinophilic esophagitis: what to do when the patient has not responded to proton pump inhibitors, steroids and diet. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2022;38(4):395-401. Lucendo AJ, et al. Efficacy of proton pump inhibitor drugs for inducing clinical and histologic remission in patients with symptomatic esophageal eosinophilia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2016;14(1):13-22.e1. ClinicalTrials.gov. Efficacy and Safety of Tezepelumab in Patients With Eosinophilic Esophagitis (CROSSING). Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05583227. [Last accessed August 2026.] Varricchi G, et al. Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin Isoforms, Inflammatory Disorders, and Cancer. Front Immunol. 2018;9:1595. Ying S, et al. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin expression is increased in asthmatic airways and correlates with expression of Th2-attracting chemokines and disease severity. J Immunol. 2005;174:8183-8190. Calderon AA, et al. Targeting interleukin-33 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin pathways for novel pulmonary therapeutics in asthma and COPD. Eur Respir Rev. 2023;32(167):220144. Nagarkar DR, et al. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin activity is increased in nasal polyps of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2013;132(3):593-600.e12. Sherrill JD, et al. Preferential Secretion of Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP) by Terminally Differentiated Esophageal Epithelial Cells: Relevance to Eosinophilic Esophagitis. PLoS One. 2016;11(2):e0148216. ClinicalTrials.gov. A Study to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of Tezepelumab in Adult Participants With Moderate to Very Severe COPD (D5241C00007) (JOURNEY). Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06878261. [Last accessed August 2026]. ClinicalTrials.gov. A Study to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of Tezepelumab in Adult Participants With Moderate to Very Severe COPD (D5241C00006) (EMBARK). Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06883305. [Last accessed August 2026]. ClinicalTrials.gov. Tezepelumab COPD Exacerbation Study (COURSE). Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04039113. [Last accessed: August 2026]. Gold BD, et al. Health-Related Quality of Life and Perceived Stigma in Eosinophilic Esophagitis: A Real-World, US, Web-Based Survey. Gastro Hep Adv. 2024;3(8):1087-97. MedlinePlus. Eosinophilic esophagitis. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/eosinophilicesophagitis.html. [Last accessed August 2026]. Taft TH, et al. Anxiety and depression in eosinophilic esophagitis: a scoping review and recommendations for future research. J Asthma Allergy. 2019;12:389–99. Harris RF, et al. Psychosocial dysfunction in children and adolescents with eosinophilic esophagitis. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2013;57:500–5. Underwood B, et al. Breaking down the complex pathophysiology of eosinophilic esophagitis. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2023;130(1):28-39 Gautam R, et al. Eosinophilic esophagitis: mechanisms of disease and approach to treatment. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2026;26:21. Lucendo AJ, et al. British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) and British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (BSPGHAN) joint consensus guidelines on the diagnosis and management of eosinophilic oesophagitis in children and adults. Gut. 2022;71(8):1459-1487. Dellon ES, et al. ACG Clinical Guideline: Diagnosis and Management of Eosinophilic Esophagitis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2025;120(1):31-59. SOURCE Amgen

Key Takeaways AstraZeneca's Tezspire met all primary and secondary endpoints in the phase III CROSSING study in EoE.Tezspire significantly improved histologic remission and dysphagia versus placebo at week 24.Results also showed gains in endoscopic features, histologic severity and inflammatory remission. AstraZeneca (AZN - Free Report) and its partner Amgen (AMGN - Free Report) jointly announced positive top-line data from the late-stage CROSSING study, which evaluated Tezspire (tezepelumab) in adults and adolescents with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). The study met all its primary and secondary endpoints.

Tezspire is a first-in-class monoclonal antibody targeting thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a key cytokine involved in multiple inflammatory pathways. The drug is currently approved for the treatment of patients with severe asthma globally and for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) in the United States, European Union, China and Japan.

EoE is a chronic, progressive inflammatory disease of the esophagus that can cause painful swallowing, food impaction, nausea and chest or abdominal pain, significantly affecting quality of life. Nearly half of patients do not respond adequately to current treatments, highlighting a significant unmet need.

Year to date, shares of AstraZeneca have lost 9.6% against the industry’s 12.5% growth. In contrast, AMGN’s shares have gained 34.5% year to date compared with the industry’s 12.6% growth. 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Key Highlights of AZN/AMGN’s CROSSING Study Data in EoEIn the placebo-controlled phase III CROSSING study, patients aged 12 to 80 years with symptomatic and histologically active EoE were randomized equally to receive a low dose of Tezspire, a high dose or placebo, administered subcutaneously every four weeks alongside stable background therapy.

The study’s co-primary endpoints were histologic remission and improvement in the frequency and severity of dysphagia. Histologic remission was defined as having six or fewer eosinophils per high-power field in esophageal tissue, while dysphagia was measured using the patient-reported dysphagia symptom questionnaire.

Tezspire achieved statistically significant improvements versus placebo on both co-primary endpoints at week 24, with the treatment effect sustained through week 52. Key secondary measures showed improvements in endoscopic disease features, histologic severity, inflammatory remission and overall endoscopic remission.

The results mark the third indication in which Tezspire has demonstrated clinically meaningful efficacy, following severe asthma and CRSwNP, supporting the potential of its TSLP-targeting mechanism.

Apart from the reported study in EoE, significant label-expansion studies are ongoing with the phase III JOURNEY and EMBARK studies in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

AZN-AMGN Deal on TezspireAstraZeneca has a collaboration agreement with Amgen to develop and commercialize Tezspire. Per the agreement, both companies share Tezspire’s costs and profits equally. While AstraZeneca leads development, AMGN oversees manufacturing of the drug. The companies jointly commercialize Tezspire in the United States, where Amgen records product sales while AZN records its share of profits as Alliance revenues. AZN records product sales in markets outside the United States.

AZN’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to ConsiderAZN currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Some better-ranked stocks in the biotech sector are Amneal Pharmaceuticals (AMRX - Free Report) , currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and AC Immune (ACIU - Free Report) , which carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Over the past 30 days, earnings per share estimates for Amneal Pharmaceuticals have increased from $1.00 to $1.02 for 2026. Over the same period, estimates for earnings per share increased from $1.12 to $1.21 for 2027. AMRX shares have risen 42.8% year to date.

Amneal Pharmaceuticals beat earnings in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 32.82%.

Over the past 30 days, estimates for AC Immune’s 2026 loss per share have narrowed from 84 cents to 60 cents. Over the same period, earnings estimates for 2027 remained unchanged at 17 cents. ACIU shares have declined 9.3% year to date.

AC Immune’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 33.25%.

Amgen (AMGN) said Monday its cholesterol buster, Repatha, reduced the risk of death by 20% in a study of more than 12,000 high-risk patients.

The results could help boost sales of one of the company's top moneymakers. Repatha, which is approved to cut high LDL cholesterol, brought in $3.02 billion in sales last year. That represented more than 8% of the company's topline.

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Medical Industry Grapples With These Shifts Under Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s HHS Leadership

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been in charge of health in the United States for over a year now. The Secretary of Health and Human Services heads the agency that oversees the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health. IBD Technology reporter Allison Gatlin discusses how his leadership is shaping the medical industry.

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Medical Industry Grapples With These Shifts Under Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s HHS Leadership

Now, Amgen says reducing "bad" LDL cholesterol help cut the risk of dying from any cause, including cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke, in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or high-risk diabetes. Repatha also cut the chance of a heart attack by 36%.

"I think it's very clear that getting patients to go as quickly as possible with Repatha will reduce cardiovascular events, save lives and have a substantial economic benefit for (health) systems," Amgen Chief Medical Officer Paul Burton told Investor's Business Daily.

Amgen's Cardiovascular Focus
In the study, dubbed Vesalius-CV, the reduction in deaths appeared after 1.5 years and continued for a median of 4.6 years. One analysis showed the reduced risk of a heart attack was apparent as early as six months after starting treatment.

Burton says it's a frustrating fact in the cardiovascular field that most patients taking a lipid aren't at their LDL cholesterol goals. In a database of nearly 450,000 patients, only about four in 10 patients with high cholesterol are taking a statin. And, of that group, just 24% were at their goal LDL level.

That leaves a lot of risk on the table for a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event. The first cardiovascular event raises the risk for a second, Burton said. Roughly two-thirds of patients who've had a first event will have a second.

"The longer you live with elevated cholesterol, the higher risk you are for developing cardiovascular disease and having an event," he said. "But you can do something about it, you know?"

Amgen Stock's Rise
Repatha is a key growth driver for Amgen. In the second quarter, sales climbed 37% vs. the same three months in 2025. That continued a yearslong streak of double-digit growth for the shot. Repatha is given every two weeks or once a month.

Amgen stock, meanwhile, has risen markedly this year. Shares hit a record 447.03 last Tuesday before snapping lower for four consecutive days. On a year-to-date basis, the stock has climbed more than 32% this year, as of Friday's close.

Shares have a nearly perfect IBD Digital Composite Rating of 96, putting their fundamental and technical performance in the leading 4% of all stocks.

Follow Allison Gatlin on X/Twitter at @AGatlin_IBD.

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AMGN's strong growth drivers and promising pipeline support long-term growth, but patent losses, pricing pressure and valuation warrant caution.

Allstate Corp reduced its holdings in shares of Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN – Free Report) by 6.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 52,252 shares of the medical research company’s stock after selling 3,763 shares during the period. Allstate Corp’s holdings in Amgen were worth $18,921,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Amgen by 275.0% in the fourth quarter. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC now owns 75 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Amgen by 1,000.0% during the 4th quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 77 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 70 shares in the last quarter. Tower View Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Amgen by 331.6% in the 1st quarter. Tower View Wealth Management LLC now owns 82 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 63 shares during the period. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Amgen by 49.2% in the 4th quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 97 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 32 shares during the period. Finally, Ares Financial Consulting LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Amgen in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $34,000. 76.50% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Amgen Stock Performance NASDAQ AMGN opened at $439.33 on Monday. Amgen Inc. has a 1-year low of $269.77 and a 1-year high of $443.20. The company has a market capitalization of $237.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.30, a PEG ratio of 3.17 and a beta of 0.41. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $379.03 and a 200 day moving average price of $362.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.44, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 1.13.

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The medical research company reported $6.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.62 by $0.67. Amgen had a return on equity of 124.14% and a net margin of 22.95%.The firm had revenue of $10.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $9.43 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $6.02 earnings per share. Amgen’s revenue was up 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. Amgen has set its FY 2026 guidance at 22.300-23.500 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Amgen Inc. will post 22.92 EPS for the current fiscal year. Amgen Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 11th. Investors of record on Friday, August 21st will be given a $2.52 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 21st. This represents a $10.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. Amgen’s payout ratio is currently 62.65%.

Insider Transactions at Amgen In other Amgen news, SVP Nancy A. Grygiel sold 2,970 shares of Amgen stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $402.16, for a total transaction of $1,194,415.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 7,340 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,951,854.40. The trade was a 28.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Rachna Khosla sold 1,252 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $416.43, for a total transaction of $521,370.36. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 6,404 shares in the company, valued at $2,666,817.72. This trade represents a 16.35% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders sold 6,222 shares of company stock worth $2,540,926. 0.85% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research analysts recently weighed in on AMGN shares. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Amgen from $390.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their target price on Amgen from $335.00 to $345.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their target price on shares of Amgen from $350.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 18th. TD Cowen upped their price target on shares of Amgen from $420.00 to $452.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Bank of America increased their price target on shares of Amgen from $312.00 to $317.00 and gave the company an “underperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $380.43.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Amgen

Key Amgen News Here are the key news stories impacting Amgen this week:

Positive Sentiment: Solid operating performance and dividend support the valuation. Amgen’s second-quarter results exceeded expectations, with revenue rising year over year and earnings per share topping consensus. Continued growth and the company’s dividend are helping support investor confidence. Amgen stock holds close to record high as Q2 2026 growth and dividend support valuation Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised their outlook. Argus increased its price target to $460 from $375 while maintaining a Buy rating, citing the latest quarterly performance and progress across Amgen’s drug portfolio. Separate reports also highlighted favorable forecasts from Mizuho and Cantor Fitzgerald, reinforcing the bullish analyst sentiment. Amgen gets a fresh target Positive Sentiment: Tarlatamab development advanced. Amgen’s Phase 3 DeLLphi-315 study is evaluating a subcutaneous injection of tarlatamab against the current intravenous infusion approach in lung cancer. A successful shot formulation could improve convenience and broaden the commercial potential of the drug. Amgen advances tarlatamab shot versus infusion in Phase 3 lung cancer study Positive Sentiment: Trading momentum and options activity were unusually strong. Amgen was identified as a momentum stock after a substantial recent share-price rally, while call-option volume surged well above typical levels, suggesting increased bullish positioning. Neutral Sentiment: Valuation is becoming a consideration. With the stock near its recent high and analysts raising targets, some commentary questioned whether much of the favorable news is already reflected in the share price, which could limit near-term upside. Amgen Company Profile (Free Report)

Amgen Inc (NASDAQ: AMGN) is a global biotechnology company founded in 1980 and headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. The company focuses on discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering human therapeutics that address serious illnesses. Amgen’s work centers on biologic medicines derived from cellular and molecular biology, with an emphasis on translating advances in human genetics and protein science into therapies for patients.

Amgen’s commercial portfolio has historically included biologics used in oncology, supportive care, nephrology, bone health and cardiovascular disease.

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For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.

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Stock to Watch: Amgen (AMGN - Free Report) Thousand Oaks, CA-based Amgen is one of the biggest biotech companies in the world, with a strong presence in the oncology, general medicine, inflammation and rare diseases markets. The company used advances in cellular and molecular biology to develop two of the biotech industry’s earliest and most successful drugs, Epogen (anemia) and Neupogen (white blood cell stimulant). Amgen successfully launched two next-generation products, Aranesp and Neulasta.  Meanwhile, the acquisition of Immunex Corporation gave Amgen access to the multi-blockbuster drug Enbrel. However, all these older drugs are facing declining sales due to biosimilar or branded competition. Amgen’s key products are Prolia, Xgeva, Repatha, Blincyto, Vectibix, Nplate, Kyprolis, Evenity, Otezla, Aimovig, Lumakras/Lumykras, Tezspire, Imdelltra, Tavneos, Kanjinti, Mvasi and Amgevita biosimilars. However, key drugs, Prolia and Xgeva, lost patent exclusivity in 2026. Multiple biosimilars have been launched globally.

AMGN is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Momentum investors should take note of this Medical stock. AMGN has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 16.8% over the past four weeks.

12 analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.56 to $22.92 per share. AMGN also boasts an average earnings surprise of +11.3%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, AMGN should be on investors' short list.

Key Takeaways Biotech benchmarks are up nearly 30% this year, outpacing the Nasdaq 100's 17% gain.Crinetics' PALSONIFY gained traction, while Halozyme's ENHANZE drove 48% revenue growth.ETFs like BBP offer diversified biotech exposure as innovation and M&A fuel sector growth. The biotechnology industry has been mounting a powerful rally, emerging as a standout performer in the equity market, which has otherwise been dominated by technology giants of late. Over the past year, the industry's resurgence has been fueled by a potent mix of groundbreaking innovation, a surging obesity drug market and a spike in mergers and acquisitions.

This powerful combination has propelled key benchmarks to impressive heights. Notably, the NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index and the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index both delivered returns of nearly 30% so far this year, significantly outpacing the Nasdaq 100's 17% gain during the same period. 

This dramatic outperformance has firmly placed the spotlight on biotech stocks and the exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that hold them, suggesting a golden opportunity for investors looking to gain exposure to this bullish industry. 

As we explore the specific drivers of this growth, it becomes clear why an entry into these funds now appears compelling. Let's examine the individual company innovations fueling this surge and how they translate into broader investment potential.

Breakthrough Innovations Driving BiotechThe current rally of the biotech industry is underpinned by tangible innovation and strong corporate performance. 

Amgen (AMGN - Free Report) is a prime example, with its stock surging 35.2% year to date. This global leader in biologics was recognized on Fortune's 2026 list of America's Most Innovative Companies this April.  In May, Amgen announced plans to invest an additional $300 million in its U.S. manufacturing network to boost its U.S.-based production capacity, while it continues to advance key pipeline drugs like MariTide for obesity. 

Other prominent biotech stocks like Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (CRNX - Free Report) and Halozyme Therapeutics (HALO) also deserve special mention when it comes to innovation. 

Crinetics Pharmaceuticals' lead commercial product, PALSONIFY, an oral medication approved to treat adults with acromegaly, launched in October last year, has been witnessing solid traction in recent times. Impressively, 385 unique healthcare providers (HCPs) prescribed PALSONIFY within the first three quarters of launch, whereas more than 70% of patients treated with PALSONIFY at the end of the second quarter of 2026 were on reimbursed therapy. The stock has skyrocketed 82% year to date. 

Halozyme Therapeutics' main revenue driver is ENHANZE, a proprietary drug delivery technology used to deliver blockbuster subcutaneous drugs. During the second quarter of 2026, HALO registered solid 48% year-over-year revenue growth, primarily driven by continued sales uptake of ENHANZE partner products. In May 2026, Halozyme and GSK plc entered into a global collaboration and license agreement for ENHANZE with multiple oncology targets, including the first potential application in antibody-drug conjugates. HALO has soared 59.9% so far this year.

Favorable Biotech Outlook Makes ETFs a Smart PlaySeveral powerful tailwinds suggest the biotech industry's positive momentum is set to continue over the long term.

In particular, the rise of more affordable and easy-to-administer oral obesity drugs is expected to expand this industry, with Goldman Sachs Research recently raising its 2030 global sales forecast for these drugs by 15% to $114 billion. 

Beyond obesity, significant potential lies in areas like cardiovascular disease, cancer and Alzheimer's, with key clinical data set to be released. Furthermore, merger and acquisition (M&A) activity is heating up as large-cap biopharma companies seek to acquire innovation to fill their pipelines, a trend that particularly benefits smaller and mid-cap biotech firms. 

Against this backdrop of robust, multi-therapeutic growth, picking singular stock winners exposes investor portfolios to severe binary regulatory and trial risks. Diversified biotech ETFs offer an ideal middle ground. They allow investors to capitalize on the sector's overarching growth trajectory while mitigating the volatility of individual clinical failures or sudden stock-specific regulatory hurdles.

Biotech ETFs to BuyConsidering the aforementioned discussion, investors may want to add the following biotech ETFs to their portfolios:

First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology ETF (FBT - Free Report)

This fund, with net assets worth $2.95 billion, offers exposure to 30 leading biotechnology companies. HALO holds the first spot in this fund, with a 4.38% weight, while AMGN holds the fifth spot with a 3.73% weight. 

FBT has soared 31.6% year to date and charges 55 basis points (bps) in fees. It carries a Zacks ETF Rank #2 (Buy).

VanEck Biotech ETF (BBH - Free Report)

This fund, with net assets worth $475 million, offers exposure to companies involved in the development and production, marketing and sales of drugs based on genetic analysis and diagnostic equipment. AMGN holds the first spot in this fund, with a 16.22% weight. 

BBH has surged 29% year to date and charges 35 bps in fees. It carries a Zacks ETF Rank #2.

Virtus Biotech ETF (BBP - Free Report)

This fund, with net assets worth $108.8 million, offers exposure to biotechnology companies with at least one drug therapy approved by the FDA. CRNX holds the first spot in this fund, with a 3.07% weight, while HALO holds the seventh spot with a 1.88% weight. 

BBP has rallied 37.5% year to date and charges 34 bps in fees. It carries a Zacks ETF Rank #2. 

Aegis Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 2,162 shares of the medical research company’s stock, valued at approximately $783,000.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Argyle Capital Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Amgen by 5.5% in the second quarter. Argyle Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,851 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $1,756,000 after buying an additional 254 shares in the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC boosted its stake in Amgen by 2.1% during the 2nd quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 6,535 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $2,366,000 after purchasing an additional 132 shares during the last quarter. Focused Alpha LLC increased its holdings in Amgen by 9.3% during the 2nd quarter. Focused Alpha LLC now owns 3,561 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $1,289,000 after purchasing an additional 302 shares in the last quarter. B & T Capital Management DBA Alpha Capital Management increased its holdings in Amgen by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. B & T Capital Management DBA Alpha Capital Management now owns 15,764 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $5,708,000 after purchasing an additional 168 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Oarsman Capital Inc. raised its stake in shares of Amgen by 15.2% in the second quarter. Oarsman Capital Inc. now owns 2,694 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $975,000 after purchasing an additional 355 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.50% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Amgen Here are the key news stories impacting Amgen this week:

Positive Sentiment: Amgen was highlighted as one of the best-performing U.S. large-cap drugmakers in 2026, outperforming peers Merck and Pfizer despite lacking an obesity drug. The comparison reinforces investor confidence in Amgen’s existing portfolio and operating execution. Which Drugmaker Stock Has Dominated in 2026: Merck, Pfizer, or Amgen? Positive Sentiment: Healthcare-sector strength and a rotation toward profitable drugmakers helped lift Amgen, while renewed enthusiasm for biotechnology also improved sentiment across the industry. Amgen Stock Surges as Healthcare Hits Record High Positive Sentiment: Argus raised its Amgen price target from $375 to $460 and maintained a “buy” rating, citing additional upside for the shares. Argus price-target update Neutral Sentiment: Amgen’s latest quarterly results beat consensus estimates for earnings and revenue, with revenue growth accelerating year over year. Full-year earnings guidance and expectations for continued growth remain important supports for the investment case. Neutral Sentiment: The obesity-drug market is becoming more selective, and Amgen is reportedly trimming some early-stage efforts. This could improve capital discipline, but it also highlights execution risk as the company competes in a crowded field. Obesity investing’s way forward, mapped Negative Sentiment: Although Cantor Fitzgerald and Mizuho raised their price targets, both retained “neutral” ratings and set targets below the current trading level, signaling valuation concerns after Amgen’s strong run. Analyst price-target updates Wall Street Analyst Weigh In AMGN has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Guggenheim raised their target price on Amgen from $343.00 to $388.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, August 10th. Barclays upped their price target on Amgen from $360.00 to $380.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, August 14th. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their price objective on Amgen from $366.00 to $384.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Erste Group Bank restated a “hold” rating on shares of Amgen in a research note on Tuesday, May 5th. Finally, Piper Sandler reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Amgen in a report on Friday, June 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $379.36. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on AMGN

Insiders Place Their Bets In other Amgen news, SVP Rachna Khosla sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $412.57, for a total transaction of $825,140.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 6,404 shares in the company, valued at $2,642,098.28. This trade represents a 23.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, SVP Nancy A. Grygiel sold 2,970 shares of Amgen stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $402.16, for a total transaction of $1,194,415.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 7,340 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,951,854.40. The trade was a 28.81% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 6,222 shares of company stock worth $2,540,926 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.85% of the company’s stock.

Amgen Trading Up 4.0% NASDAQ AMGN opened at $442.36 on Thursday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $375.75 and its 200-day moving average is $360.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.44, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 1.13. The stock has a market capitalization of $239.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.49, a PEG ratio of 3.95 and a beta of 0.41. Amgen Inc. has a one year low of $269.77 and a one year high of $443.20.

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The medical research company reported $6.29 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.62 by $0.67. Amgen had a net margin of 22.95% and a return on equity of 124.14%. The company had revenue of $10.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.43 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $6.02 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. Amgen has set its FY 2026 guidance at 22.300-23.500 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Amgen Inc. will post 22.78 EPS for the current year.

Amgen Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 11th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 21st will be paid a $2.52 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 21st. This represents a $10.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. Amgen’s payout ratio is presently 62.65%.

Amgen Company Profile (Free Report)

Amgen Inc (NASDAQ: AMGN) is a global biotechnology company founded in 1980 and headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. The company focuses on discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering human therapeutics that address serious illnesses. Amgen’s work centers on biologic medicines derived from cellular and molecular biology, with an emphasis on translating advances in human genetics and protein science into therapies for patients.

Amgen’s commercial portfolio has historically included biologics used in oncology, supportive care, nephrology, bone health and cardiovascular disease.

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Amgen (AMGN), the biotech heavyweight behind Repatha, Enbrel and MariTide, surged roughly 3.5% to $440.08 Wednesday morning as healthcare stocks ripped to a rec

Cane Capital Partners LLC raised its position in Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN – Free Report) by 73.2% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,259 shares of the medical research company’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,377 shares during the quarter. Cane Capital Partners LLC’s holdings in Amgen were worth $1,180,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Anfield Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Amgen by 1,000.0% in the 4th quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 77 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 70 shares during the period. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Amgen by 275.0% during the 4th quarter. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC now owns 75 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Tower View Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in Amgen by 331.6% during the 1st quarter. Tower View Wealth Management LLC now owns 82 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares during the period. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Amgen by 49.2% during the 4th quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 97 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares during the period. Finally, Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new position in Amgen in the 4th quarter valued at about $34,000. 76.50% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts have issued reports on AMGN shares. Scotiabank boosted their price target on shares of Amgen from $385.00 to $450.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of Amgen from $340.00 to $362.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $350.00 price objective on shares of Amgen in a report on Monday, July 6th. Robert W. Baird upped their target price on shares of Amgen from $215.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Erste Group Bank reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Amgen in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $372.39.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Amgen Amgen Price Performance AMGN stock opened at $419.38 on Tuesday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $372.05 and its two-hundred day moving average is $359.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.44, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 1.13. The firm has a market capitalization of $226.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.06, a P/E/G ratio of 3.86 and a beta of 0.41. Amgen Inc. has a 1 year low of $269.77 and a 1 year high of $421.79.

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The medical research company reported $6.29 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.62 by $0.67. Amgen had a return on equity of 124.14% and a net margin of 22.95%.The business had revenue of $10.05 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.43 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $6.02 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. Amgen has set its FY 2026 guidance at 22.300-23.500 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Amgen Inc. will post 22.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Amgen Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 11th. Investors of record on Friday, August 21st will be paid a $2.52 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 21st. This represents a $10.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. Amgen’s payout ratio is currently 62.65%.

Insider Activity at Amgen In other news, SVP Nancy A. Grygiel sold 2,970 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $402.16, for a total value of $1,194,415.20. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 7,340 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,951,854.40. This trade represents a 28.81% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, SVP Rachna Khosla sold 2,000 shares of Amgen stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $412.57, for a total transaction of $825,140.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 6,404 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,642,098.28. This trade represents a 23.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 6,222 shares of company stock valued at $2,540,926 in the last quarter. 0.85% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Amgen Profile (Free Report)

Amgen Inc (NASDAQ: AMGN) is a global biotechnology company founded in 1980 and headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. The company focuses on discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering human therapeutics that address serious illnesses. Amgen’s work centers on biologic medicines derived from cellular and molecular biology, with an emphasis on translating advances in human genetics and protein science into therapies for patients.

Amgen’s commercial portfolio has historically included biologics used in oncology, supportive care, nephrology, bone health and cardiovascular disease.

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On August 17, 2026, we conducted a DCF analysis for Amgen Inc
AMGN -0.12% 83

, a company that has shown strong price performance recently, with a year-to-date increase of 28.7% and a remarkable 47.3% rise over the past year. Here are some key takeaways from our analysis:

DCF Earnings-based intrinsic value of $295.98 compared to the current price of $415.21, indicating a margin of safety of -40.3%. DCF Free Cash Flow (FCF)-based intrinsic value of $216.27, reinforcing the overvaluation perspective. GF Score™ of 83/100, suggesting a high level of reliability in the DCF inputs used for this analysis. What Is AMGN Worth? DCF Earnings-Based Model In our DCF earnings-based model, we utilized a two-stage approach to estimate the intrinsic value of Amgen. The first stage reflects a growth phase over the next ten years, where we assume an annual growth rate of 7.1% for earnings per share (EPS). The second stage accounts for a terminal growth rate of 4% for the subsequent ten years. The discount rate applied in both stages is 11%, derived from the risk-free rate and equity risk premium.

Parameter Value Current EPS (TTM, excl. non-recurring) $22.37 10-Year Growth Rate 7.1% 10-Year Treasury Rate 4.68% Discount Rate (ceil(Treasury) + 6%) 11% Terminal Growth Rate 4% The calculation summary for the two-stage model is as follows:

Stage Description Value Growth Stage (Years 1-10) EPS growing at 7.1%, discounted at 11% $184.73 Terminal Stage (Years 11-20) 4% terminal growth, discounted at 11% $111.25 Intrinsic Value Growth + Terminal $295.98 With the current price at $415.21, the intrinsic value of $295.98 indicates that Amgen is significantly overvalued, presenting a margin of safety of -40.3%. It is important to note that GuruFocus utilizes EPS without non-recurring items, as research indicates that stock prices tend to correlate more closely with earnings than with free cash flow. For further details, you can access the AMGN DCF Calculator.

What Does the Free Cash Flow DCF Say? In addition to the earnings-based DCF model, we also evaluated Amgen using a Free Cash Flow (FCF) DCF model, which yielded an intrinsic value of $216.27. This value further supports the conclusion drawn from the earnings-based model, as both indicate that Amgen is significantly overvalued, with a margin of safety of -92.0%.

How Does GF Value™ Compare to the DCF Models? The GF Value™ for Amgen is calculated at $364.89, providing a third perspective on the company's valuation. GF Value™ is GuruFocus' proprietary measure that considers historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates. All three models—DCF earnings, DCF FCF, and GF Value™—agree on the overvaluation of Amgen. For more insights, visit the GF Value™ page.

What Does AMGN's GF Score™ Tell Us? The GF Score™ evaluates various aspects of a company, including its financial strength, profitability, growth potential, valuation, and momentum. Amgen's GF Score™ of 83/100 reflects its strong fundamentals, while a predictability rank of 4 out of 5 stars indicates that the DCF model is quite reliable for this stock.

Metric Rating GF Score™ 83/100 Financial Strength 4/10 Profitability 10/10 Growth 9/10 Valuation 7/10 Momentum 2/10 For additional information on Amgen, visit the AMGN stock page.

Key Assumptions and Limitations It is essential to recognize that DCF models are highly sensitive to the assumptions made regarding growth rates and discount rates. Stocks with lower predictability ratings tend to produce less reliable DCF estimates. The terminal growth rate of 4% is a simplifying assumption that may not fully capture future market conditions.

What This Means for Investors In summary, all three valuation models—DCF earnings, DCF FCF, and GF Value™—point to the conclusion that Amgen is significantly overvalued at its current price. The consensus among these models, along with the Guru 13F activity indicating that 13 gurus hold the stock (with 6 adding and 7 trimming positions), suggests caution for potential investors. Additionally, insider activity shows net selling over the past three months, which may further indicate a lack of confidence in the stock's current valuation. For a deeper dive into the DCF analysis, check out the AMGN DCF Calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions What is AMGN's intrinsic value based on DCF?

According to our analysis, the earnings-based intrinsic value is $295.98, while the FCF-based intrinsic value is $216.27.

Is AMGN overvalued or undervalued?

Both the DCF and GF Value™ models indicate that AMGN is overvalued at its current price.

How reliable is the DCF model for AMGN?

The predictability rank of 4 out of 5 stars suggests that the DCF model is quite reliable for Amgen.

This stock alert was generated using automated technology and GuruFocus financial data to provide readers with timely and accurate market reporting. This content was reviewed by GuruFocus editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

Baby Boomers building retirement income want two things from a dividend stock: a check that shows up on schedule, and a balance sheet that says the check will still show up ten years from now. This month’s screen prioritizes payout coverage, free cash flow, and track record before headline yield. All five names below are US-listed, all have paid uninterrupted dividends for decades, and all just reported quarters that either raised guidance or reaffirmed it. Here are five safe high-yield income ideas to consider in August 2026.

Verizon Communications
Verizon (NYSE:VZ | VZ Price Prediction) trades at $48.22 and pays a $0.7075 quarterly dividend, or $2.83 annualized. The stock has already returned 24.34% year-to-date, and management has kept extending the payout runway.

The bull case rests on cash generation. Q2 2026 adjusted EPS of $1.30 beat the $1.27 consensus, free cash flow rose 27.1% to $6.43 billion, and Verizon raised its FY26 adjusted EPS guidance to $4.99 to $5.04. CFO Tony Skiadas noted the January raise "marks the 20th consecutive year of dividend increases, a track record we’re extremely proud of." The Frontier deal closed in January and is already accelerating fiber build.

Risk: Total unsecured debt sits at $136.5 billion with net leverage at 2.5x, up from 2.2x at year-end 2025. Deleveraging back to the 2.0 to 2.25x target is a 2027 story.

Altria Group
Altria (NYSE:MO) closed at $65.08 with a $1.06 quarterly dividend and $4.24 annualized rate. Shares are up 16.49% year-to-date even after a soft month.

The Q2 2026 call reinforced the income thesis. Adjusted diluted EPS came in at $1.48, up 2.8% year-over-year, and management raised FY26 adjusted EPS guidance to $5.61 to $5.72. First-half shareholder returns totaled roughly $3.9 billion, and debt-to-EBITDA landed at 1.9x. CFO Heather Newman: "Our primary vehicle to [return capital] is by way of the dividend."

Risk: Domestic cigarette shipments are still contracting. Q2 reported cigarette volumes fell 3.2%, and Marlboro’s overall retail share slipped 1.5 share points year-over-year. The smoke-free transition is progressing, but execution risk persists.

Enterprise Products Partners
Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE:EPD) is a master limited partnership (MLP), which means K-1 tax reporting rather than a 1099. Units trade at $38.02, up 24.07% year-to-date. The Q3 2026 distribution rose to $0.56 per unit, an annualized $2.24, extending a growth streak that now spans more than 27 years.

Q2 2026 adjusted EBITDA hit a record $2.8 billion, up 17%, adjusted cash flow from operations was $2.5 billion, and the distribution payout ratio ran at just 56%. Consolidated leverage sits at the 3.0x target with 97% fixed-rate debt. The LPG export terminal expansion comes online end of 2026.

Risk: Commodity price volatility and elevated capex. 2026 growth capex is guided to $2.9 to $3.4 billion, roughly $700 million higher than the initial plan.

Realty Income
Realty Income (NYSE:O), a real estate investment trust (REIT) known as The Monthly Dividend Company, trades at $62.95 and yields 4.9%. The $0.271 monthly dividend paid August 14 marks continued growth from $0.264 in early 2025, and the company has now delivered 115 consecutive quarterly dividend increases and 670 consecutive monthly payments.

Q2 2026 AFFO per share rose to $1.09, up 3.8%, and management raised full-year AFFO guidance to $4.44 to $4.45. Occupancy sits at 98.8%, and Fitch just initiated coverage with an A long-term issuer default rating, placing O among only four US REITs at that level. A newly announced $6 billion hyperscale data center joint venture opens a fresh growth vector.

Risk: Net debt to EBITDA at 5.4x is inside the target range but elevated, and 65.7% of annualized base rent comes from non-investment-grade tenants.

Amgen
Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) closed at $417.84, up 29.52% year-to-date. The next $2.52 dividend goes ex on August 21 with a September 11 payment, putting the annualized rate at $10.08.

The Q2 2026 call showcased why the payout is well covered. Revenue topped $10 billion (up 10%), non-GAAP operating margin hit 48%, and free cash flow reached $3.5 billion in the quarter. Management raised FY26 guidance to revenue of $38.2 to $39.4 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $22.30 to $23.50. CEO Bob Bradway framed the durability: "We remain confident in our ability to deliver durable growth well into the next decade."

Risk: Prolia sales fell 33% year-over-year to $1.1 billion under biosimilar pressure, and total debt has climbed to $57.3 billion. The pipeline (MariTide, Olpaceran, Zaluridamig) needs to deliver.

The Bottom Line
None of these five is a coupon-clipping bond substitute; each carries a specific operating or balance-sheet risk investors should size accordingly. What ties them together is coverage: dividends and distributions funded by growing operating cash flow. For income-oriented Boomer portfolios heading into fall, these are the names where the payout math still works.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

© jittawit21 / Shutterstock.com

Three well-known dividend payers have confirmed ex-dividend dates landing in the next several trading sessions, which means the window to buy shares and capture the upcoming payments is measured in days, not weeks. To collect the cash, an investor has to be on the books before the ex-date arrives. Once it passes, that specific payment goes to the prior holder.

Quick mechanic: the ex-dividend date is the cutoff. You must own shares before that date to receive the payment. The pay date is when the cash actually hits the account, typically a few weeks later.

Microsoft (MSFT) Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT | MSFT Price Prediction) is a modest yielder at roughly $3.64 per share annualized, but the upcoming payment is confirmed and imminent. The next quarterly dividend of $0.91 per share carries an ex-dividend date of August 20, 2026, with a payment date of September 10, 2026. The last day to buy and still qualify is August 19, 2026.

Coverage here is rock solid. Microsoft posted FY26 diluted EPS of $17.28 against an annualized dividend of $3.64, and free cash flow of $66.99 billion more than covers the payout. Microsoft raised the quarterly rate from $0.83 to $0.91 starting with the February 2026 payment, extending a multi-year streak of increases. The stock closed at $503.17, up 31.41% over the past month on strong post-earnings momentum. Yield is small, but the dividend is arguably the safest on this list.

Amgen (AMGN) Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) is the heavy hitter on absolute payout. The next quarterly dividend of $2.52 per share has a confirmed ex-dividend date of August 21, 2026, with payment scheduled for September 11, 2026. The buy-by deadline is August 20, 2026. Forward annualized dividend sits at $10.08 per share, materially higher than the S&P 500 average.

Coverage against earnings is comfortable but tighter than Microsoft’s. FY2026 non-GAAP EPS guidance runs $21.70 to $23.10, and the $10.08 annual dividend fits inside that range with room for reinvestment and debt paydown. Amgen lifted the quarterly rate from $2.38 to $2.52 in early 2026, a continuation of a multi-year growth pattern. Shares have run to $414.46, up 49.09% over the past year, so the current yield is compressed from where it stood at the start of 2026, but the dividend itself is well underwritten by pipeline cash flow.

Marriott International (MAR) Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) rounds out the group. The next quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share carries an ex-dividend date of August 20, 2026, with payment set for September 30, 2026. Investors have to be holders by market close on August 19, 2026. Annualized forward dividend runs $2.92 per share, and management lifted the rate from $0.67 to $0.73 beginning with the Q2 2026 payment.

Coverage is the least strained of the three. FY26 adjusted diluted EPS guidance of $11.64 to $11.81 dwarfs the $2.92 annualized payout, and Marriott has flagged plans to return over $4.5 billion to shareholders in FY26 through dividends and buybacks combined. Shares at $348.87 have pulled back 7.36% over the past month, which nudges the yield modestly higher for anyone buying before the cutoff. This is a cyclical hospitality name, so travel demand is the swing factor, but current cash flow more than clears the dividend hurdle.

The Bottom Line on the Deadline Chasing a single ex-date is a tactic rather than a long-term strategy. A $0.91 payment or a $2.52 payment does not change the long-run case for any of these names. But if you already like the fundamentals, the mechanics matter: miss the ex-date and you miss that specific check. For MSFT and MAR, the last day to buy is August 19, 2026. For AMGN, it is August 20, 2026. Verify with your broker before you execute, and remember that the stock typically opens lower by roughly the dividend amount on the ex-date itself.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Aug 10th, 2026

Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN – Get Free Report) SVP Nancy Grygiel sold 2,970 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $402.16, for a total transaction of $1,194,415.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 7,340 shares in the company, valued at $2,951,854.40. This trade represents a 28.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.

Amgen Price Performance NASDAQ:AMGN opened at $410.95 on Monday. Amgen Inc. has a 52 week low of $269.77 and a 52 week high of $418.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.44, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 1.37. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $362.77 and its 200 day simple moving average is $356.43. The firm has a market cap of $222.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.54, a P/E/G ratio of 3.82 and a beta of 0.41.

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The medical research company reported $6.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.62 by $0.67. Amgen had a net margin of 22.95% and a return on equity of 124.14%. The firm had revenue of $10.05 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.43 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $6.02 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Amgen has set its FY 2026 guidance at 22.300-23.500 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Amgen Inc. will post 22.78 earnings per share for the current year.

Amgen Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 11th. Investors of record on Friday, August 21st will be paid a $2.52 dividend. This represents a $10.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 21st. Amgen’s payout ratio is 62.65%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities analysts have weighed in on AMGN shares. Daiwa Securities Group dropped their price objective on Amgen from $410.00 to $390.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, May 13th. Erste Group Bank reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Amgen in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $389.00 price target on Amgen in a research report on Friday, June 5th. Wall Street Zen raised Amgen from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price objective on shares of Amgen from $370.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $370.07.

Get Our Latest Research Report on Amgen

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Amgen A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Amgen during the fourth quarter worth $2,164,162,000. Capital World Investors increased its holdings in Amgen by 22.9% in the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 23,097,711 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $7,560,249,000 after purchasing an additional 4,302,237 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in Amgen by 4.8% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 49,362,016 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $17,874,974,000 after purchasing an additional 2,261,544 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its position in Amgen by 4.4% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 30,591,403 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $10,012,872,000 after purchasing an additional 1,287,310 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Amgen by 7.8% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,303,294 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $4,665,822,000 after buying an additional 1,035,779 shares during the period. 76.50% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Amgen Here are the key news stories impacting Amgen this week:

Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results exceeded expectations: Amgen reported second-quarter revenue of approximately $10.05 billion, up 9.5% year over year, while adjusted earnings of $6.29 per share surpassed the $5.62 consensus estimate. Amgen Q2 2026 earnings beat, raises full-year outlook, drops AMG 513 Positive Sentiment: Guidance was raised: Management now expects fiscal-year earnings of $22.30 to $23.50 per share, supported by growth in cardiovascular, bone-health and rare-disease medicines. The performance offset pressure in the bone-health business and the decision to discontinue obesity candidate AMG 513. Amgen Stock Climbs as Drug Growth Outruns Obesity Setback Positive Sentiment: Analyst targets point to additional upside: BMO Capital Markets raised its target to $450, while UBS and TD Cowen set targets of $440 and $452, respectively. Morgan Stanley, RBC, Oppenheimer and Scotiabank also indicated that Amgen’s stock could rise. BMO Capital Markets Boosts Amgen Price Target to $450 Neutral Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains mixed: Wells Fargo raised its target to $400 and Canaccord Genuity to $384, both below the stock’s recent trading level, while Citi maintained a Hold rating and UBS maintained a Buy rating. This suggests strong results have improved sentiment, but valuation and pipeline execution remain concerns. Citi Keeps Their Hold Rating on Amgen Negative Sentiment: Pipeline disappointment limits the upside case: Amgen dropped AMG 513, its obesity-drug candidate, removing a potential growth driver and leaving investors focused on the company’s existing medicines and remaining pipeline. Amgen drops AMG 513 Amgen Company Profile (Get Free Report)

Amgen Inc (NASDAQ: AMGN) is a global biotechnology company founded in 1980 and headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. The company focuses on discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering human therapeutics that address serious illnesses. Amgen’s work centers on biologic medicines derived from cellular and molecular biology, with an emphasis on translating advances in human genetics and protein science into therapies for patients.

Amgen’s commercial portfolio has historically included biologics used in oncology, supportive care, nephrology, bone health and cardiovascular disease.

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Posted by Defense World Staff on Aug 8th, 2026

Abner Herrman & Brock LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN – Free Report) by 24.1% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 8,418 shares of the medical research company’s stock after selling 2,680 shares during the period. Abner Herrman & Brock LLC’s holdings in Amgen were worth $3,048,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Anfield Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Amgen by 1,000.0% in the 4th quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 77 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 70 shares during the period. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of Amgen by 275.0% during the fourth quarter. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC now owns 75 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 55 shares during the period. Tower View Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Amgen by 331.6% in the first quarter. Tower View Wealth Management LLC now owns 82 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC raised its stake in Amgen by 49.2% in the fourth quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 97 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 32 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ares Financial Consulting LLC purchased a new stake in Amgen in the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. 76.50% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Amgen Trading Up 1.5% NASDAQ:AMGN opened at $410.95 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.44. Amgen Inc. has a 12 month low of $269.77 and a 12 month high of $418.40. The company has a market cap of $221.79 billion, a PE ratio of 25.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.77 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $362.77 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $356.24.

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The medical research company reported $6.29 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.62 by $0.67. Amgen had a return on equity of 124.14% and a net margin of 22.95%.The firm had revenue of $10.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $9.43 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $6.02 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 9.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Amgen has set its FY 2026 guidance at 22.300-23.500 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Amgen Inc. will post 22.73 earnings per share for the current year.

Amgen Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 11th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 21st will be given a dividend of $2.52 per share. This represents a $10.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 21st. Amgen’s payout ratio is presently 62.65%.

Amgen News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Amgen this week:

Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results exceeded expectations: Amgen reported second-quarter revenue of approximately $10.05 billion, up 9.5% year over year, while adjusted earnings of $6.29 per share surpassed the $5.62 consensus estimate. Amgen Q2 2026 earnings beat, raises full-year outlook, drops AMG 513 Positive Sentiment: Guidance was raised: Management now expects fiscal-year earnings of $22.30 to $23.50 per share, supported by growth in cardiovascular, bone-health and rare-disease medicines. The performance offset pressure in the bone-health business and the decision to discontinue obesity candidate AMG 513. Amgen Stock Climbs as Drug Growth Outruns Obesity Setback Positive Sentiment: Analyst targets point to additional upside: BMO Capital Markets raised its target to $450, while UBS and TD Cowen set targets of $440 and $452, respectively. Morgan Stanley, RBC, Oppenheimer and Scotiabank also indicated that Amgen’s stock could rise. BMO Capital Markets Boosts Amgen Price Target to $450 Neutral Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains mixed: Wells Fargo raised its target to $400 and Canaccord Genuity to $384, both below the stock’s recent trading level, while Citi maintained a Hold rating and UBS maintained a Buy rating. This suggests strong results have improved sentiment, but valuation and pipeline execution remain concerns. Citi Keeps Their Hold Rating on Amgen Negative Sentiment: Pipeline disappointment limits the upside case: Amgen dropped AMG 513, its obesity-drug candidate, removing a potential growth driver and leaving investors focused on the company’s existing medicines and remaining pipeline. Amgen drops AMG 513 Insider Activity In related news, SVP Nancy A. Grygiel sold 2,970 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $402.16, for a total transaction of $1,194,415.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 7,340 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,951,854.40. The trade was a 28.81% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 0.85% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Oppenheimer upped their target price on Amgen from $400.00 to $450.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday. Cantor Fitzgerald restated a “neutral” rating and set a $350.00 price target on shares of Amgen in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Bank of America upped their price target on Amgen from $312.00 to $317.00 and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Truist Financial raised their price objective on Amgen from $340.00 to $362.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein upped their target price on shares of Amgen from $335.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating, fifteen have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $370.07.

View Our Latest Analysis on Amgen

Amgen Profile (Free Report)

Amgen Inc (NASDAQ: AMGN) is a global biotechnology company founded in 1980 and headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. The company focuses on discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering human therapeutics that address serious illnesses. Amgen’s work centers on biologic medicines derived from cellular and molecular biology, with an emphasis on translating advances in human genetics and protein science into therapies for patients.

Amgen’s commercial portfolio has historically included biologics used in oncology, supportive care, nephrology, bone health and cardiovascular disease.

See Also Five stocks we like better than Amgen Datadog’s Drop Says More About Expectations Than Earnings D-Wave’s Quantum Breakthrough Couldn’t Save QBTS From a Sell-Off Cloudflare’s Beat-and-Raise Quarter Puts Its AI Edge Story in Focus Solventum Nears Inflection Point As It Begins to Unlock Value Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AMGN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN – Free Report).

Receive News & Ratings for Amgen Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amgen and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

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The market has finally noticed Amgen's R&D achievements and progress in commercializing its key blockbusters in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and IMIDs. So, sales of Tezspire, used to treat asthma and CRSwNP, rose 42.1% year-over-year to $486 million in the second quarter. On the other hand, Repatha, a PCSK9 inhibitor, generated $953 million in revenue for Amgen, up 8.8% quarter-on-quarter.

Published: 12:19 05 Aug 2026 EDT

Snail Games unit to debut AI companion technology at Vegas conference Snail shares trade at steep discount to peers, Noble says after conference presentation

About the company Snail, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNAL) is a leading, global independent developer and publisher of interactive digital entertainment for consumers around the world, with a premier portfolio of premium games designed for use on a variety of platforms, including consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. For more information, please visit: https://snail.com/

How it is doing 04 Aug 2026

Snail Inc (NASDAQ:SNAL) said Tuesday its subsidiary Egofold will debut AI Ranch and NHPs, an artificial intelligence initiative, at the Ai4 2026 conference in Las Vegas this week.

The company described NHPs, or Non-Human Players, as AI companions for video games designed to learn and adapt during gameplay, distinguishing them from traditional non-playable characters or scripted bots.

Each NHP is intended to improve through gameplay by learning from shared experiences, the company said.

Snail Games said the initiative combines adaptive AI with persistent player relationships as part of its investment in AI technology for gaming.

22 Jul 2026

Snail Inc (NASDAQ:SNAL) said it will attend Gamescom 2026 in Germany, where the company plans to showcase its expanding portfolio and reveal a previously undisclosed title.

Gamescom is one of the industry's largest platforms for visibility and partnership development. It drew more than 350,000 attendees from over 128 countries in 2025.

07 Jul 2026

Snail Inc (NASDAQ:SNAL) has announced the launch of three new content releases for ARK: Survival Ascended, including ARK: Genesis Part 1 Ascended, ARK: Tides of Fortune, and ARK: Dragontopia.

The company said it expects to recognize approximately $11 million from its deferred revenue backlog during the third quarter of 2026 in connection with the release of ARK: Genesis Part 1 Ascended.

What the brokers say 12 Jun 2026

Snail Inc (NASDAQ:SNAL) presented at the Noble Virtual Conference on June 3, with CFO Heidi Chow and Senior Manager FP&A Peter Lin outlining the company's return to profitability, a packed 2026 release schedule, and progress on its digital assets strategy.

According to analysts at Noble, the presentation underscored the durability of the company's flagship ARK franchise, which has generated approximately $1 billion in revenue since launch, surpassed 113 million installs, and accumulated 4.4 billion hours of gameplay.

“In our view, the Snail shares offer a favorable risk/reward relationship,” analysts wrote.