The Week Ahead In Biotech (April 19-25): Eli Lilly, Biogen Earnings On Tap, Sanofi Awaits FDA Decision

Biotech stocks staged a nice recovery along with the broader markets in the week ended April 17.

Apart from the broader market sentiment, big moves in biopharma companies such as Johnson & Johnson JNJ and Gilead Sciences, Inc. GILD also supported sentiment. The former reported strongly quarterly results and the latter benefited from reports of positive efficacy data on its COVID-19 treatment candidate remdesivir.

Urogen Pharma Ltd URGN gained approval for its low-grade bladder cancer drug. News flow concerning the impact of the pandemic on clinical trials and operations as well as developmental updates on COVID-19 treatment, vaccines and tests continued to pour in.

The following are key catalysts investors should stay focused on in the unfolding week.

PDUFA Dates

The FDA is scheduled to rule on Sanofi SA's SNY BLA for its meningococcal meningitis vaccine candidate MenQuadfi by the PDUFA action date of April 25. 

Clinical Readouts

• Sanofi will present detailed data from the Phase 2b trial of its investigational BTK inhibitor SAR442168 that is being evaluated for multiple sclerosis Thursday, 8-9 a.m. ET. This investigational asset has been licensed from Principia Biopharma Inc PRNB.

Earnings

Wednesday

• Quest Diagnostics Inc DGX (before the market opens)
• Biogen Inc BIIB (before the open)

Thursday

• Eli Lilly And Co LLY (before the market opens)
• Centogene NV CNTG (before the market opens)
• Neurometrix Inc NURO (before the market opens)
• West Pharmaceutical Services Inc. WST (before the market opens)
• Edwards Lifesciences Corp EW (after the close)
• Merit Medical Systems, Inc. MMSI (after the close)

Related Link: Gilead Analysts Break Down Remdesivir Data Readout From Compassionate Use