MTSR Metsera, Inc. Common Stock

Bank of America analyst Jason Gerberry lowered Pfizer's price target to $27 from $28, maintaining a Neutral rating, due to a steeper-than-expected erosion of its COVID-19 franchise and a shift in focus to its obesity strategy with Metsera. Despite this, Pfizer and Astellas announced positive Phase 3 trial results for PADCEV and Keytruda in muscle-invasive bladder cancer, positioning it as a potential platinum-free standard of care. The company continues to develop biopharmaceutical products globally, with investor attention now on its obesity pipeline and oncology advancements.

Pfizer's 2026 guidance emphasizes a long-term strategy for returning to growth. The company is focusing on future initiatives and developments to achieve this goal. This guidance signals a patient outlook towards regaining strong performance in the coming years.

The recent bidding war for Metsera has signaled to analysts that Big Pharma is actively seeking new biotech acquisitions, intensifying the search for the next M&A target. Six biotechs are currently generating significant M&A buzz, including Maplight Therapeutics due to setbacks for Bristol Myers Squibb's competing muscarinic drug, and Structure Therapeutics with its promising GLP-1 data. Other biotechs highlighted are Abivax for its inflammatory disease candidates, Terns Pharmaceuticals after "unprecedented" oncology data, Ventyx Biosciences with its NLRP3 inhibitors, and Viking Therapeutics, a long-standing M&A prospect in the obesity space.

Pfizer has filed a lawsuit to block Novo Nordisk's bid for Metsera, an obesity drugmaker, citing concerns over intellectual property. The legal action aims to prevent the acquisition, which could intensify competition in the rapidly growing obesity treatment market. This move highlights the fierce rivalry among pharmaceutical giants in the race for innovative weight-loss therapies.

Pfizer is continuing to expand its obesity portfolio following its recent $10 billion acquisition of Metsera. The company has now entered into a licensing deal with YaoPharma for an obesity asset, further solidifying its presence in the competitive obesity treatment market. This move suggests Pfizer's commitment to developing new therapies in this therapeutic area.

Pfizer has entered a licensing deal with Chinese firm YaoPharma, a subsidiary of Fosun Pharma, for an investigational GLP-1 receptor agonist, YPO5002, worth up to $1.9 billion. This comes after Pfizer's recent high-profile acquisition of Metsera to bolster its obesity pipeline. The deal involves an initial $150 million upfront payment, with Pfizer taking over development, manufacturing, and commercialization after YaoPharma completes an ongoing Phase I trial of YPO5002.