It has never happened before that three pharmaceutical companies are poised to test whether new drugs can work against a broad range of cancers separately of where they originated including breast, prostate, liver, lung.
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK), Sanofi SA (ADR) (NYSE:SNY) and Roche are attempting to develop their own series of a drug they expect will restore a mechanism that usually makes badly damaged cells self-destruct and could possibly be used against half of all cancers. Researchers and federal regulators say no pharmaceutical company has ever launched a key clinical trial of a drug in patients who have many different kinds of cancer.[article_detail_ad_1]
Looking at stocks of the major drug manufacturing industry, Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) moved up 14.73% in this year and its price history showed most recently beta was at 0.29. Overall during the last 12 months, the percentage change in the price was 9.99%, hitting the highest of $48.00 on Oct 18, 2012 while lowest level in that period was $36.91 on Mar 27, 2012.
Couriernews reports a federal jury has discarded an Arkansas woman’s claims for damages against two subsidiaries of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) in a case over a hormone drug. A quick look on Pfizer’s price history reveals beta used to measure the volatility or systematic risk in comparison to the market as a whole was 0.66 and the percentage change in the price over the past 52 weeks remained at +15.20%. The price range in those 52 weeks had a best score of $26.09 on Oct 18, 2012 while lowest level during that period was $20.75 on Feb 27, 2012.
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) shares rallied 11.12% so far in 2012 and has recently unveiled a plan to host an analyst meeting at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, Jan. 22, to discuss fourth-quarter and full-year 2012.
The stock most recently had a beta value at 0.44 and the percentage change in the price over the last fifty two weeks remained at 6.44%. The price range in that 1-year period had a best hit of $72.74 on Oct 18, 2012 while lowest level in the same period was $61.71 on Jun 01, 2012.
So far, the share price of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) jumped 21.30% in this year and stock’s price history revealed that beta was maintained at 0.44 and the percentage change in the price over the last fifty two weeks remained as 17.46%.