The S&P 500 (SP500) closed in the green on Friday, after the latest inflation data increased optimism among investors.
The S&P 500 Health Care Index Sector (XLV) declined about 1.8% during the week.
The top S&P 500 healthcare gainers and losers for the last week are as follows:
Top 5 Gainers:
· Centene +9.68%
· Molina Healthcare 9.66%
· McKesson +8.89%
· Universal Health Services +6.46%
· Cencora +5.86%
Top 5 Losers:
· Mettler-Toledo International -4.83%
· Regeneron Pharmaceuticals -4.75%
· Baxter International -4.52%
· Incyte -4.43%
· Charles River Laboratories -4.40%
Here are some of the important healthcare stories from this week:
Trump’s 100% drug tariffs send pharma stocks lowerEuropean and Asian pharmaceutical stocks fell Friday after President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping new tariffs, including a 100% levy on branded and patented drugs starting October 1, with exemptions for companies actively building new manufacturing facilities in the U.S.The plan could significantly increase costs for drugmakers lacking U.S. production facilities, intensifying pressure on those that have not yet begun construction. The new duties could hit about $220 billion of U.S. pharmaceutical imports and lift the average tariff rate by 3.3 percentage points, Bloomberg Intelligence economists estimate.Markets had been bracing for the long-flagged pharmaceutical tariffs from Trump, but drugmakers with major U.S. exposure tumbled across Europe, Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong.
UnitedHealth’s Optum Insight names new CEOUnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH) appointed its chief digital and technology officer, Sandeep Dadlani, as the CEO of its data and analytics division, Optum Insight, as the managed care firm continues to reshuffle its senior leadership.
In a LinkedIn post, Dadlani announced his new role at Optum Insight, which houses UnitedHealth’s (NYSE:UNH) health IT unit, Change Healthcare, where a cyberattack occurred last year, resulting in the company incurring more than $9B in relief payments. He replaces Dhivya Suryadevara, who became Optum Insight’s CEO in May.
While it’s not clear if Suryadevara remains at Optum, the appointment marks UnitedHealth’s latest management change, following the abrupt departure of former CEO Andrew Witty, which brought back company veteran Stephen Hemsley to the leadership role in May.
How Pfizer can compete in the obesity space with its Metsera acquisitionPfizer’s (NYSE:PFE) entry into the obesity treatment market through its $4.9B deal to acquire Metsera (MTSR) is the latest indication that Big Pharma wants a piece of the weight loss drugs pie that is currently dominated by Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NVO).
It is also a way for Pfizer to shore up its pipeline. Metsera has MET-097i, a weekly and monthly injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist, in phase 2, and MET-233i, a monthly amylin analog in phase 1.
Premier to be acquired by Patient Square Capital in $2.6B dealPremier (NASDAQ:PINC) has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of investment firm Patient Square Capital.
Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by Premier’s board of directors, Premier stockholders will receive $28.25 in cash per share, representing a 23.8% premium to its 60-day volume-weighted average price as of Sept. 5, 2025.
The transaction is expected to close by the first quarter of calendar year 2026.
Lilly plans to launch experimental weight-loss pill in India – reportPharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) aims to bring its experimental oral weight-loss drug orforglipron to India as it sees scope for such products in the world’s most populous nation, a senior executive told Reuters on Thursday.
“I do think there is promise for products like that (orforglipron) in India, if it does get approved,” Winselow Tucker, Lilly India’s president, said at an event in Mumbai. Tucker, however, did not indicate when Lilly plans to launch the drug.