IKNA - Push for Merck to work with GSK on vaccine Ovid price target halved and more in today's analyst action action

Merck should collaborate with GSK on RSV vaccineMerck (MRK) should collaborate with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) on the latter's development of a RSV (respiratory syncytial) vaccine as it would be a win-win scenario for both companies, writes Citi analyst Andrew Baum.For Merck, it would provide potential commercial synergies with its pneumococcal vaccine PNEUMOVAX 23 and revenues from an RSV vaccine would help make up for decreases in Keytruda sales as it approaches loss of exclusivity.For GSK, it would allow the company to fund near-term business development, enhance short-term earnings by lowering R&D expenses, and validate the commercial potential of the vaccine.Merck was working on an RSV candidate but handed it back last year to Moderna.Pipeline questions lead to Oppenheimer downgrade of OvidUncertainty about early-stage programs entering the clinic have led Oppenheimer to downgrade shares of Ovid Therapeutics (OVID) from overweight to neutral and half the price target from $8 to $4.Analyst Charles

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Push for Merck to work with GSK on vaccine, Ovid price target halved, and more in today's analyst action action