Pfizer Tuesday slightly raised the lower end of its full-year revenue forecast after beating Wall Street estimates for second-quarter profit, driven by strong demand for blood thinner Eliquis. Shares rose 1.8 per cent to US$25.5 in premarket trading. Pfizer is banking on newer medicines to offset fading COVID revenue and reduce reliance on aging blockbuster drugs, while investors look for signs that its US$10 billion purchase of Metsera can help establish a meaningful presence in the fast-growing obesity market. The drugmaker, whose shares have fallen more than 50 per cent from their pandemic-era peak, expects to return to stronger growth after 2028. The U.S. drugmaker now expects annual sales of US$60.5 billion to US$62.5 billion, up from US$59.5 billion to US$62.5 billion forecast previously. On an adjusted basis, the company reported a profit of 77 cents per share, compared with analysts’ estimates of 68 cents per share, according to data compiled by LSEG. (Reporting by Mariam Sunny and Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva)
