Pfizer’s Important Product Developments in 2Q17

Pfizer’s (PFE) innovative health business and essential health business are focusing on growth. To strengthen the innovative health business, the company is focusing on the development of new drugs as well as expanding market reach of their existing products.

• In July 2017, the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (or CHMP) recommended Bavencio (avelumab), a drug co-developed by Pfizer and Merck KGaA, as a monotherapy for the treatment of patients with metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma.
• In May 2017, Merck KGaA and Pfizer announced that the US Food and Drugs Administration (or FDA) approved Bavencio for the treatment of urothelial carcinoma in patients who show disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.
• In July 2017, the European Commission approved Besponsa for the treatment of refractory or relapsed CD22-positive B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
• In May 2017, the European Commission approved Trumenba vaccine for the prevention of invasive meningococcal disease, which is caused by the Neisseria meningitides serogroup B in adults as well as children above ten years of age.
• In June 2017, the US FDA granted fast-track designation to Vyndaqel (tafamidis). Vyndaqel is an investigational treatment for transthyretin cardiomyopathy.
• In July 2017, the US FDA accepted for review the supplemental New Drug Application for Xeljanz for the treatment of active ulcerative colitis.

The VanEck Vectors Pharmaceuticals ETF (PPH) which holds 5.5% of its total assets in Pfizer. PPH also invests 6.9% of its portfolio in Novartis (NVS), 5.1% in Sanofi (SNY), and 5.1% in Novo Nordisk (NVO).