Merck sees sharp 拒絶する／低下する in COVID sales for 2023 after strong fourth ４半期/4分の1
By Michael Erman
Feb 2 (Reuters) - Merck & Co on Thursday 予測（する） 2023 収入s below 塀で囲む Street 見積（る）s along with an 推定する／予想するd 法外な 拒絶する／低下する in sales of its COVID-19 antiviral 治療, and its 株 fell around 2%.
The U.S. drugmaker did 報告（する）／憶測 a higher-than-推定する／予想するd fourth-４半期/4分の1 利益（をあげる） on strong sales of the COVID pill molnupiravir in Asia and its blockbuster 癌 麻薬 Keytruda.
But 投資家s appear to be 焦点（を合わせる）d on the 見通し for this year and 株 were 負かす／撃墜する about 2% at $104.95, after 落ちるing as low as $102.80 earlier on Thursday.
Merck 予測（する） 2023 adjusted 収入s of $6.80 to $6.95 per 株, lower than 分析家s' 普通の／平均（する） 見積（る） of $7.36.
The 予測（する） was 衝撃d by a 税金 攻撃する，衝突する Merck will have to 支払う／賃金 関係のある to its $1.35 billion 取得／買収 of 癌 麻薬 developer Imago BioSciences, the company said.
The company also sees a 法外な 拒絶する／低下する ahead for molnupiravir sales in 2023, dropping to around $1 billion from $5.68 billion in 2022. It 予測（する） 2023 sales of $57.2 to $58.7 billion, 負かす／撃墜する from $59.3 billion last year.
"Merck 直面するs a more challenging 2023" as the 2022 上げる in sales from molnupiravir rolls off, said Citi 分析家 Andrew Baum.
Merck's sales in the ４半期/4分の1 were $13.83 billion, up from $13.52 billion a year earlier. 分析家s had 推定する／予想するd sales of $13.67 billion, によれば Refinitiv data.
The 癌 immunotherapy Keytruda continues to grow, with fourth-４半期/4分の1 sales of $5.45 billion, up 19% from a year ago and 概略で in line with 分析家 見積（る）s.
除外するing items, Merck earned $1.62 a 株, 越えるing 塀で囲む Street 期待s by 8 cents, によれば Refini tiv.
Molnupiravir sales were $825 million in the ４半期/4分の1, 井戸／弁護士席 over 二塁打 分析家 見積（る）s of around $358 million.
Merck 大統領 略奪する Davis said the pandemic wave that moved through Asia in the fourth ４半期/4分の1 drove sales of molnupiravir, which is sold under the brand 指名する Lagevrio, 特に in Japan, South Korea and other areas of the Asia 太平洋の 地域.
"That really was the strength, and we've seen very good 需要・要求する for Lagevrio in those markets," Davis said in an interview. "In Japan, we are a market leader."
The 麻薬 was not 認可するd for use in 中国 until Dec. 30, so sales there were not a factor in the fourth ４半期/4分の1.
The human papillomavirus (HPV) ワクチン Gardasil had sales of $1.47 billion, わずかに underperforming 分析家 期待s. (報告（する）／憶測ing by Michael Erman in New Jersey, Leroy Leo and Khushi Mandowara in Bengaluru; Editing by 法案 Berkrot)
