Johnson & Johnson Reports Q3 Earnings: Innovative Medicines Generate $13.89 Billion, with Autoimmune Antibody Drug as Top Seller

Ustekinumab (ustekinumab/Stelara): Q3 revenue of $2.864 billion,It is a core product of Johnson & Johnson in the field of autoimmune diseases.The drug achieved sales of $7.707 billion in 2020 and is a fully human IgG1k monoclonal antibody.The world's first to simultaneously and selectively target IL-12 and IL-23(Two naturally occurring cytokines)Biological agents, alsoThe Only Globally Approved TreatmentCrohn's Disease (CD)Anti-IL-12/23 Biologics, which can bind to the p40 subunit of IL-12/23, has low immunogenicity and anti-antibody incidence, and high safety. AsJohnson & Johnson's Best-Selling DrugUsed for the treatment of psoriasis, it has also been approved for psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease. Launched in Europe in 2008, it has been approved for Crohn's disease (CD) indications in 46 countries. In China, the indication for Crohn's disease was approved in March 2020, for adult patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease (CD) who have had an inadequate response to, lost response to, or were intolerant to conventional therapy or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) antagonists (infliximab, adalimumab).

▲Ustekinumab Injection

▲Ustekinumab Prefilled Syringe

▲Huadong Medicine

Next is Daratumumab (Darzalex): Q3 revenue of $2.499 billion. Used for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM).

CD38It is an enzyme (extracellular enzyme) on the cell surface and also a receptor, participating in transmembrane signal transduction and cell adhesion functions. Under normal circumstances, it is expressed at low levels on the surface of lymphocytes, myeloid cells, and other non-hematopoietic tissue cells, butHighly expressed in malignant plasma cells (myeloma cells)Daratumumab can directly bind to CD38 on the surface of myeloma cells, inducing myeloma cell death through multiple mechanisms to achieve rapid disease relief.

DaratumumabOn the one hand, it acts directly on myeloma cells., Exerting immune-mediated activity.On the other hand, throughRegulate the immune microenvironment, thereby activating killer T cells CD8+ and helper T cells CD4+, rapidly and durably eliminating CD38+ immunosuppressive cells, continuously promoting myeloma cell death, and achieving deep and lasting remission. Additionally, it is associated with proteasome inhibition (bortezomib, ixazomib) and immunomodulators (thalidomide, lenalidomide).Combined Therapy for Myeloma。

▲Xi'an Janssen

Multiple pharmaceutical companies in China are also researching CD38 monoclonal antibodies., Sanofi: isatuximab; I-Mab: TJ202; Sinovent: SG301; YZY Biopharma: Y150; Casi Pharmaceuticals: CID-103 and Connaught Biologics: CM313 Injection,CM313 Injection Receives IND Approval from CDE in May 2022, Becoming China's First Domestically Produced CD38 Antibody Drug Approved for IND。

FollowIn the post-epidemic era,Johnson & JohnsonCOVID-19VaccineIn the third quarter from this growth“Stand out”, the vaccine has only brought4100Million USDIncome.And2022 Compared with the same period last year, which meansOperating sales decreased by nearly98%。Excluding coronavirus business, the overall operational sales growth rate of Johnson & Johnson's innovative pharmaceuticals business is8.2%。

Johnson & Johnson Submits to FDANiraparibAnd acetic acidAbiraterone（Akeega), which is used for the first-line treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, is expected to receive potential FDA approval.

Currently, the company is still awaiting the FDA's feedback on Talvey (talquetamab) and Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel) for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. In addition, it is preparing an application for Edurant (rilpivirine) to treat HIV in children.

▲Image Source: Johnson & Johnson Official Website