FTSE 100 news / Companies and sectors / Pharma and healthcare / 21 October 2026
Pharma and healthcare: sector news on Wednesday 21 October 2026
Average tone +6.2 (strongly positive) across 5 companies with relevant coverage, from 74 stories.
Company by company
| Company | Tone | Stories | What the coverage was about |
|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca | +8.7 | 38 | Coverage was dominated by positive Phase III results for Tezspire in eosinophilic esophagitis, with a 69% remission rate and a 2.7% share rise reported. |
| GSK | +10.0 | 26 | Coverage was dominated by the FDA approval of Hibsago for chronic hepatitis B and accelerated approval of Jemperli in rectal cancer. |
| Haleon | +5.5 | 4 | Coverage was mostly positive, with UBS pointing to possible earnings upside from an early flu season and Goldman keeping its Buy rating. |
| Smith & Nephew | +0.3 | 4 | Coverage was mixed, covering an earnings call transcript, a results preview and an interim CFO appointment. |
| Convatec | +5.0 | 2 | Coverage centred on an upcoming company update, with UBS expecting 6.00 percent growth, and a newly arrived director adding to his shares. |
Strongest stories in the sector
- +10.0 Hibsago (bepirovirsen) approved in the US for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB)
Company announces US approval of Hibsago - +10.0 US FDA approves GSK's hepatitis B drug, offering patients chance to stop long-term treatment
Reuters reports approval allowing patients to stop treatment - +10.0 FDA approves GSK's ASO as functional cure for hepatitis B
Approval described as functional cure for hepatitis B - +10.0 FDA approves GSK’s Hibsago for chronic hepatitis B treatment By Investing.com
FDA approval of Hibsago for chronic hepatitis B is major positive - +10.0 GSK Says US FDA Approves Hibsago For Chronic Hepatitis B
Same FDA approval of Hibsago, strongly positive - +10.0 GSK wins approval of bepirovirsen for hepatitis B (GSK:NYSE)
Approval of bepirovirsen for hepatitis B - +10.0 FDA approves GSK's Hibsago for sustained control of hepatitis B
FDA approval for hepatitis B drug, positive - +10.0 GSK’s Hibsago approved by FDA for treatment of CHB
FDA approval of Hibsago for chronic hepatitis B - +10.0 FDA Greenlights GSK’s Chronic HBV Antisense Oligo With Roche CDx Test
FDA approval alongside companion diagnostic test - +10.0 Amgen, AstraZeneca's Tezspire achieves 69% remission in Phase III EoE trial
69% remission in Phase III trial - +10.0 GSK Immunotherapy Gets Accelerated FDA Approval for Treating Rectal Cancer
Accelerated FDA approval for Jemperli in rectal cancer - +10.0 GSK's Jemperli wins FDA accelerated approval as first immunotherapy for MSI-H/dMMR locally advanced rectal cancer
First immunotherapy approved for locally advanced rectal cancer
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