Baird analyst Brian Skorney is positive on Roche (RHHBY) deal for ex-U.S. and expects Sarepta's (SRPT) shares to trade at all-time highs off the news, but believes still more value remains in addressing DMD. The analyst also believes the deal clears out numerous points of pushback as he believes the validation from a big pharma mega-deal should dampen any concerns around safety, manufacturing capability, or financing risk. This effectively puts Sarepta in a position to complete the pivotal program for SRP-9001, build substantial commercial supply, and launch SRP-9001, which should turn Sarepta profitable in the first quarter or two of launch, he adds.

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Alecensa for adjuvant treatment following tumor resection for patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small cell lung cancer, as detected by an FDA-approved test. Alecensa is now the first and only ALK inhibitor approved for people with ALK-positive early-stage NSCLC who have undergone surgery to remove their tumor. "With an unprecedented 76% reduction in the risk of disease recurrence or death versus chemotherapy, Alecensa significantly improves upon the standard of care for people with early-stage ALK-positive lung cancer," said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. "At Genentech, our goal is to give patients the best chance of cure by bringing effective, targeted treatments to early-stage disease before their cancer has spread. This approval brings us one step closer to achieving that mission."