--- title: "U.S. stock market midday update: VeraDermics up 8.39%, oral hair loss medication clinical benefits boost stock price" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/293063602.md" description: "VeraDermics rose 8.39%; Eli Lilly rose 0.62%, with a transaction volume of USD 1.659 billion; Johnson & Johnson rose 0.98%, with a transaction volume of USD 1.169 billion; Merck fell 0.05%, with a transaction volume of USD 1.025 billion; Novartis rose 0.35%, with a market value of USD 280.6 billion" datetime: "2026-07-17T17:38:02.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/293063602.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/293063602.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/293063602.md) generator: "portal-rs" --- # U.S. stock market midday update: VeraDermics up 8.39%, oral hair loss medication clinical benefits boost stock price **U.S. Stock Market Midday Update** VeraDermics rose 8.39%. Based on recent key news: 1. On July 15, VeraDermics announced that its experimental oral drug VDPHL01 achieved positive results in a Phase II clinical trial for women with mild to moderate hair loss. This news significantly boosted the company's stock price, bringing its market capitalization to $4.6 billion. Data indicated that 89% of the once-daily treatment group and 90% of the twice-daily treatment group reported improvements in hair coverage after six months. 2. On July 15, Citi analysts pointed out that VDPHL01 showed significant hair growth effects within two months and had similar efficacy across different dosing regimens, with no treatment-related serious or cardiac side effects, enhancing the drug's commercial prospects in treating female hair loss. 3. On July 16, Needham maintained a buy rating on VeraDermics and raised the target price from $136 to $164, further boosting market confidence. The biopharmaceutical industry is active in the development of innovative drugs. **Stocks with High Trading Volume in the Industry** Eli Lilly rose 0.62%, with increased trading volume. Based on recent key news: 1. On July 16, Eli Lilly announced the acquisition of AtaiBeckley for $2.8 billion, with a total transaction value potentially reaching $3.8 billion. This move aims to expand its pipeline of treatments for mental health disorders, causing AtaiBeckley's stock price to surge by 33.4%. Source: Reuters 2. On July 16, Eli Lilly reached an agreement to acquire AtaiBeckley's DMT and MDMA-based drugs, further enhancing its neuroscience product portfolio. This news boosted market sentiment, driving up stock prices in the related sector. Source: Bloomberg 3. On July 16, Citigroup raised Eli Lilly's target price to $1600, maintaining a "buy" rating, reflecting market confidence in its acquisition strategy. Source: Gelonghui The market for mental health treatment drugs is heating up. Johnson & Johnson rose 0.98%, with increased trading volume. Based on recent key news: 1. On July 15, Johnson & Johnson reported second-quarter results that exceeded expectations and raised its full-year outlook. Growth in innovative drugs and medical devices drove performance, with sales reaching $25.31 billion, a 6.6% year-over-year increase. This news boosted market confidence, driving up stock prices. Source: Zhitong Finance 2. On July 15, Johnson & Johnson raised its full-year guidance for 2026, expecting adjusted earnings per share of $11.60 to $11.75, higher than previous forecasts. This move demonstrates the company's confidence in future growth, further supporting stock price increases. Source: Zhitong Finance 3. On July 16, Morgan Stanley raised Johnson & Johnson's target price to $294, maintaining an "overweight" rating. Analysts' optimistic expectations provided support for the stock price. Source: Gelonghui The overall performance of the healthcare industry is strong, with significant capital inflows Merck fell 0.05%. Based on recent news, 4. On July 16, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the oral cholesterol-lowering drug Lipfendra developed by Merck & Co. This drug is the world's first approved oral PCSK9 inhibitor, breaking the long-standing reliance on subcutaneous injections for such medications and providing a new daily medication option for patients with high cholesterol. This news boosted Merck's stock price. 5. On July 15, Kelun Pharmaceutical announced that its subsidiary Kelun Biotech's antibody-drug conjugate Lukanasatuzumab, in combination with Merck's anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody Pembrolizumab, achieved the primary endpoint of progression-free survival in a Phase 3 clinical study for first-line treatment of non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer. This news had a positive impact on Merck's stock price. 6. On July 15, Merck announced that it would present multiple new data on its HIV treatment and prevention research pipeline at the 26th International AIDS Conference, covering daily, weekly, and monthly dosing regimens. This news further boosted market confidence in Merck. The overall industry performed well, with significant capital inflows. **Stocks ranked among the top in industry market capitalization** Novartis rose 0.35%, with increased trading volume. Based on recent key news: 1. On July 17, Novartis received full approval from the FDA for its kidney disease treatment drug Fabhalta. This drug is used to slow the decline in kidney function in patients with primary IgA nephropathy, with clinical trials showing it can reduce the rate of eGFR decline by 48% over two years. This approval enhanced market confidence in Novartis, driving up its stock price. 2. On July 17, Deutsche Bank analyst Emmanuel Papadakis maintained a buy rating on Novartis and set a target price of 140 Swiss francs. The analyst's positive rating further supported the upward trend in the stock price. 3. On July 17, market analysis indicated that although Novartis currently holds a rating among analysts, some top analysts believe that five other stocks offer greater investment value. This information may impact the confidence of some investors. The pharmaceutical industry overall performed steadily, with significant capital inflows ### Related Stocks - [MANE.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/MANE.US.md) - [LLY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/LLY.US.md) - [JNJ.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/JNJ.US.md) - [MRK.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/MRK.US.md) - [NVS.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/NVS.US.md) ## Related News & Research - [Montanova Capital reports disposal of 750,000 Veradermics common shares worth $80.44 million](https://longbridge.com/en/news/296656843.md) - [Veradermics CEO Reid Alexander Waldman disposes of common shares worth $7.24 million](https://longbridge.com/en/news/296284595.md) - [Veradermics director John W. Childs disposes of USD 10.18 million in common shares](https://longbridge.com/en/news/295981158.md) - [Buy Rating Reaffirmed on Strong VDPHL01 Data and Catalyst-Rich Roadmap; Price Target Maintained at $164](https://longbridge.com/en/news/295697879.md) - [Veradermics to present age-subgroup data from VDPHL01 male hair loss trial at AAD Innovation Academy](https://longbridge.com/en/news/293029911.md) --- > **Disclaimer: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.**