Pfizer Inc. did not raise its 2022 forecast for sales of its COVID-19 vaccine and antiviral treatment on Thursday, and its shares fell nearly 5 percent before recovering.
The U.S. drugmaker maintained its full-year forecast of around $54 billion for its COVID-19 products, even as second-quarter sales of its Paxlovid antiviral pills were much higher-than-expected, raising concerns among some analysts over Pfizer’s long-term growth prospects.
Paxlovid sales of $8.1 billion topped Wall Street estimates by more than $1 billion, as a surge in cases drove demand. U.S. President Joe Biden took a course of the drug for his recent bout with COVID-19.
The company also kept its overall sales forecast of between $98 billion to $102 billion unchanged, citing the impact of a strong dollar….