Bayer's Stroke Drug Clears China's Regulator as Prostate Data and a Farm-Lobbying Push Round Out the Week
Published on 10/26/2026 at 13:11 | Editorial boerse-global.de
Bayer shares climbed 3.1% on Thursday after China's drug regulator cleared the company's Asundexian for stroke prevention, a first for a new class of anticoagulants that the German group has spent years developing. The National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approved the active ingredient under the brand name Sunharbo, giving Bayer a foothold in the world's second-largest pharmaceutical market for a therapy aimed at a narrowly defined patient population.
A First-in-Class Approval
The green light covers reducing the risk of stroke following a non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke or a high-risk transient ischemic attack (TIA). Bayer describes Asundexian as the world's first approved factor XIa inhibitor — a mechanism designed to dampen clot formation while leaving ordinary bleeding pathways largely intact. dpa-AFX cited both the approval and fresh study data on Nubeqa as drivers behind the share-price advance.
Prostate Cancer Data Reinforce the Case
The Nubeqa numbers came from an interim analysis of the Phase III DASL-HiCaP trial, presented at the ESMO congress. Darolutamide, marketed as Nubeqa, cut the risk of metastases or death by a statistically significant 58% versus placebo in patients at high risk of recurrence. Both arms received androgen deprivation therapy and radiotherapy; the only difference was the addition of darolutamide or placebo.
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The four-year metastasis-free survival rate reached 95% with Nubeqa, compared with 88% in the placebo group — a gap that underscores the drug's potential in an earlier-line setting.
Kidney Franchise Advances on Two Tracks
Bayer also released subgroup analyses from the Phase III FIND-CKD study of finerenone. In chronic kidney disease without diabetes, the company reported consistent effects on proteinuria and on the decline in kidney function, measured through the UPCR and UACR markers. Separately, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration accepted Bayer's marketing application for finerenone in chronic kidney disease without diabetes on October 8.
Brussels, Seed and the Innovation Gap
Away from the clinic, Bayer turned its attention to the competitiveness of European agriculture. An Oxford Economics study commissioned by the company, published on October 15, put average annual growth in EU arable production at just 0.1% between 2011 and 2023. Bayer pointed to regulatory hurdles restricting access to seeds, crop protection and digital tools. On October 16, Bayer executive Matthias Berninger called for faster access to innovations and a more innovation-friendly regulatory framework.
Analyst Backing and the November Calendar
JPMorgan reaffirmed its "Overweight" rating on Bayer on October 16 with a price target of EUR 61, leaving its assessment unchanged. Investors now look ahead to November 3, when Bayer publishes its results and quarterly statement for the third quarter of 2026, alongside a media briefing and an investor video conference.
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