Shares of health-care giant Johnson & Johnson (JNJ 0.29%) have climbed more than 22% since the start of 2013. Part of this Dow component's success has been its growing pharmaceutical portfolio, which includes the recently approved type 2 diabetes drug Invokana. Shares of Merck (MRK 0.15%) have also jumped around 15% year to date, but the company hasn't had a drug with blockbuster potential approved by the FDA so far this year. There is a great deal of optimism, however, surrounding Merck's PD-1 drug for the treatment of melanoma. In the following video, health-care analyst Max Macaluso discusses this experimental drug and another PD-1 drug in development at Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY -0.67%).
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Does This Struggling Drugmaker Have an Ace Up Its Sleeve?
What drug candidate should Merck investors be watching?
Max Macaluso, Ph.D. has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Johnson & Johnson. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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