Shares of health-care giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ ) 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 (NYSE: MRK ) 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 (NYSE: BMY ) .
Can Merck beat the patent cliff?
This titan of the pharmaceutical industry stumbled into 2013 and continues to battle patent expirations and pipeline problems. Is Merck still a solid dividend play, or should investors be looking elsewhere? In a new premium research report on Merck, the Fool tackles all of the company's moving parts, its major market opportunities, and reasons to both buy and sell. To find out more click here to claim your copy today.
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