Sep 30, 2026
Merck has discontinued Recarbrio, a crucial antibiotic used to treat drug-resistant infections, raising concerns among health experts about the availability of treatments for superbug resistance at a time when antimicrobial resistance remains a growing public health threat.
Merck agreed to pay Chinese biotech SciBrunch Therapeutics $400 million upfront for global rights to an experimental cancer drug targeting the KRAS G12D mutation, continuing a trend of U.S. drugmakers licensing China-developed therapies.
Merck and Daiichi Sankyo ended plans to seek accelerated FDA approval for their antibody-drug conjugate I-DXd in lung cancer after the agency indicated existing data wouldn't support the pathway, erasing a competitive advantage over rivals.
Merck announced that remigromig, a tri-specific antibody acquired in a $1.3 billion buyout, achieved its primary endpoint in the pivotal Phase 2b/3 BRUNELLO trial for diabetic macular edema. However, language regarding the drug's safety profile has raised concerns among analysts.
Moderna and Merck announced positive results from a Phase 3 trial showing their personalized mRNA cancer vaccine, combined with Keytruda, significantly reduced melanoma recurrence and spread. The companies aim to bring the therapy to market in 2027.
Merck's anti-TL1A antibody from its 2023 Prometheus Biosciences acquisition delivered positive mid-stage results in hidradenitis suppurativa but failed to meet endpoints in a rare lung disease trial. The company disclosed the mixed Phase 2 results alongside its second-quarter earnings.
Merck beat second-quarter estimates and boosted its 2026 sales forecast after strong demand for newer drugs like Winrevair helped drive revenues higher, though the company cut profit guidance due to deal-related charges.
Hilleman Laboratories, a Singapore-based partnership between Merck and Wellcome, is preparing to produce doses of an experimental vaccine targeting the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola amid a fast-spreading outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Merck signed voluntary licensing agreements with seven generic drug manufacturers—including Aspen Pharmacare, Cipla, Aurobindo, and Viatris—to produce and sell lower-cost versions of alimatravir, its experimental once-monthly oral HIV pill, in 129 low- and middle-income countries. The drug is currently in late-stage development.
Gilead Sciences and Merck announced that their experimental once-weekly HIV pill combining islatravir and lenacapavir successfully maintained viral suppression at 48 weeks in two Phase 3 trials (ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2) involving 1,209 adults with virologically suppressed HIV. The results support regulatory filings for what could become the first once-weekly oral HIV treatment regimen.
The FDA has approved Merck's Idvynso (doravirine/islatravir), a once-daily, two-drug single tablet for treating HIV-1 infection in adults to replace current antiretroviral regimens in virologically suppressed patients.
Researchers published findings that Merck's experimental HIV prevention pill could be produced for less than $5 per year, urging the company to urgently begin licensing generic production to improve global access.