Welcome to our dedicated page for Merck & Co news (Ticker: MRK), a resource for investors and traders seeking the latest updates and insights on Merck & Co stock.
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, generates frequent news across human health, animal health and corporate finance. As a research-intensive biopharmaceutical company with more than a century of history developing medicines and vaccines, Merck regularly announces clinical trial milestones, regulatory decisions, business development transactions and capital markets activity.
Recent news highlights include oncology updates from Merck’s extensive KEYTRUDA program, such as positive Phase 3 data in muscle-invasive bladder cancer and new trials in non-small cell lung cancer using combinations like calderasib (MK-1084) with KEYTRUDA QLEX. The company also reports on progress in other therapeutic areas, including pulmonary arterial hypertension with WINREVAIR, Alzheimer’s disease candidates MK-2214 and MK-1167, and cardiovascular research with the oral PCSK9 inhibitor candidate enlicitide.
Investors following MRK news will also see announcements related to Merck Animal Health, such as the conditional U.S. FDA approval of EXZOLT CATTLE-CA1 for the prevention and treatment of New World screwworm larvae and the treatment and control of cattle fever tick, as well as updates on acquisitions like the planned merger with Cidara Therapeutics to add the influenza candidate CD388 to Merck’s respiratory portfolio.
Corporate and financial communications include quarterly earnings calls, participation in major healthcare conferences and disclosures about note offerings under the company’s shelf registration statement. This news page aggregates these developments so readers can review clinical, regulatory, strategic and financial updates related to Merck & Co., Inc. and its MRK stock in one place.
Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) and Merck (NYSE:MRK) reported median five-year follow-up data from the Phase 2b KEYNOTE-942/mRNA-4157-P201 study showing that intismeran autogene plus KEYTRUDA reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 49% (HR=0.510; 95% CI 0.294-0.887; one-sided nominal p=0.0075) versus KEYTRUDA alone in patients with resected high-risk stage III/IV melanoma.
The safety profile remained consistent with prior reports. Moderna and Merck plan further follow-up presentations and continue enrollment across eight Phase 2/3 studies, with the Phase 3 adjuvant melanoma trial fully enrolled.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) initiated the Phase 3 KANDLELIT-007 trial on January 7, 2026 to evaluate oral calderasib (MK-1084) plus subcutaneous KEYTRUDA QLEX versus subcutaneous KEYTRUDA QLEX with pemetrexed and carboplatin or cisplatin in first-line KRAS G12C-mutant, advanced or metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC.
The randomized, open-label global study will enroll approximately 675 patients. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival (PFS) in PD-L1 expressors (TPS ≥1%); secondary endpoints include PFS in all patients, overall survival, response rate, duration of response and safety.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) completed a cash tender offer to acquire Cidara Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CDTX) on January 6, 2026, at a purchase price of $221.50 per share.
Approximately 27,149,333 shares were validly tendered (about 85.96% of outstanding shares); all such shares were accepted and Merck expects prompt payment. Merck will merge a subsidiary into Cidara so remaining shares are converted into cash at the offer price and Cidara common stock will be delisted.
The transaction is expected to be accounted for as an asset acquisition, increasing 2026 research and development expense by approximately $9.0 billion (about $3.65 per share) and reducing GAAP and non-GAAP EPS by about $0.30 per share in the first 12 months. Merck cited CD388, a long-acting, strain-agnostic antiviral for influenza prevention in high-risk individuals, as a strategic rationale.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) will hold its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 sales and earnings conference call at 9:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
Company executives will provide an overview of performance for the quarter. A live audio webcast will be available via the provided weblink and a replay, the sales and earnings news release, supplemental financial disclosures, and slides will be posted at www.merck.com.
Dial-in for all participants: (800) 369-3351 (U.S./Canada toll-free) or (517) 308-9448 with access code 9818590.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) announced that Robert M. Davis, chairman and chief executive officer, and Dr. Dean Y. Li, executive vice president and president, Merck Research Laboratories, will participate in a fireside chat at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. PST / 7:30 p.m. EST.
Investors, analysts, media and the public are invited to listen via a live audio webcast accessible through the company webcast link.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) announced an agreement with the U.S. government on December 19, 2025 to expand access and lower costs for American patients.
Key commitments include a direct-to-patient program offering JANUVIA, JANUMET and JANUMET XR at an approximate 70% discount to list price for eligible U.S. patients; planned future inclusion of enlicitide decanoate pending FDA approval; and a three-year delay of Section 232 tariffs to support reshoring.
Merck also pledged more than $70 billion in U.S. capital and R&D investment over the next several years, builds on prior U.S. investments of $12 billion in manufacturing since 2017 and $81 billion in U.S. R&D since 2018, and cited creation of 1,200 full-time jobs plus 15,000 construction jobs tied to recent facility projects.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) announced positive topline Phase 3 KEYNOTE-B15 (EV-304) results in cisplatin-eligible muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) on December 17, 2025. The trial reported that KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) plus Padcev (enfortumab vedotin), given neoadjuvant and adjuvant, produced statistically significant improvements in event-free survival (EFS), overall survival (OS) and pathologic complete response (pCR) versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery. Safety was consistent with known profiles and no new safety signals were identified. Companies plan regulatory submissions worldwide and will present full data at a medical meeting. The combination is already approved for la/mUC and for cisplatin-ineligible MIBC in the U.S.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) announced the European CHMP recommended expanding the WINREVAIR (sotatercept) indication to treat adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) WHO Functional Class II, III and IV, based on Phase 3 ZENITH results.
The ZENITH trial showed a 76% reduction in risk of major morbidity and mortality (HR 0.24; 95% CI 0.13–0.43; p<0.0001); primary events occurred in 17% of treated vs 55% of placebo participants. The trial was stopped early for overwhelming efficacy. The CHMP recommendation goes to the European Commission for a final decision expected in Q1 2026. WINREVAIR already has expanded U.S. labeling (Oct 2025) and approvals across Europe and 50+ countries.
Zydus Lifesciences and Formycon entered an exclusive partnership on Dec 9, 2025 for the licensing and supply of FYB206, a biosimilar to Keytruda (pembrolizumab), for the USA and Canada.
Formycon will develop, register, manufacture and supply FYB206 while Zydus Lifesciences Global FZE will handle commercialization in the defined territories. A BLA application is expected to be submitted to the US FDA in the near future. The announcement notes this marks Zydus' entry into the North American biosimilar market and references a proposed acquisition of Agenus manufacturing facilities in California to support future manufacturing integration.
Merck (NYSE:MRK) announced that the FDA granted conditional approval on December 4, 2025 for EXZOLT CATTLE-CA1 (fluralaner topical solution), an isoxazoline pour-on for prevention and treatment of New World screwworm larvae and treatment/control of cattle fever tick.
The product is approved for beef cattle ≥2 months and replacement dairy heifers <20 months, has a 98-day meat withdrawal, is prescription-only, and is conditionally approved under application 141-617 pending full effectiveness data. Commercial availability in 1 L and 5 L sizes is planned for Q1 2026. Recent market authorization was also received in Mexico.