Merck & Co., Inc. reports news across a global pharmaceutical business known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Company updates center on human health products for areas such as oncology, cardiometabolic disease and infections; vaccines including Gardasil; and Merck Animal Health medicines, devices and customer-support systems.
Recurring developments include FDA approvals, clinical and regulatory disclosures, research publications, pipeline additions, business development transactions, material agreements, capital-structure updates, governance matters, and operating and financial results. Recent themes include the approved HIV-1 regimen IDVYNSO, investigational programs such as enlicitide decanoate and TERN-701, technology partnerships for research, manufacturing and commercial functions, and animal health digital engagement initiatives.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) has commenced a cash tender offer to acquire Terns Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: TERN) at $53.00 per share. The offer expires one minute after 11:59 p.m. ET on May 4, 2026, and the transaction is expected to close in Q2 2026.
The closing is conditional on the tender of more than 50% of outstanding Terns shares, completion of the Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period, and customary closing conditions. Upon successful closing, Terns will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) announced initiation of MALBEC, a pivotal Phase 2b/3 trial of MK-8748 (Tiespectus) for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NVAMD) on April 2, 2026. The program follows Phase 1/2a RIOJA results and includes a second NVAMD study scheduled to begin later in 2026 (NCT07496567).
MK-8748 is a bispecific antibody that agonizes Tie2 and inhibits VEGF to target vascular leakage; Merck also advances MK-3000 in registrational Phase 2b/3 studies for diabetic macular edema.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) announced European Commission approval of KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) plus paclitaxel ± bevacizumab for adults with PD-L1 (CPS ≥1) platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian carcinoma after one or two prior systemic regimens.
The approval, based on Phase 3 KEYNOTE-B96, showed improved PFS (HR=0.72) and OS (HR=0.76) and covers all 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; national reimbursement will determine local availability.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) will hold a first-quarter 2026 sales and earnings conference call at 9:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, April 30 for institutional investors and analysts. A live audio webcast will be available to the public.
A replay, the sales and earnings news release, supplemental financial disclosures and presentation slides will be posted at www.merck.com. Participants may join by dialing (800) 369-3351 (U.S./Canada) or (517) 308-9448 with access code 9818590.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) announced Phase 3 CORALreef AddOn results showing investigational oral PCSK9 inhibitor enlicitide decanoate reduced LDL-C by 64.6% at eight weeks versus baseline when added to statins and delivered significantly greater LDL-C reductions versus bempedoic acid, ezetimibe, and their combination.
Enlicitide improved goal attainment and key secondary lipids (ApoB, non‑HDL‑C, Lp(a)) with a safety profile consistent with prior CORALreef trials; FDA assigned a Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher in December 2025.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) reported positive Phase 2 CADENCE results for WINREVAIR (sotatercept-csrk) in adults with CpcPH-HFpEF, meeting the primary endpoint with a significant PVR reduction at week 24 (0.3 mg/kg: -1.02 WU, p=0.004; 0.7 mg/kg: -0.75 WU, p=0.024). Multiple hemodynamic, biomarker and clinical trends support advancing to a registrational Phase 3 program.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) agreed to acquire Terns Pharmaceuticals for $53.00 per share, valuing Terns at approximately $6.7 billion (about $5.7 billion net of acquired cash) with an expected close in Q2 2026.
The deal adds TERN-701, an oral allosteric BCR::ABL1 TKI in Phase 1/2 for certain CML patients with prior TKI exposure; TERN-701 has FDA Orphan Drug Designation (March 2024) and showed encouraging molecular responses by week 24. Merck expects a ~$5.8 billion charge (≈$2.35/share) in Q2 and full-year 2026 results; the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory clearance.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) announced FDA approval (Mar 18, 2026) expanding the BRAVECTO® QUANTUM label to include Asian longhorned tick (H. longicornis) and Gulf Coast tick (A. maculatum) for 12 months after a single, veterinarian‑administered injection.
The product remains indicated for fleas and multiple other tick species (12 months for several species; 8 months for lone star tick) and is available exclusively through licensed veterinarians.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) will present new clinical and real-world data at the EUROGIN HPV Congress (March 18-21, 2026) in Vienna demonstrating long-term effectiveness of its HPV vaccines. Data show GARDASIL 9 effectiveness for at least 14 years after three doses and GARDASIL effectiveness up to 18 years after three doses against HPV16/18-related high-grade cervical disease.
The company will also present findings on certain HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers and trends in adult- and juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis from studies in the U.S., Denmark, Sweden, and the U.K.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) will present new cardio-pulmonary clinical data at ACC.26 (March 28-30, 2026) including two late-breaking presentations: positive Phase 3 CORALreef AddOn results for oral PCSK9 inhibitor enlicitide and positive Phase 2 CADENCE results for WINREVAIR™ (sotatercept-csrk) in CpcPH-HFpEF.
Presentations detail enlicitide efficacy/safety versus ezetimibe and bempedoic acid in statin-treated hypercholesterolemia and sotatercept outcomes in combined post-/pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension with HFpEF.