Merck & Co.
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The US dramatically altered its recommendations for a series of vaccines, which drive billion-dollar earnings for giants like Merck and Pfizer.
Four of this year’s biggest acquisitions topped 11-figure figures. One was 2025’s messiest bidding war.
The tickets could go to the lipid-lowering pill enlicitide decanoate and the antibody-drug conjugate sacituzumab tirumotecan, though a spokesperson for the HHS did not confirm the news.
The FDA has informed Merck, Sanofi and AstraZeneca of the safety investigation into their RSV antibodies, though it remains unclear what regulatory action, if any, will be taken.
Biopharma professionals will probably find decreasing employment opportunities this month and next even as layoffs continue, based on BioSpace data. However, hundreds of open roles are expected this year in Massachusetts, and a job market turnaround could start late next year.
Merck has made a $9.2 billion play for Cidara, and there’s another bidding war afoot, this one for sleep biotech Avadel. Meanwhile, Rick Pazdur has taken the helm at CDER while tensions run high between FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and Health Secretary RFK Jr.
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