Merck & Co.
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NEWS
The number of biopharma professionals let go has increased year over year for three straight months. In July, as many as 8,000 people lost or were projected to lose their jobs, due largely to news that Merck projects to cut roughly 6,000 employees as part of a multiyear process.
Merck has characterized its cost-cutting initiative as more of a reallocation of resources to support other, higher-growth areas of its business.
Sarepta’s Elevidys is back on the market for ambulatory patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly plans to dissolve the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and “fix” the vaccine injury compensation program, Merck, AstraZeneca and more report Q2 earnings, Novo names a new leader and Roche’s trontinemab impresses at AAIC25.
CEO Rob Davis referred to the cost reduction program as a ‘reallocation’ rather than a cut, with the savings to be reinvested to support up to 20 new product launches.
HIV pharma leaders are in Kigali, Rwanda for IAS 2025, touting their latest advancements in HIV and PrEP development on the heels of the landmark Yeztugo approval.
In the second biggest acquisition of the year, Merck gains the commercial COPD drug Ohtuvayre, which could help offset the loss of revenue when Keytruda’s patent expires later this decade.
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