Merck & Co.
213 E Grand Ave, South San Francisco, CA
33 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA
320 Bent St, Cambridge, MA
33 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA
320 Bent St, Cambridge, MA
NEWS
The number of employees laid off increased year over year during the first quarter. BioSpace recaps the five largest rounds of layoffs, which included BMS and Novartis cuts.
A new executive order aims to smooth the path for getting U.S. manufacturing facilities up and running; HHS says it will require placebo-controlled trials for all vaccine approvals; tariff threats hit BioNTech; Novo Nordisk’s FDA application for an oral version of Wegovy is accepted; and more.
Keytruda is set to lose exclusivity in 2028, meaning Summit may face competition from cheaper biosimilars. Meanwhile, other branded drugmakers are also seeking to improve on the blockbuster checkpoint inhibitor.
On the FDA’s docket this month are two expansion bids, one for GSK’s asthma drug Nucala into COPD and another for Merck’s oral cancer drug for a pair of rare tumors.
Many companies have foreshadowed deals to come during earnings calls in recent days. The return of M&A would be a welcome sign for the biopharma ecosystem, which has been battered by macro headwinds such as tariffs and the possibility of new drug pricing pressures.
The American Association for Cancer Research’s annual conference featured updates from several companies on key candidates and assets, including Merck’s Keytruda and GSK’s Jemperli.
As Q1 2025 earnings season continues, tariffs remain top of mind for pharma CEOs and investors. Meanwhile, the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual event kicks off this year’s oncology conference season. Plus, will the FDA become politicized under HHS Secretary RFK Jr.?
What a CEO makes can be staggering from the seat of a rank-and-file employee, whose pay is typically in the five-to-six digit range.
The FDA is currently reviewing Merck’s sBLA for Keytruda in head and neck cancer, with a target action date of June 23.
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