Collaboration with Pierre Fabre increases Merck’s focus on oncology... In June we reported that, after a 30 year gap, Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) is re-entering the oncology field in a big way. Now the Company has signed another deal of some significance with Pierre Fabre Medicament of Castres, France. This three year renewable collaborative research and development and licensing deal gives Merck is receiving worldwide marketing rights for F50035, for F50035, a humanized antibody. We believe that Merck could no longer ignore oncology now that a crop of recent drugs is about to achieve blockbuster status and put oncology therapies on the front pages of the international press.
