Merck & Co., Inc.

Merck jumped after Phase 3 INTerpath-001 showed intismeran plus Keytruda significantly improved recurrence-free and distant-metastasis-free survival versus Keytruda alone, with no new safety signals. The result raises the prospect of extending Keytruda’s commercial runway amid an approaching patent cliff, but full effect sizes and overall-survival data were not disclosed. Shared economics with Moderna, personalized manufacturing challenges, and pricing/reimbursement uncertainty limit the immediate financial upside; multiple additional indications would be needed to approach Keytruda’s current revenue scale. » More on finance.yahoo.com

A collaboration between Merck & Co. and Moderna shows that combining Keytruda with Moderna’s skin‑cancer vaccine prevents recurrence of melanoma and reduces metastases in many patients. Trials showed no new serious side effects. Analysts expect billion‑dollar sales; Barclays estimates about $3 billion in annual sales by 2035, and approval could come in 2027. The success of the combination therapy does not change Keytruda’s patent expiry at the end of the decade, and competition from follow‑on drugs remains. » More on wiwo.de

Merck & Co’s stock reached a new high of 154.49 USD after positive phase‑3 data were released for the personalized cancer vaccine developed with Moderna. Morgan Stanley upgraded Merck to buy and raised the price target to 179 USD. The bank expects Keytruda sales to remain stable until patent expiry and sees programs such as Sac‑TMT, Intismeran (INT) and Tulisokibart as potential blockbusters that could drive growth again from 2030. » More on deraktionaer.de