Tilos
Peloton
Last month, Merck announced the acquisition of Peloton
Therapeutics Inc., a privately-held clinical-stage biopharma company, for $1.05
billion in an upfront payment along with the payment of an additional $1.15
billion on the achievement of regulatory and sales milestones.
Peloton develops novel small molecule therapeutic candidates
for the treatment of cancer and other non-oncology diseases. The transaction is
expected to close in the third quarter of 2019.
Antelliq
In April, Merck completed the acquisition of privately-held
Antelliq Group for approx. EUR2.1 billion, including debt. Antelliq is now an
operating unit within Merck Animal Health. The deal is expected to help
complement Merck’s offerings in animal health.
Immune Design
In February, Merck announced its decision to acquire Immune Design for $5.85 per share in cash for a total value of approx. $300 million. This deal gives Merck access to Immune Design’s proprietary technologies GLAAS and ZVex, which help activate the immune system’s natural ability to fight cancer and other chronic diseases.
Looking at the trailing 52 weeks, Merck’s shares have gained 35%. The stock has risen 11% so far this year. Shares were up by over 1% in morning hours on Tuesday.