Merck licenses SciBrunch cancer drug in deal worth up to $2.13 billion
Merck will pay $400 million upfront and up to $1.73 billion in milestones for rights to SPR2015, an oral KRAS G12D cancer drug candidate. The company said the deal will result in a $400 million pre-tax charge in third-quarter 2026 results.
13 billion under a global licensing deal with China's SciBrunch Therapeutics for rights to develop, manufacture and sell an experimental cancer treatment. The deal underscores Merck's efforts to broaden its cancer drug pipeline as it prepares for patent expirations on Keytruda, its top-selling immunotherapy, later this decade. The deal, which has closed, gives Merck access to SPR2015, an oral drug candidate targeting KRAS G12D, one of the most common cancer-driving mutations found in pancreatic, colorectal and lung cancers. 73 billion in potential milestone payments, the companies said.
Merck said the transaction will result in a pre-tax charge of $400 million, or about 13 cents per share, in its third-quarter 2026 results. SPR2015 is in preclinical development and has not yet entered human testing. Preclinical data presented earlier this year showed the drug reduced tumor growth in laboratory and animal models of KRAS G12D-mutant cancers, the companies said. com;)