2023-10-20 06:08:05
The American pharmaceutical giant Merck will pay up to 22 billion dollars (20.8 billion euros) to the Japanese Daiichi Sankyo as part of a partnership on experimental treatments against cancer, an area in which Merck seeks to diversify its activities.
This partnership announced on Friday October 20 concerns the development and marketing outside Japan of three Daiichi Sankyo treatments known as antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), targeted therapies to target cancer cells with greater precision, thus reducing the side effects.
Initially, Merck must pay $4 billion to Daiichi Sankyo and may then make additional payments based on the achievement of future sales targets, for a total amount that could reach up to $22 billion. according to a joint press release.
A jump on the Tokyo Stock Exchange
“As Daiichi Sankyo continues its transformation into a global oncology leader by strengthening its infrastructure and talent, a collaboration with Merck will enable us” to put these treatments “available to more patients as quickly as possible” declared the general director of Daiichi Sankyo Sunao Manabe, quoted in the press release.
The Japanese group’s shares jumped nearly 18% on the Tokyo Stock Exchange after the announcement, and were up 12.9% at midday trading.
Daiichi Sankyo was already in partnership with the British AstraZeneca for the biomedicine Enhertu against breast cancer, as well as for another treatment for breast and lung cancer.
“The pioneering work of Daiichi Sankyo scientists has highlighted the considerable potential of ADCs to provide meaningful new options for cancer patients. We look forward to developing this collaboration to deliver the next generation of precision cancer medicines”estimated the boss of Merck, Robert Davis, also quoted in the joint press release.
The American laboratory, which seeks to strengthen its portfolio of anti-cancer drugs currently dominated by its blockbuster Keytruda, considered last year to acquire the biotech Seagen, specializing in oncological treatments and in particular ADC targeted therapies.
It was ultimately the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer which announced the acquisition of Seagen last March for an amount of 43 billion dollars (40.6 billion euros), its boss Albert Bourla then declaring that “Oncology remains the main engine of growth in medicine worldwide” .
The transaction received unconditional approval from the European Commission on Thursday.
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