Merck Buys Terns Pharma for $6.7B

0:00It's March 25. This is Canada News Today, driven by AI. Merck just announced a $6.7 billion deal to buy Biotech Company Turns Farma. The move aims to beef up their cancer drug pipeline right before patents expire on their blockbuster keytrude and later this decade. Keytruda tops the charts as the world's best-selling prescription medicine. It pulled in more than $30 billion in 2025 and accounts for nearly half of Merck's total sales. Since 2021, they've nearly tripled their late-stage drugs through in-house work and buys like the $11.5 billion. Acceleron Deal Turns dot climbed 5.5% ahead of the close after Merck offered $53 per share a 6% premium. The spotlight falls on Turns Experimental TER in 701, aimed at chronic myeloid leukemia, a bone marrow cancer. Early trial data showed a 75% major molecular response rate in patients with prior treatment.

1:03Analysts view it as a strong contender against Novartis's semblix and the FDA granted it orphan drug status in March 2024. Merck's recent plan for standalone cancer division sets the stage perfectly, keeping their growth on track beyond Keytruda.