Merck Opens Up to Europe
Executive Summary
Despite a strong trend among Big Pharma towards in-licensing over the last decade, Merck & Co. hasn't been particularly willing to embrace research ideas outside its own labs. But that's changing. Merck's new European in-licensing initiative proves that the Big Pharma recognizes, and hopes to access, the wealth of science and potential deals beyond US borders.
You may also be interested in...
Merck's Deal Focus
Merck & Co. Inc.'s recovery drive involves changing every aspect of its business, and doing so urgently. That urgency applies to partnering, too: In March 2006, the giant announced three new deals, one with NicOx on a series of anti-hypertension compounds, one with Neuromed in pain and the third with Paratek Pharmaceuticals Inc. for a Phase I antibiotic. They mark a shift at Merck towards more clinical stage dealmaking.
The Winners Post-Vioxx: Merck's Product-Focused Biotechs
Vioxx's withdrawal late in September just made partnering success even more critical to Merck & Co. With a $2.55 billion gap in revenues from Vioxx and having lost two Phase III development products late in 2003, the company now leans more heavily still on external R&D success. That's good news for Merck's partners--particularly those with products.
Merck/DeCode: Just Another Pharmacogenomics Deal?
Merck's deal with deCode provides valuable endorsement of the Icelandic firm's clinical development expertise, and reinforces the Big Pharma's partnering drive. But although interesting scientifically-the partners claim the deal is different in scope and nature to most pharmacogenomics projects-this alliance is unlikely, in the near term at least, to improve Merck's chances of late-stage success.