All articles tagged with #merck
Vaxcyte reported positive phase 3 results for its 31-valent pneumococcal vaccine, VAX-31, demonstrating non-inferiority against Pfizer and Merck competitors. The stock surged 57% in pre-market trading, reaching $88.50, as the company prepares for an FDA approval application in early 2028.
Merck has ceased manufacturing and marketing Recarbrio in the US, citing portfolio reviews rather than safety issues. The drug, a combination of imipenem-cilastatin and relebactam, was approved in 2019 for multidrug-resistant infections, including those caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase. While experts note alternative treatments exist for some pathogens, the withdrawal leaves a gap for difficult-to-treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa cases. Critics argue this move highlights the economic unsustainability of new antibiotics, which are used sparingly due to stewardship guidelines, raising concerns about future pediatric access and the need for legislative support like the PASTEUR Act.
Merck has discontinued Recarbrio, a critical three-drug antibiotic combination, from the U.S. market. The drug, approved seven years ago, was designated by the FDA as a treatment of last resort to combat antibiotic resistance. Merck did not provide a reason for the withdrawal, raising concerns about corporate commitment to public health priorities.
Merck & Co. has acquired worldwide rights to SPR2015, a preclinical KRAS G12D inhibitor from Shanghai-based biotech SciBrunch, for an upfront payment of $400 million and potential total value of $2.13 billion. The deal, which closed in September 2026, positions Merck to expand its oncology pipeline beyond its existing KRAS G12C inhibitor, calderasib, while SciBrunch secures its first major partnership. SPR2015 is designed to target a prevalent mutation found in approximately 38% of pancreatic cancer patients and is expected to enter human trials by the end of 2026.
Merck and Daiichi Sankyo voluntarily withdrew their accelerated approval application for the antibody-drug conjugate ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd) in small cell lung cancer after the FDA deemed the data insufficient. This setback delays revenue from a $4 billion partnership and impacts competitors like Amgen and GSK.
Moderna stock climbed to approximately $199 on September 25, 2026, marking a significant rise from its position two months prior. Yahoo Finance notes the stock has tripled in value over the last 60 days, moving from $63 to $195, and suggests the upward trend is not yet complete. Benzinga reports that the stock is trending after hours, with recent trading activity involving Merck & Co. The archive provides no relevant background for this specific financial movement, as previous coverage focused on unrelated tech and telecom topics.
Moderna and Merck’s personalized cancer vaccine intismeran autogene would have its mRNA sequence selected by a computer algorithm, potentially making it the first approved medicine with AI-crafted genetic instructions; full details are in a STAT+ exclusive article.
Moderna and Merck reported positive Phase 3 data for intismeran autogene, a personalized cancer vaccine, in combination with Keytruda for melanoma, showing longer cancer-free survival versus Keytruda alone. The readout prompted stock upgrades and higher price targets for both companies, highlighting the potential of a market-of-one approach despite uncertainties about market size and applicability to other cancers. The vaccine’s roughly six-week manufacturing window enables concurrent treatment with Keytruda, raising the prospect of a new growth driver if similar results extend to other solid tumors; however, success in one cancer type does not guarantee broader approvals.
Moderna’s shares jumped after Merck and Moderna announced that their Phase III melanoma trial of intismeran autogene with KEYTRUDA met its endpoints, a readout that was effectively foreshadowed by pre-announced signals: a fully enrolled study, Merck covering about half the trial cost, and prior commentary that implied a big move could come. The stock rose to around $145, within a 52-week range of roughly $22–$174, despite Moderna’s weaker 2025 results and restructuring. The piece highlights how identifying funded, binary events in a pipeline—well before a readout—can inform portfolio strategies, as demonstrated by Moderna’s surge.
Moderna executives remain confident in the personalized cancer vaccine intismeran autogene and plan to share more late-stage trial details with Merck at an upcoming conference. The company is refocusing on renal cell carcinoma and pulling back from bladder cancer, aiming to unlock a multibillion-dollar market, but investors still await full trial results before pricing in the program.
Topline results from a large trial show Moderna and Merck’s cancer vaccine, intismeran autogene, reduced recurrence or spread of surgically removed melanoma, signaling a milestone after years of doubt and pandemic-related hurdles—though some scientists urge waiting for fuller data and longer follow-up before declaring a definitive breakthrough.
Moderna and Merck reported a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine used with Keytruda that reduced melanoma recurrence and spread in a trial of more than 1,000 patients, with five-year data from earlier results showing about a 50% drop in recurrence and a 59% drop in spread versus Keytruda alone; if approved, thousands of melanoma patients could benefit in the first years, and trials in other cancers (lung, bladder, kidney, pancreatic, stomach) are ongoing with results expected in the coming years.
Moderna’s personalized mRNA cancer vaccine Intismeran Autogene, developed with Merck, showed Phase 3 melanoma trial success when paired with Keytruda, triggering a roughly 176% stock rally and making Moderna the S&P 500’s second-best performer this year as analysts boost bets on its cancer pipeline, though the magnitude of benefit and potential launches remain under review.
Moderna and Merck reported that their experimental mRNA cancer vaccine, intismeran, when combined with Merck’s Keytruda, produced a clinically meaningful improvement in high-risk melanoma across more than 1,100 patients, with safety consistent with prior studies; the trial could pave the way for a commercial launch next year and signals potential for an expanded mRNA cancer platform, triggering a sharp rally in Moderna’s stock and a solid gain for Merck.
Broadcom fell about 4.7%, dragging the Nasdaq lower early in the session due to its index-heavy weight, while the Dow and S&P 500 advanced on gains in Moderna and Merck and a favorable rotation in tech led by Marvell’s deal with Google. Oil and Treasury yields rose, and safe-haven assets gold and Bitcoin also moved higher, signaling a mixed risk backdrop as the broader market climbed despite the Nasdaq’s weakness.