US EditionGenmab to Pay $8B to Get Its Hands on Merus Head & Neck Cancer Drug With Blockbuster Potential
Genmab’s $8 billion acquisition of Merus adds petosemtamab, a late-stage cancer drug with two FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designations and potential $1 billion annual sales by 2029.
- On September 29, 2025, Genmab announced it will acquire Merus in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $8 billion at $97 per share.
- The acquisition follows compelling Phase 2 data for Merus' bispecific antibody petosemtamab, showing a 60% response rate and 11-month median duration of response.
- Petosemtamab targets EGFR and LGR5 and has two FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designations with two Phase 3 trials expected to yield results in 2026.
- The $97 per share price reflects a 41% premium over Merus’ closing price on September 26, 2025, and Genmab plans to finance the purchase with cash and $5.5 billion in new debt.
- The transaction, endorsed by the boards of both companies, is anticipated to finalize in early Q1 2026, enhancing Genmab’s late-stage pipeline and enabling multiple drug launches by 2027.
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Genmab to Pay $8B to Get Its Hands on Merus Head & Neck Cancer Drug With Blockbuster Potential
Merus brings Genmab a bispecific antibody in two pivotal studies for head and neck cancer. Genmab, which had long developed drugs under partnerships with larger companies, is now pursuing a strategy of developing and commercializing medications it fully owns. The post Genmab to Pay $8B to Get Its Hands on Merus Head & Neck Cancer Drug With Blockbuster Potential appeared first on MedCity News.
Dutch pharmaceutical company Merus is developing a promising cancer drug. Its Danish-Dutch counterpart Genmab is very interested in it and is willing to pay $8 billion to acquire the company.
Dutch pharmaceutical company Merus is being acquired by its Danish counterpart Genmab. The Danes are paying approximately $8 billion for the Utrecht-based company, which is developing a treatment for head and neck cancer. Expectations for the drug are high, and experts are expecting a genuine blockbuster.
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