RAHWAY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $MRK #MRK--Systematic Review of 15 Studies Focused on Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance of Pneumococcal Serotypes Covered by CAPVAXIVE in U.S. Adults. ...

Core Insights - CytomX Therapeutics has appointed Rachael Lester as Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer to enhance its strategic long-term value creation and partnering strategy [1][2] - The company is well-positioned to advance its clinical assets, particularly CX-2051 and CX-801, which target high unmet medical needs in cancer treatment [2][4] Company Overview - CytomX Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing conditionally activated, masked biologics aimed at localized tumor treatment [4] - The company's PROBODY therapeutic platform enables the creation of safer and more effective cancer therapies, with a pipeline that includes antibody-drug conjugates, T-cell engagers, and immune modulators [4] Leadership Experience - Rachael Lester brings over 20 years of experience in corporate strategy and business development within the biopharmaceutical industry [3] - Prior to joining CytomX, she held significant roles at Replicate Bioscience and Harpoon Therapeutics, where she was instrumental in securing financing and establishing major partnerships [3] Clinical Pipeline - CytomX's lead clinical assets include CX-2051, a masked ADC targeting EpCAM, and CX-801, a masked interferon alpha-2b PROBODY cytokine, both of which have broad potential across various cancer types [4] - CX-2051 is designed to treat multiple EpCAM-expressing epithelial cancers, including colorectal cancer, while CX-801 has applications in both immuno-oncology sensitive and insensitive tumors [4] Strategic Collaborations - The company has established strategic partnerships with leading oncology firms such as Amgen, Astellas, Bristol Myers Squibb, Regeneron, and Moderna to enhance its research and development efforts [4]

The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear a bid by a group of physicians and healthcare providers to revive their antitrust lawsuit accusing drugmaker Merck of misleading federal regulators to... ...

Merck said on Monday it has begun construction of a $3 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Elkton, Virginia as part of its more than $70 billion investment to expand domestic manufacturin... ...

Core Insights - Merck has commenced the construction of a new pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Elkton, Virginia, as part of a $70 billion investment strategy in the U.S. [1][6] - The facility is expected to create 500 full-time jobs and approximately 8,000 construction jobs during its development [1][10] - This investment aligns with the U.S. administration's focus on domestic pharmaceutical production and reducing reliance on foreign manufacturing [2][6] Investment and Economic Impact - The new plant will enhance U.S. production capabilities for vaccines and critical medicines, including active pharmaceutical ingredients and small-molecule manufacturing [5] - Merck's expansion is projected to create over 48,000 construction-related jobs by 2029, with most construction expected to be completed by 2028 [10] - The Elkton facility marks Merck's fourth major U.S. manufacturing project initiated this year, alongside projects in Delaware, North Carolina, and Kansas [9] Strategic Alignment with Government Policy - Merck's leadership emphasizes collaboration with the U.S. administration to maintain the country's position as a leader in pharmaceutical innovation [3][11] - The announcement coincides with the White House's renewed emphasis on "Made in America" initiatives for pharmaceuticals [6] - Virginia's Governor has recognized the investment as a significant advancement for the state's life-sciences sector, reinforcing its status in advanced manufacturing and healthcare innovation [12]

RAHWAY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck Breaks Ground on $3 Billion Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing in Elkton, Virginia. ...

Core Insights - Merck announced the first presentation of results from the pivotal Phase 3 KEYNOTE-B96 trial, evaluating KEYTRUDA® in combination with chemotherapy for platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer [1] Group 1 - The trial, also known as ENGOT-ov65, assesses the efficacy of KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) combined with paclitaxel, with or without bevacizumab [1]

Core Insights - Merck announced significant results showing that the combination of KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) and Padcev® (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) reduced the risk of event-free survival (EFS) events by 60% and the risk of death by 50% when administered before and after radical cystectomy compared to surgery alone in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) [1] Group 1 - The combination therapy demonstrated a 60% reduction in the risk of event-free survival (EFS) events [1] - The therapy also resulted in a 50% reduction in the risk of death [1] - The study focused on patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who are not eligible for standard treatment [1]

Core Insights - The combination of KEYTRUDA and LENVIMA shows a durable 5-year survival benefit compared to chemotherapy for patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma [1] Group 1 - KEYTRUDA plus LENVIMA demonstrates significant efficacy in improving survival rates for patients suffering from advanced endometrial carcinoma [1] - The study highlights the long-term benefits of this combination therapy over traditional chemotherapy options [1]

Core Insights - Merck is experiencing significant challenges with its second-largest product, Gardasil, which is a vaccine for preventing certain cancers caused by human papillomavirus. Sales, which had been rising until 2022, began to decline in 2024 and continued to struggle in 2025 [1][10]. Sales Performance - In the first half of 2025, Gardasil sales dropped 48% year-over-year to $2.45 billion, primarily due to weak demand in China amid an economic slowdown. This decline has led to higher-than-normal inventory levels at Merck's partner in China, Zhifei [2][10]. - Merck has decided to temporarily halt shipments of Gardasil to China to allow for inventory reduction, with no expected resumption of shipments until at least the end of 2025. Sales are projected to decline significantly in 2025 compared to 2024 levels [3][10]. - Demand for Gardasil is also weak in Japan, with expectations of continued low sales in both China and Japan for the latter half of 2025. Estimates suggest a negative compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.1% for Gardasil sales over the next three years [4]. Other Vaccines and Competitive Landscape - Besides Gardasil, Merck markets several other vaccines, including ProQuad, M-M-R II, Varivax, Vaxneuvance, RotaTeq, Pneumovax 23, and the newly approved Capvaxive [5]. - Sales of other vaccines, such as ProQuad and Pneumovax 23, also saw declines in the first half of 2025. Merck's new RSV antibody, Enflonsia, was approved in the U.S. in June 2025 and is under review in the EU, aimed at protecting infants during their first RSV season [6]. - Enflonsia is the first treatment designed to protect infants with a uniform dose regardless of weight, but it faces competition from AstraZeneca and Sanofi's RSV antibody, Beyfortus, which achieved blockbuster status in its first full year of sales in 2024 [7][8]. Financial Performance and Valuation - Year-to-date, Merck's shares have declined by 15.8%, underperforming the industry, sector, and S&P 500 [9]. - From a valuation perspective, Merck's shares trade at a forward price/earnings ratio of 8.97, which is lower than the industry average of 15.62 and its 5-year mean of 12.64 [11]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings per share has decreased from $8.94 to $8.92, and for 2026, it has decreased from $9.55 to $9.44 over the past 60 days [12].