Genmab 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 was a notable winner on the New York stock exchanges on Monday. The Utrecht-based company, listed on the Nasdaq technology exchange, is being acquired by Danish company Genmab for $8 billion. The acquisition price is $97 per share in cash. Merus's share price soared by more than 37 percent in early trading on Wall Street.
Genmab buys Dutch biotech company, gets promising cancer drugs in deal. Hopes new drug will be a blockbuster.
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