STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Merck eyeing a biotech, a Moderna Covid vaccine trial, and more
Merck held talks over a potential $3 billion acquisition of MoonLake Immunotherapeutics, as it seeks to replenish its drug pipeline
Rise and shine, another busy day is on the way. We can tell because the official mascots got an early start chasing down cats, squirrels, and other creatures darting about the Pharmalot campus. And then there is the noisy parade of school buses, construction trucks, and other assorted vehicles passing nearby on their way to who knows what? As for us, we are firing up the trusty coffee kettle to brew another cup of stimulation. Our choice today is coconut rum. Please feel free to join us. Meanwhile, the time has come to get cracking. So here is the latest laundry list of interesting items for you to peruse. We hope you have a meaningful and productive day and, of course, do keep in touch. Best of luck, everyone. …
Merck held talks over a potential $3 billion acquisition of MoonLake Immunotherapeutics, as it seeks to replenish its drug pipeline, The Financial Times reports. Merck submitted a non-binding offer for MoonLake earlier this year, valuing the business in excess of $3 billion, a premium to its $2.6 billion market value, but its initial approach was rejected, although talks could be revived. The approach was made ahead of the release of late-stage clinical data for a MoonLake drug. However, there was no guarantee a deal would happen and there was a possibility that other buyers would emerge. Founded in 2021 by a former McKinsey partner, Jorge Santos da Silva, MoonLake is testing its lead drug in Phase 3 trials as a treatment for hidradenitis suppurativa, a chronic form of acne, in adolescents and adults, as well as for psoriatic arthritis. The talks are the first hint that Merck is returning to the negotiating table a year after buying EyeBio in its last multibillion-dollar biotech deal. Its shares have fallen 39% over the past year, compared with an 11% decline in the S&P 500 pharmaceutical index.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kenney Jr. says that Moderna has agreed to do a placebo-controlled trial of its new Covid vaccine that was recently approved by U.S. regulators, Bloomberg News writes. In a post on X, Kennedy said he wanted to “address those of you who have anxieties” about the limited approval issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of the Moderna vaccine, which was cleared for a narrower segment of the population than prior shots. Moderna declined to comment. As a condition for approving the new shot, the FDA required a future placebo-controlled study in adults ages 50 to 64 without high-risk conditions. Kennedy said that “the FDA will monitor and collect data throughout the trial for every adverse outcome” and “scrutinize every aspect of the trial.” Under Kennedy, U.S. health agencies have taken steps to limit who can get Covid vaccines, arguing there is a lack of evidence for repeat doses. The FDA indicated last month it would no longer approve Covid booster shots for healthy adults and children without new studies.
