On March 25, 2026, Merck & Co. announced that it will acquire biotechnology company Terns Pharma for up to $6.7 billion to bolster its oncology drug research and development pipeline. This acquisition comes as Merck's blockbuster oncology drug, Keytruda, is nearing the end of its patent protection. Merck will gain rights to Terns Pharma's investigational drug, TERN-701, which is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2026.
