Business
Merck Enters into Research and Development Funding Agreement with Blackstone Life Sciences for Sacituzumab Tirumotecan (sac-TMT)
RAHWAY, N.J., November 04, 2025--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced today that the company has entered into an agreement to receive funds managed by Blackstone Life Sciences ("Blackstone") for the development of sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT), an investigational antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2), a protein found on the surface of various cancer cells. Merck is currently evaluating sac-TMT in 15 gl
About this update from Merck & Company, Inc.
[{"type":"image","alt":"","displaySize":"","headline":null,"caption":"","credit":null,"className":"","disableSlideshowImg":false,"size":{"original":{"width":480,"height":217,"url":"https://media.zenfs.com/en/business-wire.com/caae1f4bd7cc08a440293ac8e7e0d6e2"},"resized":{"url":"https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/8tnow5JGb1PDD5hBLlCOzQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTQzNDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/business-wire.com/caae1f4bd7cc08a440293ac8e7e0d6e2","width":480,"height":217}},"lazy":false},{"type":"text","content":"Strategic financing to advance development of sac-TMT while Merck continues to progress its broad and expansive pipeline","length":120,"tagName":"p","attribs":{}},{"type":"text","content":"RAHWAY, N.J., November 04, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced today that the company has entered into an agreement to receive funds managed by Blackstone Life Sciences ("Blackstone") for the development of sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT), an investigational antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2), a protein found on the surface of various cancer cells. Merck is currently evaluating sac-TMT in 15 global Phase 3 clinical trials spanning six tumor types, including breast, endometrial and lung cancers.","length":629,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":""This agreement positions Merck to harness the potential of sac-TMT, a promising ADC candidate targeting TROP2, while we continue to advance our broad and expansive pipeline," said Caroline Litchfield, chief financial officer, Merck. "We are making important investments to drive patient impact and revenue growth, and to sustain our business for the future while remaining disciplined towards maintaining an appropriate financial profile."","length":460,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Under the terms of the agreement, Blackstone will pay Merck $700 million (which is non-refundable, subject to termination provisions provided for in the agreement) to fund a portion of the development costs for sac-TMT expected to be incurred throughout 2026. In return, Blackstone is eligible to receive low-to-mid single-digit royalties on net sales of sac-TMT across all approved indications in Merck’s marketing territories contingent upon receipt of regulatory approval...