© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen on the Merck & Co. headquarters in Kenilworth, New Jersey, U.S., November 13, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
(Reuters) -Merck & Co is in late-stage talks to accumulate Prometheus Biosciences Inc to get its palms on promising immune illness therapies, the Wall Avenue Journal reported on Sunday citing individuals acquainted with the matter.
A deal may very well be introduced as quickly as Sunday, the individuals quoted stated, although cautioning the talks may nonetheless disintegrate.
Prometheus, a clinical-stage biotechnology firm specializing in therapeutic merchandise for the remedy of immune-mediated ailments, had a market capitalization of $5.42 billion as of the shut on Friday.
Merck has been searching for offers to guard itself from eventual income loss as its most cancers immunotherapy Keytruda patents start to run out towards the tip of the last decade.
Merck in February forecast 2023 earnings under Wall Avenue estimates and an anticipated steep decline in gross sales of its COVID-19 antiviral remedy.
Merck and Prometheus didn’t instantly reply to a Reuters request for remark.