Merck to create separate cancer business to offset Keytruda patent loss, WSJ reports
Merck to create separate cancer business to offset Keytruda patent loss, WSJ reports
ReutersMon, February 23, 2026 at 11:40 AM UTC
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Feb 23 (Reuters) - Merck is splitting its human-health business into two divisions to offset pressures related to the loss of patent for its top-selling drug Keytruda, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
One division will house its cancer drugs, including Keytruda, while the other will sell its non-cancer products, the report said. Shares of the U.S. drugmaker were up 1.4% in premarket trading.
Keytruda, approved for several forms of cancers, recorded sales of more than $30 billion in 2025. The drug is set to lose certain patent protections in 2028, exposing it to intense competition from lower-cost copycats.
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Merck has been pursuing several deals over the past year to fill up its pipeline and create new blockbuster growth drivers.
The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
(Reporting by Padmanabhan Ananthan in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)
Source: “AOL Money”
