Key Developments: Merck KGaA (MRCG.DE)
119.00EUR
17 May 2013
€-0.10 (-0.08%)
€120.50
€118.80
€119.65
€118.40
372,601
256,442
€127.50
€71.95
Latest Key Developments (Source: Significant Developments)
EnWave Corp Signs Research Evaluation Agreement with Merck KGaA
EnWave Corp announced that it has signed a Research Evaluation Agreement with Merck, through a subsidiary. Under the terms of the agreement Merck will conduct a field test to determine the feasibility of the Radiant Energy Vacuum (REV) Technology using EnWave's new multi-vial pilot-scale equipment. In addition, EnWave has granted Merck an exclusive research license to use the Company's technology and licensed patents for the duration of the evaluation and an option to obtain an exclusive commercial worldwide license to EnWave's portfolio. Full Article
Merck KGaA's Merck Serono And Ablynx NV Expand Their Partnership Into Osteoarthritis
Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, announced that it has further expanded its relationship with Ablynx NV and entered into a third agreement to co-discover and co-develop Nanobodies against two targets in osteoarthritis. The companies will exploit the unique Nanobody features and will develop multi-specific products, which have extended half-lives. Under the terms of the agreement, Ablynx will receive an upfront payment of EUR20 million payable in two tranches over the next three months and will be fully responsible for all activities and costs for each programme, excluding manufacturing costs and costs relating to certain in vivo models, up to the delivery of the pre-clinical package that will form the basis of an Investigational New Drug (IND) filing or IND equivalent filing. Ablynx is entitled to receive a further EUR15 million for each programme if the pre-clinical packages are accepted by Merck Serono. At that point, Ablynx has the option to continue with Merck Serono on a 50:50 co-development basis and share the resulting profits, or to convert this collaboration into an exclusive, worldwide licensing deal with milestone payments and tiered royalties. Full Article
Merck KGaA Lowers High End Of Prior FY 2011 Revenue Guidance To A Range In Line With Analysts' Estimates-Reuters
Reuters reported that Merck KGaA cut the top end of fiscal 2011 sales guidance after sluggish demand for consumer electronics dimmed prospects for its liquid crystals business. The Company has warned that the flat screen industry was signalling weakness for the next two to three quarters after customers sold off inventory, anticipating economic weakness ahead. The Company now expects sales for fiscal 2011 to be between EUR10 billion and EUR10.2 billion ($13.9-14.2 billion), down from a previous range of EUR10.0-EUR10.4 billion. According to I/B/E/S Estimates, the analysts on average are expecting the Company to report revenue of EUR10.2 billion for fiscal 2011. Full Article
Merck KGaA's Merck Serono Returns Rights For Safinamide To Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA
Merck KGaA's Merck Serono announced that it has decided to return all rights for safinamide to Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A. Merck Serono had acquired exclusive worldwide rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize safinamide in Parkinson's disease and other therapeutic applications, pursuant to its agreement with Newron signed in 2006. The termination of this agreement will become effective in April 2012 and will result in approximately EUR40 million of additional costs for Merck Serono in the fourth quarter of 2011. These costs will be excluded from both the division's and the Merck Group's fourth quarter underlying core operating result. Merck Serono's decision was made as part of the ongoing review and re-prioritization of its R&D pipeline. In Merck Serono's view, safinamide has a more limited market potential than originally anticipated by the Company. Full Article
ONO PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. Signs License Agreements with Merck KGaA
ONO PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. announced that it has signed a license agreement with Merck KGaA. Under the agreement, ONO PHARMACEUTICAL provides Merck KGaA with the development and marketing right of ONO-4641 in global market. ONO-4641 is a drug for multiple sclerosis treatment developed by ONO PHARMACEUTICAL. For the license, Merck KGaA will pay ONO PHARMACEUTICAL a lump sum of JPY 1,500 million. In addition, ONO PHARMACEUTICAL and Merck KGaA also signed another license agreement. Under the agreement, Merck KGaA provides ONO PHARMACEUTICAL with the development and marketing right of Stimuvax in Japan market. Stimuvax is a kind of drug for cancer mmunotherapy treatment. For the license, ONO PHARMACEUTICAL will pay Merck KGaA a lump sum of EUR 5 million. Full Article
Merck KGaA Gets Exclusive Rights For Multiple Sclerosis Drug-DJ
Dow Jones reported that Merck KGaA has acquired worldwide exclusive rights to PI-2301, an experimental drug for multiple sclerosis, previously developed by Peptimmune Inc. PI-2301 has completed Phase 1b in multiple sclerosis and is ready to initiate Phase 2 clinical trials. The acquisition of PI-2301 covers its worldwide exclusive development and commercialization rights. Merck will investigate the application of this product in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Full Article
Biotest AG Completes Sale of Microbiological Monitoring Business to Merck KGaA
Biotest AG announced that all relevant merger control authorities approved the sale of Biotest's AG worldwide activities of its Microbiological Monitoring business, consisting of the product portfolio of HYCON (hygiene monitoring), the product portfolio of heipha Dr. Mueller GmbH (microbiological culture media and microbiological test systems) to Merck KGaA, Darmstadt. Biotest AG and Merck KGaA therefore closed the deal, which had been agreed upon on March 21, 2011 and which was subject to merger approval. According to the terms of the transaction, Merck will acquire two production sites in Germany, as well as four subsidiaries - the heipha Dr. Mueller GmbH (51% Biotest; 49% Dr. Mueller) the Biotest Microbiology Corp. (Rockaway, New Jersey, USA), the Biotest Sarl (Paris, France) and the Biotest K.K. (Yokohama, Japan). The transaction also comprises the 49% shares of Dr. Mueller of heipha Dr. Mueller GmbH. In addition, Merck acquires the microbiological monitoring businesses of five of Biotest Group's European subsidiaries under an asset deal. Financial terms were not disclosed. Full Article
Merck KGaA Comments on FY 2011 Revenue Guidance; Lowers FY 2011 Operating Result Forecast
Merck KGaA announced the Executive Board of the Company now believes that fiscal year 2011 total revenues for the Group will increase to between EUR 10 billion and EUR 10.4 billion. The Group operating result for 2011 is expected to amount to about EUR 1 billion, which is below the guidance given in April 2011 primarily due to the many one-time adjustments. Excluding one-time adjustments, the 2011 operating result would be about EUR 1.4 billion. The Company reported revenues of EUR 9.291 billion in the fiscal 2010. According to I/B/E/S Estimates, the analysts on average are expecting the Company to report revenue of EUR 10.357 billion for fiscal 2011. Full Article
Merck KGaA's Merck Serono Receives European Approval For Three Pre-filled, Ready-To-Use Pen Injectors For Fertility Treatment
Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA announced that the European Commission (EC) has granted an approval for three pre-filled, ready-to-use pen injectors for fertility treatment. This "family of pens" is designed for self-administration of the liquid formulations of its three recombinant gonadotropins used in fertility treatments: GONAL-f (follitropin alfa) 300 IU, 450 IU and 900 IU, Luveris (lutropin alfa) 450 IU and Ovidrel/ Ovitrelle 250 micrograms (choriogonadotropin alfa). The newly approved prefilled pens were designed to facilitate daily administration by patients during their fertility treatment. The pens immediately confirm that a complete dose was delivered, or indicate the missing amount if an incomplete dose is injected. Other key features include a new graduated scale on reservoir for patients to check the amount of medication remaining in the pen and a bi-directional dose dial allowing them to correct the dose dialed, if needed. Full Article
Merck KGaA Drug Prolongs Lives In Lung Cancer Trial-Reuters
Reuters reported that Merck KGaA's Erbitux was shown to prolong lung-cancer patients' lives in a subset of the drugmaker's initial target group, shoring up revived plans to bring the drug to the lung-cancer market. Study data released at an International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer conference on July 4, 2011, showed patients on Erbitux with so-called high epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression lived 2.4 months longer on average than a control group without the drug. In the EGFR group, overall survival averaged 12 months for those taking Erbitux in combination with standard chemotherapy and 9.6 months for patients receiving chemotherapy alone, according to the results presented in Amsterdam and confirmed by Merck. Among patients with low counts of EGFR, a survival benefit of Erbitux was not evident. Full Article
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