Merck licenses SciBrunch cancer drug in deal worth up to $2.13 billion
MRK•Merck agreed to pay up to $2.13 billion for global rights to develop, manufacture and sell SciBrunch’s experimental cancer drug SPR2015. The deal includes a $400 million upfront payment and up to $1.73 billion in milestones.
1. Deal terms
The deal has closed and gives Merck rights to SPR2015, an oral drug candidate targeting KRAS G12D, a cancer-driving mutation found in pancreatic, colorectal and lung cancers. Merck said the transaction will result in a $400 million pre-tax charge, or about 13 cents per share, in its third-quarter 2026 results.
2. Drug development
SPR2015 is in preclinical development and has not entered human testing. The companies said preclinical data presented earlier this year showed reduced tumor growth in laboratory and animal models of KRAS G12D-mutant cancers.
3. Pipeline context
The deal comes as Merck works to broaden its cancer drug pipeline ahead of patent expirations for Keytruda later this decade. Scotiabank analyst Louise Chen said Merck has visibility into more than $70 billion in commercial opportunity by the mid-2030s, compared with Wall Street’s estimate of about $33 billion for Keytruda’s peak 2028 revenue.
