Merck to create separate cancer business to offset Keytruda patent loss, WSJ reports

SelfRugger · 2026-02-28T19:18:50+00:00

Merck plans to separate its cancer and non-cancer divisions to mitigate potential losses from Keytruda's patent expiration in 2028, as it seeks new growth opportunities amid increasing competition.

SelfRugger

2026-02-28 19:18:50

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Merck to create separate cancer business to offset Keytruda patent loss, WSJ reports

Reuters

Mon, February 23, 2026 at 8:40 PM GMT+9 1 min read

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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.

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)

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