Merck to Acquire Silence Therapeutics for $1.3 Billion, Expanding Rare Disease Portfolio with siRNA Innovation

Moderna and Merck's experimental melanoma vaccine, combined with Keytruda, reduced recurrence or death risk by 42% in a Phase 3 trial. Despite positive results, Moderna's shares fell 18%, likely due to high investor expectations. The vaccine is personalized using mRNA technology, targeting unique tumor mutations. Trial data showed 82.2% of patients treated with the vaccine and Keytruda were alive without recurrence after two years, compared to 70% with Keytruda alone.

Moderna and Merck reported late-stage trial results showing their personalized mRNA melanoma vaccine, intismeran, reduced relapse risk by 42% when combined with Keytruda. The trial involved 1,137 patients, with 82% of vaccine recipients showing no recurrence after two years, compared to 70% for the placebo group. The companies plan to present the findings at a medical conference and continue long-term studies.

Roche expanded its ADC partnership with Hansoh Pharma, with a deal potentially worth over $15B. Merck KGaA agreed to acquire Silence Therapeutics for $1.3B, gaining a rare blood cancer therapy and RNA tech. Retail sentiment on Stocktwits was neutral for Gilead and bullish for Merck KGaA, Silence Therapeutics, and others.

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) plus chemo did not significantly improve event-free survival (EFS) in cisplatin-eligible muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients, per KEYNOTE-866 trial results. Median EFS was 74.1 months with pembrolizumab vs not reached with placebo (HR 0.88, P = .1366). Overall survival (OS) was similar, and pCR rate was higher with pembrolizumab. Adverse effects were consistent with prior reports. The trial enrolled 907 patients, with EFS as the primary endpoint.

Merck and Moderna reported positive results from a cancer vaccine trial. The personalized vaccine, combined with existing immunotherapy, reduced melanoma recurrence by training the immune system to target cancer cells, according to the study.

Merck's enlicitide (Lipfendra) showed significant LDL-C reduction in patients with reduced kidney function, according to a pooled analysis of phase 3 trials. The FDA approved the drug in July 2026 for lowering LDL-C in adults with hypercholesterolemia, including HeFH. The analysis found placebo-adjusted LDL-C reductions of 65.9% at week 24 in patients with eGFR below 60, with comparable safety to placebo.