Merck on Sumneytown Pike in Upper Gwynedd Township (Credit: Google Maps Street View)
Cidara’s CD388 is a long-acting antiviral designed to prevent influenza infection across strains, including in people at higher risk for complications
Pharmaceutical giant Merck has officially wrapped up its $9.2 billion acquisition of Cidara Therapeutics, bringing a promising experimental flu prevention drug into its pipeline.
According to ROI-NJ, the deal, valued at $221.50 per share in cash, closed late last year and adds Cidara’s lead candidate, CD388, to Merck’s portfolio as it seeks new growth areas beyond its blockbuster cancer therapy Keytruda amid looming patent expirations.
Cidara’s CD388 is not a traditional vaccine, according to Merck. Instead, it is a long-acting antiviral designed to prevent influenza infection across strains, including in people at higher risk for complications.
It works independent of the immune response that vaccines require and has already been granted Fast Track and Breakthrough Therapy designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as it advances through a Phase 3 global trial, the company said. Early research suggested it could provide broad, season-long protection against flu A and B viruses.
The acquisition signals Merck’s push to diversify and strengthen its respiratory and infectious disease portfolio ahead of future market challenges, according to WFMZ. CD388 could eventually offer an alternative or complement to annual flu shots, especially for older adults and immune-compromised individuals who respond poorly to traditional vaccines.
Merck is expected to discuss the deal further, along with its fourth-quarter and full-year financial results, on its Feb. 3 earnings call.
