Merck to Acquire Verona Pharma for Approximately $10 Billion

Merck to Acquire Acceleron Pharma Inc for $11.5B

September 30, 2021

Biotechnology

Merck (through a subsidiary) entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Acceleron Pharma Inc for $180 per share in cash, for an approximate total equity value of $11.5 billion. The transaction will be completed via a tender offer followed by a merger, and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2021, subject to conditions including regulatory approvals and tender of at least a majority of outstanding shares.

Merck & Co., Inc. Acquires VelosBio Inc.

November 5, 2020

Biotechnology

Merck & Co., Inc. will acquire all outstanding shares of clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company VelosBio for $2.75 billion in cash. The acquisition adds VelosBio's lead investigational antibody-drug conjugate VLS-101 and ROR1-directed pipeline assets to Merck's oncology portfolio and is expected to close by the end of 2020, subject to customary conditions.

Novartis to Acquire MorphoSys in $2.9 Billion Deal

February 7, 2024

Pharmaceuticals

Novartis agreed to a voluntary public takeover offer to acquire MorphoSys AG for €68 per share, valuing the deal at about €2.7 billion (reported as $2.9 billion). The acquisition is intended to expand and complement Novartis’ oncology pipeline, including pelabresib (CPI-0610) and tulmimetostat (CPI-0209).

Merck & Co. (Merck Sharp & Dohme) Acquires Cidara Therapeutics

January 8, 2026

Biotechnology

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC (Merck & Co., Inc.) completed its cash tender offer and follow-on merger to acquire Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. for $221.50 per share, valuing the deal at about $9.2 billion. The acquisition adds Cidara’s late-stage, long-acting, strain-agnostic influenza antiviral candidate CD388 to Merck’s respiratory pipeline.

Pfizer Acquires Arena Pharmaceuticals

December 13, 2021

Pharmaceuticals

Pfizer Inc. agreed to acquire clinical-stage Arena Pharmaceuticals for $100 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $6.7 billion, creating a wholly owned subsidiary. The acquisition brings Arena's development-stage portfolio — including etrasimod and cardiovascular assets — into Pfizer's Inflammation & Immunology pipeline to accelerate clinical development and expand therapeutic capabilities.

Novo Nordisk to Acquire Akero Therapeutics for Up to $5.2 Billion

October 10, 2025

Pharmaceuticals

Akero Therapeutics announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Novo Nordisk A/S in a transaction valued at up to $5.2 billion in cash. Under the terms of the deal, Akero shareholders will receive $54.00 per share at closing plus a non-transferable Contingent Value Right (CVR) that could pay an additional $6.00 per share contingent on full U.S. regulatory approval of efruxifermin (EFX) for compensated cirrhosis associated with MASH.