Collaboration between Merck Inc., and Bayer HealthCare for sGC modulators in Pulmonary Hypertension and Heart Failure

Bayer and Merck & Co., Inc. have agreed to the transfer of the Merck Inc. Consumer Care Business to Bayer and additionally agreed to enter into a strategic pharma collaboration in the area of cardiovascular diseases with a focus on sGC modulation. Despite previous achievements there remains high medical need, for example, in various diseases such as certain forms of pulmonary hypertension or heart failure. Novel modulators of the sGC pathway may have the potential to address this need. The collaboration includes Adempas(Riociguat), which is already approved for the treatment of certain classifications of Pulmonary Hypertension and is being developed in additional life cycle indications, as well as vericiguat, an investigational compound that is currently being developed in two Phase IIb studies in worsening Chronic Heart Failure. Furthermore, the parties agreed that sGC modulators presently in earlier stages of research and development may be included in the collaboration. Bayer and Merck Inc,. will equally share costs and profits from the sGC modulators and implement a joint development and commercialization strategy. Bayer will lead the commercialization for Adempas in the Americas while Merck Inc., will lead the commercialization outside the Americas. For vericiguat and other potential investigational sGC modulators, Bayer will lead the commercialization outside the Americas while Merck Inc., will lead the commercialization in the Americas. Both companies will have the option to co-promote Adempas and the follow-on sGC modulators in each others' territories.