German pharmaceutical firm Merck is looking for partners to help it develop new treatments as it faces an expected fall in operating profit. The company said on Tuesday that its net profit fell by more than a third last year and warned of further falls this year. Analysts say the operating profit fall has driven the need for collaboration. Among the treatments that could benefit are oral lung cancer drug Tepotinib and a fusion protein to help the immune system fight cancer cells.
German pharmaceutical firm Merck is looking for partners to help it develop new treatments as it faces an expected fall in operating profit. Partnership deals in which a firm shares the cost of clinical trials in return for a share of future sales would make it easier for Merck to take its research to as many diseases as possible. Analysts say the operating profit fall has driven the need for collaboration. Among the treatments that could benefit are oral lung cancer drug Tepotinib and a fusion protein to help the immune system fight cancer cells.