Merck Enters into Supply Agreement with U.S. Government to Manufacture and Initial Distribution of Investigational Biological Therapeutic

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today declared it has gone into a agreement with the United States Government to help the turn of events, assembling and introductory dispersion of an investigational biological therapeutic (CD24Fc, to be named MK-7110) upon endorsement or Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Merck acquired MK-7110 through the securing of OncoImmune, a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical organization.

“Building upon the promising clinical findings to date for MK-7110, Merck is pleased to be collaborating with the U.S. Government to advance the manufacture and distribution of this candidate for patients with serious COVID-19 disease,” said Dr. Roger M. Perlmutter, president, Merck Research Laboratories.

Under the arrangement, Merck will get up to around $356 million for assembling and supply of roughly 60,000-100,000 dosages of MK-7110 to the U.S. Government through June 30, 2021 to meet the public authority's Operation Warp Speed objectives. This methodology is proposed to assist conveyance of MK-7110 to the American individuals as fast as could be expected under the circumstances, following potential EUA or FDA endorsement. Merck is manufacturing contributing to extend its assembling ability to expand supply of MK-7110.