MERCK
20.12.2021 14:02:06 CET | Business Wire | Press release
Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced a strategically focused expansion of its neurology pipeline with the acquisition of the rights to develop cladribine for the treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Merck entered into an agreement to secure the global rights by acquiring Chord Therapeutics, a Swiss-based biotech company focused on rare neuroinflammatory diseases.
“Cladribine has a unique mechanism of action which is relevant in antibody-mediated disease such as NMOSD and gMG. In exploratory studies, cladribine demonstrated promising results in these diseases. These data have prompted us to initiate further development with cladribine in gMG and NMOSD to potentially bring a new therapeutic option to patients and expand our portfolio in this area,” said Danny Bar-Zohar, MD, Head of Global Development for the biopharma business of Merck.
Cladribine is a well characterized molecule that has been extensively studied across MS and oncologic disorders and has shown promising results in exploratory studies in gMG and NMOSD. Merck plans to leverage its existing capabilities to further develop an oral cladribine product tailored specifically for these indications. The transaction is expected to be closed in early 2022 after satisfactory completion of customary closing conditions.
Generalized myasthenia gravis is a disease in which patients experience weakness in ocular, limb, and respiratory muscles and that has a significant impact on Quality of Life. It is estimated that 700,000 people around the world are living with gMG. NMOSD, also known as Devic´s disease, is an autoimmune disease, often misdiagnosed as MS due to similar symptoms. NMOSD is estimated to impact 200,000 people around the world.
About Chord Therapeutics
Chord Therapeutics is a Swiss-based clinical stage pharmaceutical company developing drugs for patients with rare, life-threatening and severely disabling diseases. Chord is advancing its lead drug candidate, CRD1 (cladribine), for the treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). Chord Therapeutics was founded in 2014 and launched in October 2020 with Series A funding by its sole investor, Omega Funds, a leading international venture capital firm focused on delivering impactful medicines to patients.
Merck in Neurology and Immunology
Merck has a long-standing legacy in neurology and immunology, with significant R&D and commercial experience in multiple sclerosis (MS). The company`s current MS portfolio includes two products for the treatment of relapsing MS – Rebif® (interferon beta-1a) and MAVENCLAD® (cladribine tablets). Merck aims to improve the lives of patients by addressing areas of unmet medical needs. In addition to Merck`s commitment to MS, the company also has a pipeline focusing on discovering new therapies that have the potential in other neuroinflammatory and immune-mediated diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
All Merck Press Releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Website. Please go to www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service.
About Merck
Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and electronics. Around 58,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2020, Merck generated sales of € 17.5 billion in 66 countries.
Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck’s technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Electronics.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211220005062/en/
Link:
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Andersen Global udvider sin afrikanske platform med tilføjelsen af medlemsfirma i Namibia9.5.2026 02:35:00 CEST | Pressemeddelelse
Andersen Global udbygger sin tilstedeværelse i Afrika med tilføjelsen af Andersen in Namibia, da Windhoek Advisory & Taxation tager Andersen-brandet til sig og styrker sine forudsætninger for at betjene virksomheder med aktiviteter i et af det sydlige Afrikas dynamiske vækstmarkeder. Andersen in Namibia har været et samarbejdsfirma siden 2021 og er en lokalt ejet revisions- og konsulentvirksomhed, der leverer ydelser inden for regnskab, skat og forretningsrådgivning, tilpasset de unikke behov i Namibias erhvervsklima. Med ekspertise inden for minedrift, landbrug, logistik, turisme og finansielle tjenesteydelser – sektorer, der er afgørende for Namibias økonomi – bistår firmaet både indenlandske virksomheder og internationale selskaber, der etablerer sig i regionen. Gennem cloudbaseret teknologi og datadrevet indsigt leverer Andersen i Namibia effektive og skalerbare løsninger, der gør det muligt for virksomheder at optimere deres drift, håndtere skatteforpligtelser på tværs af jurisdik
Andersen Consulting styrker sine kompetencer inden for organisatorisk transformation med Afiniti8.5.2026 20:45:00 CEST | Pressemeddelelse
Andersen Consulting annoncerer en samarbejdsaftale med Afiniti, et globalt konsulentfirma inden for forretningstransformation med hovedkontor i Storbritannien, der hjælper organisationer med at levere og opretholde komplekse forandringsprojekter. Afiniti blev stiftet i 2003 og er et globalt konsulenthus inden for forretningsforandring med base i Storbritannien og USA. De støtter klienter gennem komplekse transformationer på tværs af mennesker, processer, systemer og data, og de skaber mærkbare forandringer gennem kreative konsulentydelser. Virksomheden betjener primært stærkt regulerede, sikkerhedsdrevne og aktivtunge organisationer med store, geografisk spredte arbejdsstyrker inden for sektorer som energi, forsyning, biovidenskab, transport og byggeri. Afiniti samarbejder med velkendte brands om at levere ekspertise fra start til slut på tværs af organisatoriske, digitale og ai-baserede transformationer samt ændringer i kultur og driftsmodeller. Dette gælder især komplekse scenarier s
Verdantis Launches MRO360 “The World's First AI-Native Spare Parts Intelligence Platform”8.5.2026 15:40:00 CEST | Press release
MRO360 is the first milestone in Verdantis's journey to deliver the industry's first fully AI-native Enterprise Asset Management solution. Verdantis today announced the global launch of MRO360, a purpose-built AI platform that transforms how asset-intensive organizations manage their MRO spare parts inventory. Designed for manufacturers, oil and gas operators, mining companies, utilities, and other industrial enterprises, MRO360 deploys nine interconnected AI agents that continuously forecast demand, score parts criticality, manage obsolescence risk, calculate dynamic reorder points, helps intercompany plant transfer thereby realizing the exact dollar value of every optimization opportunity across a spare parts catalog in real time. Unlike traditional EAM and CMMS platforms built on static rules, MRO360's agents adapt continuously as demand patterns, supplier performance, and equipment health evolve. For the first time, a maintenance planner can see which work orders are at supply risk
Cyble Positioned as a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Cyberthreat Intelligence Technologies8.5.2026 15:22:00 CEST | Press release
Cyble today announced it has been recognized as a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Cyberthreat Intelligence Technologies. The company believes this recognition underscores Cyble’s mission to make threat intelligence truly operational—delivering AI-native capabilities that enable enterprises, government agencies, and MSSPs to shift from reactive security to proactive, intelligence-driven defense. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260508164528/en/ Cyble Named a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Cyberthreat Intelligence Technologies "Security teams are under constant pressure to respond faster with greater accuracy," said Beenu Arora, Co-Founder and CEO, Cyble. "We believe this recognition highlights our focus on delivering intelligence that drives real outcomes—cutting through noise, accelerating response, and enabling confident decision-making at scale." Intelligence That Acts
WHOOP Expands Health Platform with On-Demand Clinician Access and New AI Features8.5.2026 15:00:00 CEST | Press release
New updates introduce a more personalized, data-driven member experience—bridging the gap between continuous biometrics, real-world context, and clinical insight WHOOP, the human performance company, today announced a new suite of health and AI-driven enhancements and feature updates across the WHOOP memberships, marking a major step forward in its evolution into an intelligent health platform. These updates deepen the company’s commitment to delivering highly personalized, accurate, and actionable insights. They signal the company’s expansion beyond performance optimization into clinical-grade health support. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260508464188/en/ WHOOP Expands Health Platform with On-Demand Clinician Access and New AI Features “WHOOP is a membership, and we take that seriously,” said Ed Baker, Chief Product Officer of WHOOP. “We’re always asking how we can deliver more value to our members, and the
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom