Pharma BD Deal Intelligence
Merck's $400M bet on IOmet's IDO/TDO inhibitors was wiped out by the class-wide epacadostat failure; no approved product, no disclosed revenue, and the lead asset quietly vanished from Merck's pipeline.
Full analysis, sources & comparables →Factual coverage framing the deal as part of Merck's broader immuno-oncology strategy: acquiring IOmet's pipeline of IDO and TDO inhibitors designed to…
Seeking Alpha framed the deal as Merck improving its standing in 'a subsector of cancer immunotherapy that could grow in popularity,' noting that 'if IDO/TDO…
FierceBiotech reported the ECHO-301 epacadostat+Keytruda failure crashed Incyte (-20%) and NewLink (-45%) and triggered an industry-wide retreat from IDO…
Source summaries from our enrichment pipeline; follow links for originals.
All 6 sources with sentiment breakdown →
Merck acquired UK-based IOmet Pharma, gaining preclinical pipeline of IDO, TDO, and dual IDO/TDO inhibitors to bolster immuno-oncology development program. Financial terms undisclosed; press reports estimate ~$400M total deal value. Strategic combination potential with Keytruda.
Merck's $400M bet on IOmet's IDO/TDO inhibitors was wiped out by the class-wide epacadostat failure; no approved product, no disclosed revenue, and the lead asset quietly vanished from Merck's pipeline.
Assessment window: 10yr post-close.
| Deal | Year | Value | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merck & Co., Inc. / IOmet Pharma Ltd. (this deal) | 2016 | $400M | 23 |
| Merck & Co., Inc. / Afferent Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 2016 | $1.2B | 23 |
| Merck & Co., Inc. / cCAM Biotherapeutics Ltd. | 2015 | $605M | 17 |
| AstraZeneca PLC / Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited | 2019 | $6.9B | 100 |
| Novartis AG / Endocyte, Inc. | 2018 | $2.1B | 96 |
| Astellas Pharma Inc. / Seagen Inc. | 2009 | $4.5B | 95 |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Company / Medarex Inc. | 2009 | $2.4B | 92 |
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More: 2016 deals · Merck & Co., Inc. deals · Oncology deals