Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany to Acquire SpringWorks Therapeutics to Accelerate Sustainable Growth of Healthcare Business - Seite 2

The planned transaction is fully aligned with the business development/M&A priorities of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s Healthcare business as outlined during the company’s Capital Markets Day in October 2024: to continue to pursue external innovation via in-licensing of high-quality compounds at various stages of development and focused acquisitions that promise early value creation. It also fits with the strategic objective of strengthening Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s Healthcare presence in the United States, the world’s largest pharmaceutical market.

Upon closing, the business combination will immediately contribute to Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s revenues and is expected to be accretive to Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s earnings per share pre (EPS pre) in 2027. The acquisition will be funded with available cash and new debt. Beyond this planned transaction, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany will retain the ability to pursue larger transactions and continue to evaluate opportunities across its three sectors, with Life Science a priority. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is committed to preserving its strong investment grade credit rating.

SpringWorks’ rare tumor portfolio, including a marketed first-in-class, systemic standard-of-care therapy for adults with desmoid tumors and the first and only approved therapy for adults and children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) who have symptomatic plexiform neurofibromas (PN) not amenable to complete resection, will accelerate immediate and sustainable revenue growth for Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. SpringWorks’ portfolio complements Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s progress in rare tumors, with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany recently exercising an option for worldwide commercialization rights for pimicotinib, an investigational therapy developed by Abbisko Therapeutics Co., Ltd. for patients with tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT).

“We have the unique opportunity with SpringWorks to establish a leadership position in rare tumors and build a strong foundation for further investments in this area, where a large unmet medical need exists,” said Peter Guenter, member of the Executive Board and CEO of Healthcare at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “Together, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and SpringWorks are the perfect combination to improve outcomes for patients with rare tumors and bring therapeutic innovations to more patients worldwide while building on and reinforcing the early success of SpringWorks in the United States. For Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, the planned acquisition will create long term, sustainable growth for our Healthcare business. Along with my successor Danny Bar-Zohar, we look forward to completing this strategic transaction and making a meaningful difference for patients whose lives are so profoundly affected by these complex and challenging tumors.”