Merck & Co. (MRK) to Acquire Terns Pharma for $6.7 Billion

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is included in our list of the best stocks to buy for financial stability.

On March 25, 2026, Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) came into the limelight when Reuters reported that the company had agreed to buy Terns Pharma for $6.7 billion. The move comes as the company looks to expand its cancer pipeline amid concerns surrounding the looming patent loss for blockbuster therapy Keytruda.

By the end of this decade, Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is expected to lose patent protection for the therapy.

The move is part of Merck’s threefold expansion of its late-stage pipeline since 2021, which is supported by in-house development and major deals. Previously, the company acquired Acceleron, gaining access to the pulmonary arterial hypertension drug Winrevair for $11.5 billion.

The transaction represents a 6% premium to the stock’s last close, settling at $53 per share. Following the announcement, a 5.5% share price gain was noted by the end of the day’s session.

The deal provides Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) with access to Terns Pharma’s TERN-701, an experimental drug being tested as a treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia. The deal is expected to close by Q2 2026.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK), a healthcare company, provides health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products.

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