Global | January 2026 — Merck & Co., Inc. (MSD outside the U.S. and Canada) reinforced its position as a global biopharma leader in 2025 through continued expansion of its oncology, vaccines, and infectious disease franchises, alongside selective new launches and pipeline advancement. These milestones underscored Merck’s focus on durable innovation, lifecycle management, and disciplined commercial execution as it prepares for the next phase of growth.
Oncology Portfolio: Sustaining Leadership in Immuno-Oncology
KEYTRUDA® — Multiple Solid Tumors
Condition: Broad range of cancers including lung, melanoma, breast, and gastrointestinal tumors
In 2025, KEYTRUDA continued to anchor Merck’s oncology portfolio, supported by new indication expansions, earlier-line use, and combination strategies across multiple tumor types. Real-world evidence and long-term survival data further reinforced its role as the backbone of immuno-oncology treatment globally.
Strategic Impact:
KEYTRUDA’s breadth of indications and deep clinical penetration provide strong cash flow durability, supporting reinvestment into next-generation oncology assets as Merck prepares for future patent transitions.
WELIREG® — Rare Oncology
Condition: von Hippel-Lindau disease and advanced renal cell carcinoma
Merck advanced WELIREG in 2025 through expanded regulatory approvals and clinical studies targeting additional tumor types, strengthening its rare oncology footprint.
Strategic Impact:
Rare cancer therapies offer high-margin, specialty revenues with strong pricing power and extended lifecycles.
Vaccines Portfolio: Global Prevention and Public Health
GARDASIL® — Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
Condition: Prevention of HPV-related cancers
GARDASIL maintained strong global demand in 2025, driven by expanded vaccination programs in emerging markets and renewed public health focus on cancer prevention.
Strategic Impact:
Vaccines provide predictable, long-term revenue streams, helping balance oncology concentration risk.
VAXNEUVANCE® — Pneumococcal Disease
Condition: Invasive pneumococcal disease
Merck continued to expand adult and pediatric adoption of VAXNEUVANCE, supported by favorable immunogenicity data and increasing market access.
Strategic Impact:
The pneumococcal franchise supports Merck’s strategy to broaden its vaccines portfolio beyond HPV.
Infectious Diseases: COVID-19 and Antivirals
LAGEVRIO® — COVID-19
Condition: COVID-19 antiviral treatment
While COVID-related revenues moderated in 2025, LAGEVRIO remained part of Merck’s infectious disease toolkit, contributing to pandemic preparedness strategies.
Strategic Impact:
Infectious disease capabilities strengthen Merck’s public health relevance and platform expertise.
Pipeline and Next-Generation Assets
Merck advanced several late-stage pipeline candidates in 2025, particularly in:
- Oncology combinations beyond PD-1
- Novel vaccine platforms
- Cardiometabolic and immunology research programs
The company also continued to integrate AI-driven drug discovery and clinical trial optimization, accelerating target identification and development timelines.
Commercial and Digital Strategy
In 2025, Merck expanded its use of advanced analytics and AI across:
- Clinical trial design
- Biomarker-driven patient stratification
- Global launch planning and supply optimization
Strategic Impact:
Digital transformation is enhancing R&D productivity and commercial precision, supporting long-term competitiveness.
Looking Ahead: 2026 and Beyond
Merck enters 2026 with:
- A leading immuno-oncology franchise
- Diversified revenue streams across vaccines and infectious disease
- A growing pipeline designed to offset future patent expirations
Strategic capital deployment, including business development and selective acquisitions, remains central to sustaining growth.
Conclusion
Merck’s 2025 performance highlights the strength of its science-driven, lifecycle-focused strategy. By extending leadership in oncology while expanding vaccines and pipeline depth, Merck is positioning itself to navigate industry transitions and sustain value creation well into the next decade.
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