IN an effort to forge earlier and stronger ties to venture-backed biotechs, the new Merck Research Venture Fund illustrates the lure -- and the limitations -- of strategic pharma-VC relationships. Merck has endowed the MRVF with $250 million and the fund will make a series of investments in life science venture capital firms around the globe. Simultaneously it has also staked a second fund, the Global Health Innovation Fund, with an additional $250 million to invest in later-stage companies outside of the drug area.
By Chris Morrison
Competition for biotech's most eligible assets has never been stronger
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Big pharma plans to invest billions of dollars in US manufacturing to avoid tariffs proposed by the Trump Administration. However, the implementation of these plans may be delayed due to regulatory complexities and rising costs from tariffs, potentially impacting drug prices for consumers.
Merck’s immuno-oncology blockbuster was the world’s best-selling drugs by revenues for the second year in a row, with an almost $12bn lead over its closest rival, Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 drug Ozempic.
Good medical device regulation brings balance and builds bridges between healthcare stakeholders. It also accords equal priority to innovation and patient safety. A zero-risk policy cannot achieve these goals, says Christina Ziegenberg, BVMed’s head of regulatory affairs of six years.
