Merck Bets Big On Oncology In New R&D Strategy

The big pharma will establish a new oncology unit focused on bringing its anti-PD-1 immunotherapy MK-3475 to market as part of a massive R&D overhaul aimed at lowering costs while driving innovation. Merck isn’t one of the industry’s leading oncology players and may not have as much R&D expertise in the area as rivals, but it might not ultimately matter – as long as MK-3475 gets to market.