Merck KGaA Ties Up Chord To Advance Cladribine Rare Disease Programs

Acquires Swiss Biotech To Expand Neurology Pipeline

21 Dec 2021

Merck will develop Chord’s lead drug candidate, an oral version of cladribine, for the treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders and generalized myasthenia gravis.

merck kgaa — The Darmstadt-based group is looking for bolt-ons • Source: Merck KGaA

It comes as no great surprise that Chord Therapeutics SA, the Swiss biotech which has been looking at the potential of cladribine in rare diseases, has been snapped up by Merck KGaA given that the German group has been been selling an oral version of the well-established chemotherapy as Mavenclad for the treatment of multiple sclerosis for the past few years.

Chord only emerged from stealth in October 2020 with a $16m series A cash injection from healthcare venture capital firm Omega Funds but Merck has seen enough to acquire the Geneva-based biotech

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