Roche's Tecentriq Approved As Second-Line in Lung Cancer: Implications For Bristol-Myers Squibb

Healthcare Specialist

Winnie Wong

Equity Bottom-Up

<h2>The Merck Deal</h2><p>The competition between the leading checkpoint inhibitor cancer drugs Opdivo/Yervoy (<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/1133" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1133:1">Bristol Myers Squibb Co (BMY US)</a> ) and Keytruda (<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/1130" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1130:1">Merck &amp; Co. Inc. (MRK US)</a> ) intensifies as Merck <a href="https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20180221/pdf/43rsp7s15ndqtc.pdf" target="_blank">announced y</a>esterday that it intends to acquire <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/5457" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5457:1">Viralytics Ltd (VLA AU)</a> for A$502 million (US$394 million).  The acquisition price of A$1.75 per share represents a 160% premium to VLA's one-month volume weighted average price. </p><h2>Why CAVATAK?</h2><p>The rationale behind the acquisition is to gain access to…</p>

The Merck DealThe competition between the leading checkpoint inhibitor cancer drugs Opdivo/Yervoy (Bristol Myers Squibb Co (BMY US) ) and Keytruda (Merck &amp; Co. Inc. (MRK US) ) intensifies as Merck announced yesterday that it intends to acquire Viralytics Ltd (VLA AU) for A$502 million (US$394 million).  The acquisition price of A$1.75 per share represents a 160% premium to VLA's one-month volume weighted average price. Why CAVATAK?The rationale behind the acquisition is to gain access to…

Is Merck Paying Peanuts to Viralytics for Full Access to Its Oncolytic Immunotherapy Drug Candidate?