Merck KGaA to Acquire Silence Therapeutics for ~$1.3B to Strengthen Its Rare Disease Pipeline

Shots: Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Silence Therapeutics, a UK-headquartered siRNA company, adding divesiran, a P-III-ready investigational siRNA therapy dosed SC once every 3mos. for phlebotomy-dependent polycythemia vera (PV), to its rare disease pipeline As per the deal, Merck KGaA will pay $20/ADS in cash (each ADS = 3 ordinary shares, or $6.6667/ordinary share), representing an EV of $1.1B & an equity value of ~$1.3B and an 82% premium to Silence’s 30-day VWAP of $10.99 as of Oct 16, 2026; the deal will be funded through new debt, effected via a UK scheme of arrangement & is expected to close in Q1’27, subject to Silence shareholder approval, UK High Court sanction & regulatory approvals Divesiran silences TMPRSS6 to increase hepcidin levels & limit iron availability for red blood cell production; in the P-II (SANRECO) study, it met its 1EP with an 88% responder rate vs 19% for PBO (p<0.0001) & reduced mean phlebotomies to 0.2 vs 2.1/pt. over Wks. 0–36 (p<0.0001); divesiran holds the US FDA’s Fast Track & Orphan Drug designations for PV Ref: Business Wire  |   Image: Merck KGaA & Silence Therapeutics  |  Press Release PharmaShots, your go-to media platform for customized news ranging across multiple indications. For more information, connect with us at connect@pharmashots.com The post Merck KGaA to Acquire Silence Therapeutics for ~$1.3B to Strengthen Its Rare Disease Pipeline appeared first on PharmaShots.