Merck acquires IOmet

Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) acquired IOmet Pharma Ltd. (Edinburgh, U.K.), gaining the biotech's preclinical pipeline of inhibitors of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 ( IDO1) and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase ( TDO2; TDO) as well as dual IDO1 and TDO2 inhibitors. The compounds are Merck's first internally owned candidates against IDO1 and TDO, although the pharma already has a deal with Incyte Corp. (NASDAQ:INCY) to evaluate Incyte's IDO1 inhibitor epacadostat ( INCB24360) in combination with Merck's anti- PD-1 mAb Keytruda pembrolizumab.

Financial terms were undisclosed. ...