Bayer, Merck in consumer care, CV deals

Bayer AG (Xetra:BAYN) and Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) struck a pair of deals on Tuesday, including one that will see the pharmas jointly develop and commercialize soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) modulators worldwide for cardiovascular indications. The deal includes Bayer's Adempas riociguat, an oral soluble sGC stimulator approved in the U.S. and EU for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and in Japan for CTEPH; and the pharma's vericiguat (BAY102), an sGC stimulator in Phase IIb testing to treat worsening chronic heart failure (CHF). Bayer will receive $1 billion up front from Merck and is eligible for up to $1.1 billion in sales milestones. The pharmas will equally share costs and profits and will have opt-in rights to early stage compounds in their respective pipelines. ...