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Collaborative Arrangements | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2025
Collaborative Arrangements [Abstract] |
Collaborative Arrangements | Collaborative Arrangements Merck has entered into collaborative arrangements that provide the Company with varying rights to develop, produce and market products together with its collaborative partners. Both parties in these arrangements are active participants and exposed to significant risks and rewards dependent on the commercial success of the activities of the collaboration. Merck’s more significant collaborative arrangements are discussed below. AstraZeneca PLC In 2017, Merck and AstraZeneca PLC (AstraZeneca) entered into a global strategic oncology collaboration to co-develop and co-commercialize AstraZeneca’s Lynparza (olaparib) for multiple cancer types. Independently, Merck and AstraZeneca are developing and commercializing Lynparza in combinations with their respective PD-1 and PD-L1 medicines, Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and Imfinzi. Under the terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca and Merck share the development and commercialization costs for Lynparza monotherapy and non-PD-1/PD-L1 combination therapy opportunities. Profits from Lynparza product sales generated through monotherapies or combination therapies are shared equally. AstraZeneca is the principal on Lynparza sales transactions. Merck records its share of Lynparza product sales, net of cost of sales and commercialization costs, as alliance revenue, and its share of development costs associated with the collaboration as part of Research and development expenses. Reimbursements received from AstraZeneca for research and development expenses are recognized as reductions to Research and development costs. The initial collaboration agreement also included the joint development and commercialization of AstraZeneca’s Koselugo (selumetinib) for multiple indications, with revenues, costs and profits being accounted for similar to Lynparza. In August 2025, Merck and AstraZeneca amended the terms of the original collaboration agreement, which resulted in the discontinuation of the revenue and cost sharing provisions of the collaboration and simplified the governance structure related to Koselugo. In exchange, Merck received a $150 million upfront payment (which was recorded within Sales as alliance revenue) in the third quarter of 2025 and may receive future payments of $150 million in each of January 2026 and January 2027, and $100 million in January 2028, subject to an annual election by AstraZeneca. Additionally, the amended agreement provides for Merck to receive contingent regulatory and sales-based milestone payments, as well as mid-single-digit royalties on future net sales. Koselugo received a regulatory approval in August 2025 triggering a milestone payment (due from AstraZeneca in 2026) of $50 million (which was recorded within Sales as alliance revenue in the third quarter of 2025) and another regulatory approval in October 2025 triggering an additional milestone payment (due from AstraZeneca in 2027) of $50 million (which will be recorded within Sales as alliance revenue in the fourth quarter of 2025). Merck remains eligible to receive future contingent payments for the achievement of regulatory milestones of up to $75 million and sales-based milestones of up to $235 million. AstraZeneca has the option to revert back to the income and cost sharing terms of the original agreement (in which case any future annual, contingent milestone, and royalty payments referenced above would no longer be due) although Merck would retain any payments made by AstraZeneca prior to the exercise of that option and any amounts due from AstraZeneca would remain payable to Merck. As part of the initial collaboration agreement, Merck made an upfront payment to AstraZeneca and also made payments over a multi-year period for certain license options. In addition, the initial collaboration agreement provided for contingent payments from Merck to AstraZeneca related to the successful achievement of sales-based and regulatory milestones. In the first nine months of 2025, Merck made sales-based milestone payments aggregating $700 million (related to the original collaboration agreement) to AstraZeneca of which $600 million related to Lynparza and $100 million related to Koselugo (both of which had been previously accrued for). Potential future sales-based milestone payments of $2.0 billion have not yet been accrued as they are not deemed by the Company to be probable at this time. Lynparza received a regulatory approval triggering a capitalized milestone payment from Merck to AstraZeneca of $245 million in the first nine months of 2024 (which had been previously accrued for). The partners have agreed that no future regulatory milestone payments from Merck to AstraZeneca are likely. The intangible asset balances related to Lynparza and Koselugo (which reflect the capitalized sales-based and regulatory milestone payments attributed to each product) were $926 million and $41 million, respectively, at September 30, 2025 and are included in Other Intangibles, Net. The assets are being amortized over their estimated useful lives (through 2028 for Lynparza and through 2029 for Koselugo) as supported by projected future cash flows, subject to impairment testing. Summarized financial information related to this collaboration is as follows:
| Three Months Ended September 30, |  | Nine Months Ended September 30,
($ in millions) | 2025 |  | 2024 |  | 2025 |  | 2024
Alliance revenue - Lynparza | $ | 379 |  |  | $ | 337 |  |  | $ | 1,061 |  |  | $ | 947 |
Alliance revenue - Koselugo (1) | 214 |  |  | 39 |  |  | 301 |  |  | 114 |
Total alliance revenue | $ | 593 |  |  | $ | 376 |  |  | $ | 1,362 |  |  | $ | 1,061 |
Cost of sales (2) | 84 |  |  | 82 |  |  | 253 |  |  | 245 |
Selling, general and administrative | 31 |  |  | 39 |  |  | 103 |  |  | 121 |
Research and development | 3 |  |  | 19 |  |  | 31 |  |  | 57 |
($ in millions) |  |  |  |  | September 30, 2025 |  | December 31, 2024
Receivables from AstraZeneca included in Other current assets (3) |  |  |  |  | $ | 436 |  |  | $ | 424 |
Payables to AstraZeneca included in Accrued and other current liabilities (4) |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |  | 713 |
(1) Amounts in 2025 include the $150 million upfront payment and $50 million regulatory milestone triggered in the third quarter as a result of the amendment to the collaboration agreement noted above. (2) Represents amortization of capitalized milestone payments. (3) Balance at September 30, 2025 includes a milestone receivable. (4) Balance at December 31, 2024 includes accrued milestone payments. Eisai Co., Ltd. In 2018, Merck and Eisai Co., Ltd. (Eisai) announced a strategic collaboration for the worldwide co-development and co-commercialization of Lenvima (lenvatinib), an orally available tyrosine kinase inhibitor discovered by Eisai. Under the agreement, Merck and Eisai are developing and commercializing Lenvima jointly, both as monotherapy and in combination with Keytruda. Eisai records Lenvima product sales globally (Eisai is the principal on Lenvima sales transactions) and Merck and Eisai share applicable profits equally. Merck records its share of Lenvima product sales, net of cost of sales and commercialization costs, as alliance revenue. Expenses incurred during co-development are shared by the two companies in accordance with the collaboration agreement and reflected in Research and development expenses. Certain expenses incurred solely by Merck or Eisai are not shareable under the collaboration agreement, including costs incurred in excess of agreed upon caps, and costs related to certain combination studies of Keytruda and Lenvima, as well as Welireg (belzutifan) and Lenvima. Under the agreement, Merck made an upfront payment to Eisai and also made payments over a multi-year period for certain option rights. In addition, the agreement provides for contingent payments from Merck to Eisai related to the successful achievement of sales-based and regulatory milestones. In the first nine months of 2024, Merck made a $125 million sales-based milestone payment to Eisai (which had been previously accrued for). Potential future sales-based milestone payments of $2.3 billion have not yet been accrued as they are not deemed by the Company to be probable at this time. There are no regulatory milestone payments remaining under the agreement. The intangible asset balance related to Lenvima (which includes capitalized sales-based and regulatory milestone payments) was $261 million at September 30, 2025 and is included in Other Intangibles, Net. The amount is being amortized over its estimated useful life through 2026 as supported by projected future cash flows, subject to impairment testing. Summarized financial information related to this collaboration is as follows:
| Three Months Ended September 30, |  | Nine Months Ended September 30,
($ in millions) | 2025 |  | 2024 |  | 2025 |  | 2024
Alliance revenue - Lenvima | $ | 258 |  |  | $ | 251 |  |  | $ | 781 |  |  | $ | 755 |
Cost of sales (1) | 60 |  |  | 60 |  |  | 181 |  |  | 181 |
Selling, general and administrative | 33 |  |  | 40 |  |  | 99 |  |  | 120 |
Research and development | 2 |  |  | 4 |  |  | 10 |  |  | 18 |
($ in millions) |  |  |  |  | September 30, 2025 |  | December 31, 2024
Receivables from Eisai included in Other current assets |  |  |  |  | $ | 258 |  |  | $ | 257 |
(1) Represents amortization of capitalized milestone payments. Bayer AG In 2014, the Company entered into a worldwide clinical development collaboration with Bayer AG (Bayer) to market and develop soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) modulators including Bayer’s Adempas (riociguat) and Verquvo (vericiguat). The two companies have implemented a joint development and commercialization strategy. Under the agreement, Bayer commercializes Adempas in the Americas, while Merck commercializes in the rest of the world. For Verquvo, Merck commercializes in the U.S. and Bayer commercializes in the rest of the world. Both companies share in development costs and profits on sales. Merck records sales of Adempas and Verquvo in its marketing territories, as well as alliance revenue. Alliance revenue represents Merck’s share of profits from sales of Adempas and Verquvo in Bayer’s marketing territories, which are product sales net of cost of sales and commercialization costs. Cost of sales includes Bayer’s share of profits from sales in Merck’s marketing territories. In addition, the agreement provided for contingent payments from Merck to Bayer related to the successful achievement of sales-based milestones. There are no sales-based milestone payments remaining under this collaboration. The intangible asset balances related to Adempas (which includes the acquired intangible asset balance, as well as capitalized sales-based milestone payments attributed to Adempas) and Verquvo (which reflects the portion of the final sales-based milestone payment that was attributed to Verquvo) were $312 million and $41 million, respectively, at September 30, 2025 and are included in Other Intangibles, Net. The assets are being amortized over their estimated useful lives (through 2027 for Adempas and through 2031 for Verquvo) as supported by projected future cash flows, subject to impairment testing. Summarized financial information related to this collaboration is as follows:
| Three Months Ended September 30, |  | Nine Months Ended September 30,
($ in millions) | 2025 |  | 2024 |  | 2025 |  | 2024
Alliance revenue - Adempas/Verquvo | $ | 112 |  |  | $ | 102 |  |  | $ | 340 |  |  | $ | 306 |
Net sales of Adempas recorded by Merck | 82 |  |  | 72 |  |  | 229 |  |  | 214 |
Net sales of Verquvo recorded by Merck | 12 |  |  | 11 |  |  | 33 |  |  | 25 |
Total sales | $ | 206 |  |  | $ | 185 |  |  | $ | 602 |  |  | $ | 545 |
Cost of sales (1) | 71 |  |  | 59 |  |  | 190 |  |  | 182 |
Selling, general and administrative | 22 |  |  | 29 |  |  | 80 |  |  | 88 |
Research and development | 11 |  |  | 27 |  |  | 55 |  |  | 82 |
($ in millions) |  |  |  |  | September 30, 2025 |  | December 31, 2024
Receivables from Bayer included in Other current assets |  |  |  |  | $ | 168 |  |  | $ | 160 |
Payables to Bayer included in Accrued and other current liabilities |  |  |  |  | 93 |  |  | 82 |
(1) Includes amortization of intangible assets, cost of products sold by Merck, as well as Bayer’s share of profits from sales in Merck’s marketing territories. Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP In 2020, Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP (Ridgeback), a closely held biotechnology company, entered into a collaboration agreement to develop Lagevrio (molnupiravir), an investigational orally available antiviral candidate for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Merck gained exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize Lagevrio and related molecules. Following initial authorizations in certain markets in 2021, Lagevrio has since received multiple additional authorizations. Under the terms of the agreement, Ridgeback received an upfront payment and is eligible to receive future contingent payments dependent upon the achievement of certain developmental and regulatory approval milestones. The agreement also provides for Merck to reimburse Ridgeback for a portion of certain third-party contingent milestone payments and royalties on net sales, which is part of the profit-sharing calculation. Merck is the principal on sales transactions, recognizing sales and related costs, with profit-sharing amounts recorded within Cost of sales. Profits from the collaboration are split equally between the partners. Reimbursements from Ridgeback for its share of research and development costs (deducted from Ridgeback’s share of profits) are reflected as decreases to Research and development expenses. Summarized financial information related to this collaboration is as follows:
| Three Months Ended September 30, |  | Nine Months Ended September 30,
($ in millions) | 2025 |  | 2024 |  | 2025 |  | 2024
Net sales of Lagevrio recorded by Merck | $ | 138 |  |  | $ | 383 |  |  | $ | 323 |  |  | $ | 843 |
Cost of sales (1) | 81 |  |  | 204 |  |  | 178 |  |  | 491 |
Selling, general and administrative | 11 |  |  | 11 |  |  | 39 |  |  | 43 |
Research and development | 11 |  |  | 5 |  |  | 25 |  |  | 7 |
($ in millions) |  |  |  |  | September 30, 2025 |  | December 31, 2024
Payables to Ridgeback included in Accrued and other current liabilities (2) |  |  |  |  | $ | 49 |  |  | $ | 68 |
(1) Includes cost of products sold by Merck, Ridgeback’s share of profits, royalty expense, amortization of capitalized milestone payments and inventory reserves. (2) Includes accrued royalties. Daiichi Sankyo In 2023, Merck and Daiichi Sankyo entered into a global development and commercialization agreement for three of Daiichi Sankyo’s DXd ADC candidates: patritumab deruxtecan (HER3-DXd) (MK-1022), ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd) (MK-2400) and raludotatug deruxtecan (R-DXd) (MK-5909). All three potentially first-in-class DXd ADCs are in various stages of clinical development for the treatment of multiple solid tumors both as monotherapy and/or in combination with other treatments. The companies will jointly develop and potentially commercialize these ADC candidates worldwide, except in Japan where Daiichi Sankyo will maintain exclusive rights. Daiichi Sankyo will be solely responsible for manufacturing and supply. Under the terms of the agreement, Merck made payments to Daiichi Sankyo totaling $4.0 billion in 2023. These payments included $1.0 billion ($500 million each for patritumab deruxtecan and ifinatamab deruxtecan), which may be refundable on a pro-rated basis in the event of early termination of development with respect to either program. In addition, the agreement provided for a continuation payment of $750 million related to patritumab deruxtecan (which Merck paid in October 2024) and a continuation payment of $750 million related to raludotatug deruxtecan (which Merck paid in October 2025). The agreement also provides for contingent payments from Merck to Daiichi Sankyo of up to an additional $5.5 billion for each DXd ADC upon the successful achievement of certain sales-based milestones. In conjunction with this transaction, Merck recorded an aggregate pretax charge of $5.5 billion to Research and development expenses in 2023 for the $4.0 billion of upfront payments and the $1.5 billion of continuation payments. Merck and Daiichi Sankyo equally share research and development costs, except for raludotatug deruxtecan, where Merck is responsible for 75% of the first $2.0 billion of research and development expenses. Merck includes its share of development costs associated with the collaboration as part of Research and development expenses. Following regulatory approval, Daiichi Sankyo will generally record sales worldwide (Daiichi Sankyo will be the principal on sales transactions) and the companies will equally share expenses as well as profits worldwide except for Japan where Daiichi Sankyo retains exclusive rights and Merck will receive a 5% sales-based royalty. Merck will record its share of product sales, net of cost of sales and commercialization costs, as alliance revenue. In August 2024, Merck and Daiichi Sankyo expanded their agreement to include gocatamig (MK-6070), an investigational DLL3 targeting T-cell engager, which Merck obtained through its acquisition of Harpoon (see Note 2). The companies are planning to evaluate gocatamig in combination with ifinatamab deruxtecan in certain patients with small cell lung cancer, as well as other potential combinations. Merck received an upfront cash payment of $170 million from Daiichi Sankyo (recorded within Other (income) expense, net) and has also satisfied a contingent quid obligation from the original collaboration agreement. The companies will jointly develop and commercialize gocatamig worldwide and share research and development, as well as commercialization expenses. Research and development expenses related to gocatamig in combination with ifinatamab deruxtecan will be shared in a manner consistent with the original agreement for ifinatamab deruxtecan. Merck will be solely responsible for manufacturing and supply of gocatamig. If approved, Merck will generally record sales for gocatamig worldwide (Merck will be the principal on sales transactions) and the companies will equally share expenses as well as profits worldwide, except for Japan where Merck retains exclusive rights and Daiichi Sankyo will receive a 5% sales-based royalty. Summarized financial information related to this collaboration is as follows:
| Three Months Ended September 30, |  | Nine Months Ended September 30,
($ in millions) | 2025 |  | 2024 |  | 2025 |  | 2024
Cost of sales (1) | $ | 67 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 67 |  |  | $ | — |
Selling, general and administrative | 8 |  |  | 5 |  |  | 21 |  |  | 21 |
Research and development | 110 |  |  | 94 |  |  | 379 |  |  | 227 |
($ in millions) |  |  |  |  | September 30, 2025 |  | December 31, 2024
Receivables from Daiichi Sankyo included in Other current assets |  |  |  |  | $ | 17 |  |  | $ | 8 |
Payables to Daiichi Sankyo included in Accrued and other current liabilities (2) |  |  |  |  | 869 |  |  | 817 |
(1) Represents Merck’s share of certain inventory-related costs. (2) Includes accrued continuation payment. Moderna, Inc. In 2022, Merck exercised its option to jointly develop and commercialize intismeran autogene (V940/mRNA-4157), an investigational individualized neoantigen therapy, pursuant to the terms of an existing collaboration and license agreement with Moderna, Inc. (Moderna). Intismeran autogene is currently being evaluated in combination with Keytruda in multiple clinical trials. Merck and Moderna share costs and will share any profits equally under this worldwide collaboration. Merck records its share of development costs associated with the collaboration as part of Research and development expenses. Any reimbursements received from Moderna for research and development expenses are recognized as reductions to Research and development costs. Merck has also capitalized a net $235 million of shared facility costs at September 30, 2025, primarily reflected within Other Assets. These costs are amortized over the assets’ estimated useful lives. Summarized financial information related to this collaboration is as follows:
| Three Months Ended September 30, |  | Nine Months Ended September 30,
($ in millions) | 2025 |  | 2024 |  | 2025 |  | 2024
Selling, general and administrative | $ | 7 |  |  | $ | 5 |  |  | $ | 19 |  |  | $ | 11 |
Research and development (1) | 96 |  |  | 93 |  |  | 272 |  |  | 255 |
($ in millions) |  |  |  |  | September 30, 2025 |  | December 31, 2024
Payables to Moderna included in Accrued and other current liabilities |  |  |  |  | $ | 13 |  |  | $ | 57 |
(1) Includes amortization of shared facility costs. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Reblozyl (luspatercept-aamt) is a first-in-class erythroid maturation recombinant fusion protein that is being commercialized through a global collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS). Reblozyl is approved in the U.S., Europe and certain other markets for the treatment of anemia in certain rare blood disorders and is also being evaluated for additional indications for hematology therapies. BMS is the principal on sales transactions for Reblozyl; however, Merck co-promotes Reblozyl (and may co-promote any future products approved under this collaboration) in North America, which is reimbursed by BMS. Merck receives tiered royalties ranging from 20% to 24% based on sales levels. This royalty will be reduced by 50% upon the earlier of patent expiry or generic entry on an indication-by-indication basis in each market. Additionally, Merck is eligible to receive future contingent sales-based milestone payments of up to $80 million. Alliance revenue related to this collaboration, consisting of royalties (recorded within Sales), was $136 million and $361 million in the third quarter and first nine months of 2025, respectively, compared with $100 million and $261 million in the third quarter and first nine months of 2024, respectively.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for collaborative arrangements in which the entity is a participant, including a) information about the nature and purpose of such arrangements; b) its rights and obligations thereunder; c) the accounting policy for collaborative arrangements; and d) the income statement classification and amounts attributable to transactions arising from the collaborative arrangement between participants. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 808 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479402/808-10-50-1 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 808 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479402/808-10-50-1 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 808 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/808/tableOfContent + Details
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