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MRK Banks on Growing Pipeline & New Drugs to Offset Keytruda LOE

Merck is expanding its pipeline and newer drug portfolio to offset Keytruda's 2028 LOE and drive long-term growth.

Merck $MRK MRK is relying on a growing pipeline and an expanding portfolio of newer medicines, including acquired assets, to offset the eventual impact of the loss of exclusivity (LOE) for its blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda.

Keytruda remains Merck’s biggest revenue driver. The drug generated sales of $16.40 billion in the first half of 2026, up nearly 4.2% year over year. Though Keytruda will lose patent exclusivity in 2028, its sales are expected to remain strong until then. However, once biosimilars enter around 2028-2029, Keytruda’s sales are likely to decline sharply.

As Keytruda approaches its expected loss of exclusivity in 2028, Merck’s expanding drug pipeline and potential new blockbuster drugs are expected to drive the next phase of growth.

Merck’s phase III pipeline has almost tripled since 2021, supported by in-house progress as well as the addition of candidates through ongoing mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals. Merck expects to launch 20 new drugs by 2030, with many already launched and carrying blockbuster potential.

Some newer products are already emerging as key growth drivers for Merck, including pulmonary arterial hypertension drug Winrevair, the 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Capvaxive and cancer drug Welireg.

Winrevair and Capvaxive generated $1.1 billion and $325 million,........

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