Merck inks $493M biobucks deal to use Cyprumed’s tech to create oral peptides

Title

Merck Signs $493 Million Deal with Cyprumed to Advance Oral Peptide Therapeutics

Keywords

Merck
Cyprumed
oral peptide delivery
biobucks deal
drug delivery technology
macrocyclic peptides
pharmaceutical innovation
peptide therapeutics
drug development partnership
milestone payments

Key Facts

Merck has entered a licensing and option agreement worth up to $493 million with Cyprumed, an Austrian drug delivery technology company, to develop oral formulations of Merck's peptide-based drugs using Cyprumed's proprietary delivery platforms1 2 3 5 8.
The agreement grants Merck non-exclusive global rights to Cyprumed’s oral peptide delivery technology for an undisclosed number of targets, with the option to negotiate exclusive licenses for individual targets1 3 8.
Cyprumed will receive up to $493 million in a combination of upfront payments, development, regulatory, and sales milestones linked to the approval and sales of products resulting from the collaboration2 3 5 8.
Merck assumes responsibility for all research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization activities for any products using the Cyprumed technology1 3 5 8.
Cyprumed’s platform enables the oral delivery of peptides, a drug class traditionally limited to injection, by significantly improving their bioavailability through innovative tablet formulations that use already-approved pharmaceutical excipients1 6 9.
The technology platform covers oral delivery for various peptide types, including GLP-1 analogues and macrocyclic peptides—potentially transforming patient experience by providing easier, non-invasive administration of these therapies1 6 9.
This deal continues Merck’s recent momentum in the peptide space, following partnerships such as a $220 million biobucks deal with Unnatural Products for macrocyclic peptide drug discovery in oncology1.
The announcement is viewed as a major validation for Cyprumed’s oral peptide delivery approach and underscores Merck’s ambition to combine the convenience of oral dosage with the specificity and potency typical of biologic drugs1 8.