Developer · MRK · United States

Merck & Co., Inc.

Merck & Co., Inc. (Rahway, New Jersey) is a global research-intensive biopharmaceutical company, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, that develops and markets prescription medicines, vaccines, and animal health products. Its neuroscience pipeline includes the PDE10A inhibitor elpipodect (MK-8189) for schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease candidates MK-1167 (alpha-7 nicotinic PAM) and MK-2214 (anti-tau antibody).

merck.com ↗

4compounds
4programs
3indications
Phase 2lead asset

Phase distribution

  • Phase 22
  • Discontinued2

Modality

  • Small molecule 3
  • Biologic 1

Mechanism focus

Pipeline (4)

Deals & partnerships

  • Feb 12, 2025Option exerciseNeuphoria Therapeutics earns $15M milestone as Merck starts MK-1167 Phase 2Neuphoria Therapeutics (formerly Bionomics), the originator and licensor of MK-1167, announced it will receive a US$15 million milestone payment triggered by Merck's initiation of a Phase 2 clinical trial of MK-1167 for Alzheimer's disease dementia symptoms. This is described as the second milestone achieved in the collaboration, with Neuphoria eligible for up to US$450 million in additional milestone payments plus royalties.MK-1167source ↗
  • Oct 12, 2022PartnershipRoyalty Pharma R&D funding collaboration with Merck for MK-8189 (elpipodect)Royalty Pharma entered an R&D funding collaboration to co-fund development of MK-8189 (elpipodect), Merck's investigational oral PDE10A inhibitor then in a Phase 2b study for schizophrenia. Royalty Pharma provided $50 million upfront and committed an additional $375 million to co-fund the pivotal (Phase 3) program if Merck elects to proceed, in exchange for milestone payments on certain regulatory approvals and royalties on annual worldwide sales of any approved product. Merck retains development and commercialization control.Elpipodect (MK-8189)source ↗
  • May 25, 2017Licensing dealMerck in-licenses Teijin Pharma's anti-tau antibody (later MK-2214)Merck entered an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Teijin Pharma for the development, manufacture, and commercialization of an investigational preclinical antibody candidate targeting tau (later designated MK-2214), being developed for Alzheimer's disease. Merck made an undisclosed upfront payment, with Teijin Pharma eligible for development, regulatory, and sales milestones plus royalties, and an option to co-promote an approved product in Japan.MK-2214source ↗
  • Jun 23, 2014Licensing dealMerck in-licenses Bionomics' alpha-7 nicotinic PAM program (BNC375, later MK-1167)Bionomics Limited (later renamed Neuphoria Therapeutics) entered an exclusive Research Collaboration and License Agreement granting Merck rights to its alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor positive allosteric modulator program (lead BNC375, later developed as MK-1167) for cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease and other CNS conditions. Bionomics received US$20 million in upfront payments and is eligible for up to US$506 million in research and development milestones plus royalties; Merck funds all R&D and holds worldwide commercialization rights.MK-1167source ↗

Catalysts · 2 upcoming · 4 reported

Recently reported

  • 2026-02-23missed

    Elpipodect (MK-8189)forSchizophreniaFull results

    Phase 2b (NCT04624243) missed: neither MK-8189 16 mg nor 24 mg separated from placebo on PANSS total at Week 6.

    source ↗

  • 2025-12-01

    MK-1167forAlzheimer's diseaseInterim analysis

    Phase 1 healthy-volunteer biomarker data: single doses of MK-1167 modulate prefrontal-cortex glutamate metabolism measured by 13C-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (presented at CTAD 2025)

    source ↗

  • 2025-12-01met

    MK-2214forAlzheimer's diseaseFull results

    Phase 1 first-in-human MK-2214 data at CTAD 2025: favorable safety/PK and CSF pS413 tau reductions consistent with near-saturating target engagement; FDA Fast Track granted.

    source ↗

  • 2024-08-01missed

    Elpipodect (MK-8189)forSchizophreniaFull results

    Phase 2a (NCT03055338) missed primary PANSS total endpoint at Week 4 (trend only, p=0.074).

    source ↗

Recent activity

  • Feb 23, 2026ReadoutElpipodect (MK-8189)·SchizophreniamissedPhase 2b (NCT04624243) missed: neither MK-8189 16 mg nor 24 mg separated from placebo on PANSS total at Week 6.source ↗
  • Dec 1, 2025ReadoutMK-1167·Alzheimer's diseasePhase 1 healthy-volunteer biomarker data: single doses of MK-1167 modulate prefrontal-cortex glutamate metabolism measured by 13C-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (presented at CTAD 2025)source ↗
  • Dec 1, 2025ReadoutMK-2214·Alzheimer's diseasemetPhase 1 first-in-human MK-2214 data at CTAD 2025: favorable safety/PK and CSF pS413 tau reductions consistent with near-saturating target engagement; FDA Fast Track granted.source ↗
  • Jul 16, 2025Phase changeMK-2214·Alzheimer's diseasePhase 2Phase 2 efficacy/safety study in early Alzheimer's disease (NCT07033494 / MK-2214-004) started; actively recruiting (340 participants planned, tau PET SUVr primary endpoint).source ↗
  • Dec 16, 2024Phase changeMK-1167·Alzheimer's diseasePhase 2Phase 2 study NCT06721156 (MK-1167-008) of MK-1167 as adjunctive therapy in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease dementia first posted/started; this Phase 2 initiation triggered a USD 15M milestone payment from Merck to Neuphoria Therapeutics (formerly Bionomics), the program's originator, announced 2025-02-12.source ↗
  • Aug 1, 2024ReadoutElpipodect (MK-8189)·SchizophreniamissedPhase 2a (NCT03055338) missed primary PANSS total endpoint at Week 4 (trend only, p=0.074).source ↗
  • Jun 21, 2024Phase changeElpipodect (MK-8189)·SchizophreniaPhase 2Phase 2b (NCT04624243) completed; MK-8189 16 mg and 24 mg failed to separate from placebo on PANSS total at Week 6.source ↗
  • Sep 8, 2023Phase changeMK-1942·Treatment-resistant depressionDiscontinuedProgram voluntarily terminated after asymptomatic LFT elevations; no significant MADRS difference vs placebo.source ↗
  • Sep 20, 2022Phase changeMK-2214·Alzheimer's diseasePhase 1Phase 1 multiple-ascending-dose study (NCT05466422 / MK-2214-002) initiated in adults with MCI or mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease; completed 2025-07-03 (34 participants).source ↗
  • May 20, 2021Phase changeMK-1942·Treatment-resistant depressionPhase 2Phase 2a TRD trial (MK-1942-006, NCT04663321) initiated, added to stable antidepressant therapy.source ↗
  • Dec 15, 2020Phase changeElpipodect (MK-8189)·SchizophreniaPhase 2Phase 2b study (NCT04624243, MK-8189-008) initiated to test higher doses (8/16/24 mg) over 12 weeks vs placebo and risperidone.source ↗
  • Jan 9, 2018Phase changeElpipodect (MK-8189)·SchizophreniaPhase 2Phase 2a proof-of-concept (NCT03055338, MK-8189-005, n=224) completed; primary PANSS total endpoint at Week 4 not met (difference -4.7 vs placebo, p=0.074), with a nominally significant effect on the PANSS positive subscale (p=0.011). Results published in Schizophr Res 2024;270:37-43.source ↗

Trials recruiting · 1 recruiting of 6 sponsored

  • Phase 2MK-2214n=34078 sites · United States, Japan, United Kingdom

    A Phase 2 Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of MK-2214 in Participants With Early Alzheimer's Disease

    Early Alzheimer's DiseaseNCT07033494 ↗

Competitive landscape

Other companies developing against Merck & Co., Inc.'s targets or indications.

Leadership & advisors (2)