Merck has announced a strategic research-stage collaboration with Saturnus Bio, a Versant Ventures-founded biotech, aimed at establishing a foundational portfolio in the promising field of rare genetic cardiomyopathies. This partnership aligns with the company’s commitment to address significant unmet medical needs in rare populations through targeted treatments.

David Weinreich, MD, Head of Research and Development (R&D) and Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Healthcare Business, Merck, said, “Through our partnership with Saturnus Bio, we aim to fast track the development of innovative therapies for genetic cardiomyopathies through precision cardiology, targeting the rare population impacted by these conditions. By leveraging Saturnus' expertise and cutting-edge approach, we can build upon our armed antibodies capabilities and explore novel directions to rapidly bring new, targeted treatments to patients.”

The research-stage partnership entails a build-to-buy deal structure, including an upfront payment of USD 50 million from Merck to fund Saturnus' research activities, securing a minority equity stake in the company, as well as additional success-based preclinical milestones, supporting the development of novel drug candidates for genetic cardiomyopathy patients. Merck has exclusive rights to acquire Saturnus for a pre-determined option payment in addition to success-based earnouts.

Rick Dewey, MD, an entrepreneur-in-residence, Versant Ventures and CEO, Saturnus, said, “The launch of Saturnus through a foundational partnership with Merck exemplifies Versant’s strategy of engaging with pharma to develop a new frontier of medicines in areas of important unmet medical need. The company is in strong position to accelerate development of its pipeline of first-in-class medicines for genetic cardiomyopathies.”

The partnership will focus on next-generation precision cardiology that utilises targeted gene modulation to address rare mono-genetic cardiomyopathies with significant unmet need. Genetic cardiomyopathies represent a vital entry point for Merck’s cardiovascular business, addressing a significant unmet need in a market characterised by no approved therapies for genetic drivers.

Merck is committed to leveraging advanced technologies and data science to accelerate the discovery and delivery of breakthrough medicines. This partnership reinforces its broader strategy to enhance research productivity and the output of its pipeline sustainably, focusing on indications that can be derisked through proper preclinical and early clinical testing to ensure that more patients gain access to effective treatments.