Merck signs up to $2.13 billion deal with SciBrunch for preclinical KRAS inhibitor SPR2015

Merck announced it has completed a deal with Chinese biotech SciBrunch Therapeutics, paying $400 million upfront for exclusive global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize SciBrunch’s preclinical KRAS inhibitor, SPR2015.

The agreement could bring total payments up to $2.13 billion, including milestone payments, and Merck recorded a $400 million pre‑tax charge in its third‑quarter results.

SPR2015 is an oral molecular‑glue compound that targets the KRAS G12D mutation, a driver in several aggressive cancers such as colorectal cancer. In animal models the drug showed strong antitumor activity as a single agent.

The company expects to begin first‑in‑human trials by the end of the year, following a poster presentation at the 2026 AACR Annual Meeting.