Dutch court orders Merck to halt subcutaneous Keytruda sales in eight European countries

A Dutch court has issued an injunction that requires Merck to stop manufacturing and selling the injectable, subcutaneous formulation of its cancer immunotherapy Keytruda in eight European countries.

The court found that Merck’s product infringes a patent held by Halozyme, a company that licenses technology for subcutaneous drug delivery. As a result, Merck must cease distribution of the formulation in the affected markets until the dispute is resolved.

The ruling could limit patient access to the subcutaneous version of Keytruda in those countries and may prompt Merck to pursue an appeal or seek a licensing agreement with Halozyme. The decision underscores the importance of patent rights in the European pharmaceutical landscape.