Danish biopharma Genmab has agreed to acquire Dutch company Merus for $8 billion in cash, gaining full rights to Merus's late-stage bispecific antibody petosemtamab, targeted for head and neck cancer. The drug, currently in Phase III trials, showed preliminary survival benefits when combined with the checkpoint inhibitor Keytruda in metastatic head and neck cancer patients. This acquisition signals Genmab's strategic shift towards full ownership of its drug pipeline and prepares for anticipated multibillion-dollar sales potential following the planned 2027 market launch.