A roundup of news from Merck KGaA and Servier/Kaerus Bioscience. Highlights below.  

Appointments 
* Merck KGaA Names New Head of R&D for Healthcare Sector 
M&A News 
* Servier To Acquire Autism Drug from Kaerus Bioscience in $450 M Deal 

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Appointments 

Merck KGaA Names New Head of R&D for Healthcare Sector 
Merck KGaA, has appointed David Weinreich, MD, MBA, formerly Operating Partner and Senior Advisor with Foresight Labs and Foresight Capital and formerly in leadership roles with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Bayer, and Amgen, as Global Head of R&D and Chief Medical Officer for its Healthcare business sector. 

Weinreich has extensive experience and a proven track record in R&D. He has successfully led the development of 15 approved drugs worldwide across various therapeutic areas over his more than 20-year career. In addition, Weinreich has founded multiple companies and served as a venture capitalist, board member, and biotech CEO. Weinreich joins Merck KGaA, from Foresite Labs & Foresite Capital Management LLC, where he served as an Operating Partner and Senior Advisor. His previous experience included various leadership roles: Executive Vice President, Head, Global Clinical Development at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals; Corporate Senior Vice President, Head, Global Development, Specialty Medicine at Bayer; and Executive Medical Director, Global Product Area Leader (Angiogenesis) at Amgen. 

Source: Merck KGaA 

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M&A News 

Servier To Acquire Autism Drug from Kaerus Bioscience in $450-M Deal 
Servier, a French bio/pharmaceutical company, has entered an agreement with Kaerus Bioscience for the acquisition of Kaerus’ KER-0193, a potential treatment for Fragile X syndrome (FXS), a rare genetic syndrome of neurodevelopment characterized by cognitive and behavioral challenges, in a deal worth up to $450 million.  

FXS represents a genetic cause of intellectual disability and a single-gene form of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), There are currently no approved treatments for FXS, which accounts for approximately 1% of ASD and intellectual disability cases globally, according to information from Servier.  

Kaerus Bioscience successfully completed a Phase I clinical study of KER-0193 in healthy volunteers in March 2025. The investigational drug candidate has been granted both Orphan Drug Designation and Rare Pediatric Drug Designations for the treatment of FXS by the US Food and Drug Administration.  

Under the agreement, Kaerus Bioscience will receive an upfront payment for the sale of KER-0193 and will also be eligible for development and commercial earn-out payments. The total value of the deal could reach up to $450 million. 

Source: Servier