Merck & Co. has announced a major reorganization of its “Human Health” organization to better prepare for the upcoming loss of exclusivity on its key products. The company’s branded pharmaceutical and vaccine business will be split into two separate units: a standalone Oncology division and a “Specialty, Pharma, and Infectious Disease” division.
This new structure comes as Merck prepares for a significant “patent cliff” in 2028, when its top-selling cancer immunotherapy, Keytruda — which accounted for nearly half of the company’s $65 billion in sales last year — loses patent protection in the U.S. The split is designed to sharpen focus on new product launches as the company aims to reach $70 billion in annual sales in the next decade through more than 20 new “growth drivers” currently in development.
In terms of leadership, Jannie Oosthuizen will lead the global Oncology unit, while Brian Foard — a veteran executive recently recruited from rival Sanofi — has been appointed President of the Specialty division. Both will report directly to CEO Robert Davis. With approximately 80 Phase 3 trials underway, this reorganization is expected to help Merck sustain its leadership in oncology while accelerating progress in vaccines, infectious diseases, and other therapeutic areas like cardiology and gastroenterology.