Cidara Therapeutics Stock Surges 109% on $9.2B Merck Acquisition Deal
Biopharma upstart Cidara Therapeutics saw its shares more than double after Merck agreed to acquire the company for $221.50 per share in cash. The deal values the influenza treatment developer at $9.2 billion, representing a 109% premium to Thursday's closing price.
Merck gains access to Cidara's novel drug-Fc conjugate platform, including lead candidate CD388. The FDA-designated breakthrough therapy has shown promise in Phase 2 trials for preventing both influenza A and B strains. Transaction completion is expected by Q1 2026 pending shareholder approval.