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Merck Partners with Saturnus Bio to Advance Therapies for Rare Genetic Heart Diseases
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Merck has entered into a strategic research-stage collaboration with Saturnus Bio, a biotechnology company founded by Versant Ventures, to build a portfolio of treatments for rare genetic cardiomyopathies. The partnership supports Merck’s strategy of addressing unmet medical needs in rare diseases through targeted therapies.
The collaboration is structured as a build-to-buy agreement. Merck will provide an upfront payment of US$50 million to support Saturnus Bio’s research activities and will obtain a minority equity stake in the company. The agreement also includes additional preclinical milestone payments linked to the successful development of new drug candidates.
Under the deal, Merck will have exclusive rights to acquire Saturnus Bio through a pre-agreed option payment, along with further success-based earnout payments.
The partnership will focus on next-generation precision cardiology approaches that use targeted gene modulation to treat rare monogenic cardiomyopathies. These inherited heart diseases currently have limited treatment options, with no approved therapies available for many of their genetic causes.
The collaboration marks an important step in expanding Merck’s cardiovascular research portfolio and strengthening its presence in rare disease therapies. By combining advanced technologies, data science and specialised research capabilities, the companies aim to accelerate the development of innovative treatments for patients affected by rare genetic heart conditions.
The agreement also supports Merck’s broader strategy of improving research productivity and advancing its pipeline through programmes with strong preclinical and early clinical potential, helping bring effective new therapies to patients more efficiently.
Source: businesswire.com
