Merck and the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute announce licensing agreement for novel TB antibiotic candidates

RAHWAY, N.J., and Cambridge M.A., October 18, 2022 – Merck, (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI) today announced a licensing agreement for two preclinical antibacterial candidates for evaluation as potential components of combination regimens for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB). These candidates were discovered by Merck scientists as part of the TB Drug Accelerator (TBDA). The TBDA is a collaboration established among biopharmaceutical companies, research organizations and universities to accelerate the discovery and development of novel therapeutic candidates against TB. The initiative was established with support and leadership from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.