Merck to acquire Cidara Therapeutics for $9.2bn.

Merck, a global healthcare company, agreed to acquire Cidara Therapeutics, a biotechnology company, for $9.2bn. "This acquisition expands and complements our respiratory portfolio and pipeline. Influenza continues to pose a significant global health threat, causing widespread illness, morbidity and death each year especially in older adults and immunocompromised individuals, such as those with cancer and chronic diseases. CD388 is a novel late-phase candidate with important strain-agnostic properties being evaluated for the prevention of symptomatic influenza in high-risk individuals," Dr. Dean Y. Li, Merck President.