Pharmaceutical Processing World

  • Home
  • Regulatory
    • Recalls
  • Pharmaceutical Processing
  • Facility
  • Supply Chain
  • Equipment and Materials
  • Contract Manufacturing
  • Resources
    • Voices
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE

Merck to Buy Biotech Drug Developer Afferent Pharmaceuticals

By AP | June 10, 2016

KENILWORTH, N.J. (AP) — Drugmaker Merck is buying Afferent Pharmaceuticals, a privately held biotechnology company developing a chronic cough medication.

Merck & Co., based in Kenilworth, New Jersey, says it’s agreed to pay $500 million up front for Afferent, and up to $750 million more if the company meets goals for approval and eventual sales of medicines in development.

Afferent, based in San Mateo, California, focuses on creating treatments for “neurogenic conditions” — health problems caused when certain nerves become hypersensitive, for months or years, following an infection, injury or inflammation. Those conditions, affecting millions of people, include chronic pain and respiratory, cardiovascular and urologic disorders.

Afferent’s medicine furthest along in development, known as AF-219, is in mid-stage human testing for treating coughs lasting more than eight weeks that don’t respond to existing treatments.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates on the latest pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing news!

Related Articles Read More >

Driving success in fast-paced high-tech pharma construction projects
This is a photo of the Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies plant under construction in Holly Springs, North Carolina.
Fujifilm, Regeneron ink $3B U.S. manufacturing agreement
This is the logo of Johnson & Johnson.
J&J breaks ground on $2B manufacturing facility in North Carolina
sherwin-williams-pharma-facility (1)
Sherwin-Williams expands flooring solutions for pharma facilities
“ppw
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest news, technologies, and developments in Pharmaceutical Processing.

DeviceTalks Tuesdays

DeviceTalks Tuesdays

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
Pharmaceutical Processing World
  • Subscribe to our E-Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • R&D World
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Drug Discovery & Development
  • DeviceTalks
  • MassDevice
  • Medical Design & Outsourcing
  • MEDICAL TUBING + EXTRUSION
  • Medical Design Sourcing
  • Medtech100 Index
  • R&D 100 Awards

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Pharmaceutical Processing World

  • Home
  • Regulatory
    • Recalls
  • Pharmaceutical Processing
  • Facility
  • Supply Chain
  • Equipment and Materials
  • Contract Manufacturing
  • Resources
    • Voices
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE