Merck Partners with SciBrunch on KRAS Inhibitor SPR2015

Merck & Co. has entered into an exclusive global licensing and collaboration deal with Chinese biotech company SciBrunch Therapeutics, acquiring rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize their preclinical oral precision cancer candidate SPR2015.

The deal is worth up to $2.13 billion, with Merck paying $400 million upfront and the remaining amount tied to achieving development, commercialization, and other milestones across multiple indications.

SPR2015 is a KRAS G12D (ON) inhibitor that SciBrunch is developing for forms of cancer including colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

According to preclinical data presented at the 2026 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting, SPR2015 demonstrated compelling antitumor efficacy as a monotherapy across multiple in vivo cell-derived and patient-derived xenograft models.