Matej Mikulic
Research expert covering health, pharma & medtech
Merck & Co. - Statistics & Facts
Today, is an established top global player on the pharmaceutical market, generating around 64 billion U.S. dollars of revenue. The roots of Merck & Co., Inc. can be traced back to the 17th century: The company began as a purchased drugstore in Darmstadt, Germany, in 1668 under Jacob Friedrich Merck. In 1891, a subsidiary became active in the United States under the name Merck & Co. Since 1917, when it was confiscated by the U.S. during the World War, Merck & Co. is an independent U.S. American company.
Former and new flagships
The company’s products range from vaccines and cancer drugs to animal health products. As a company, Merck & Co. has one of the highest numbers of approved drugs, spending significant amounts on research and development. Some of the company's best-known products are targeting diabetes. Januvia (sitagliptin) is a former bestseller diabetes drug and popular as it does not cause weight gain. The drug generated some 1.3 billion U.S. dollars in revenue in 2024. However, the blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda is currently by far Merck's leading product and the leading revenue-generating drug worldwide.The big patent loss is looming
Merck & Co. is an international company, generating around half of its revenues outside the United States. As one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, Merck & Co. had some 75,000 employees as of year-end 2024, spread over 100 countries. Since almost half of Merck's revenues are currently generated by the blockbuster Keytruda alone, the company has to be prepared for its patent loss in 2028.Matej Mikulic
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Mar 10, 2025
Matej Mikulic
Research expert covering health, pharma & medtech
