HBM Healthcare Investments, a leading investor in global healthcare companies, announces that its listed portfolio company, Merus (Nasdaq: MRUS), has entered into a transaction agreement with Genmab (Nasdaq: GMAB). Genmab intends to acquire all of Merus's shares for USD 8 billion in cash. The USD 97 takeover price per share represents a 41 percent premium on last Friday's closing price.

HBM Healthcare Investments has invested USD 31.4 million in Merus since 2021 and currently holds 1 million shares, representing an ownership stake of approximately 1.2 percent in the company.

Merus is an oncology company developing innovative full-length human bispecific and trispecific antibody therapeutics, referred to as Multiclonics®. Its lead product candidate, Petosemtamab, is an EGFRxLGR5 bispecific antibody with the potential to be both first- and best-in-class in head and neck cancer. It has been granted two Breakthrough Therapy Designations (BTD) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for first- and second-line head and neck cancer indications.