The Cambridge Mass.-based biotech company will also be eligible to receive up to $3.5 billion in development, regulatory and sales milestones, as well as royalties on any approved products created from the deal.

Applications are open to join the Merck Digital Sciences Studio accelerator, which was designed to enable technology generation for drug discovery and development.

Chirfi Guindo originally joined the company in 1990 and spent more than 25 years in finance, sales, commercial and marketing roles in the U.S. and globally.

Experts – including those from Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation in Nutley, Rutgers University and Merck in Rahway – are joining forces to research and produce treatments for viral threats.

Joseph Romanelli initially joined the Kenilworth-based company in 1996 and now accompanies other members of the executive team, including Arpa Garay, head of Human Health Global Marketing, and Jannie Oosthuizen, head of Human Health U.S.

"As textbooks are updated to reflect the era of immuno-oncology, Roy’s contributions cannot be overstated, and will persist far beyond his eight years with Merck," Merck Research Laboratories President Dr. Dean Li said, praising Dr. Roy Baynes for his leadership in the development of the company's cancer treatment KEYTRUDA.

Executive Vice President and President for Human Health Frank Clyburn will leave the company Feb. 1.

“Today’s announcement is an important step to further integrate ESG into the core of our business, accelerate the achievement of our ESG goals, and measure and continue to be transparent about our progress,” said Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President Caroline Litchfield.

“This is an important and strategic opportunity for our company to continue growing our cardiovascular portfolio and pipeline, that builds on our long and proud legacy in cardiovascular disease and further bolsters our business development strategy,” said Merck President and Chief Executive Officer Rob Davis of the $11.5 billion deal.

Molnupiravir, an investigational oral medicine, has had positive results in its clinical trial. If authorized, it could be the first treatment of its kind for COVID-19.

The Kenilworth-based drugmaker said it saw “compelling results” in trials for molnupiravir, which reduced the risk of hospital or death by roughly 50% for those with mild to moderate cases of the virus.

The deal complements and strengthens the pharmaceutical giant's cardiovascular pipeline.