Merck KGaA takes the long view on troubled pharma biz

A series of setbacks has made things tough for Merck KGaA's drug development operation, but CEO Karl-Ludwig Kley said the German company remains committed to the long-term promise of its pharma wing. Speaking to Bloomberg at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Kley said Merck KGaA is investing heavily in early-stage collaborations in cancer and other areas but cautioned that those bets likely won't come to fruition for at least a few years. In the meantime, the drugmaker believes it can hold the line with cancer drug Erbitux, multiple sclerosis therapy Rebif and fertility treatment Gonal-f. Article