11:52 AM EDT, 06/03/2025 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates with the recent stock move in the first paragraph and MoonLake's response in the fourth paragraph.)

MoonLake Immunotherapeutics ( MLTX ) shares were rising more than 18% in recent Tuesday trading after the Financial Times reported that Merck ( MRK ) has held talks for an over $3 billion acquisition of the Swiss biotechnology company.

Merck ( MRK ) submitted a non-binding offer for MoonLake earlier this year that valued it at over $3 billion, a premium to MoonLake's $2.6 billion market value, the report said, quoting people familiar with the matter.

The initial approach was not accepted but the talks could be revived, the report said, adding that there's no guarantee a deal will materialize and that other buyers may emerge.

A MoonLake spokesperson declined to comment on the matter, while Merck ( MRK ) did not immediately respond to a request for comment from MT Newswires.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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