Dresden Acquisition

Dresden Acquisition Corp was a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., established specifically to facilitate the acquisition of Acceleron Pharma. In September 2021, Merck entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Acceleron for approximately $11.5 billion in cash. Dresden Acquisition Corp launched a tender offer for all outstanding shares of Acceleron, which was successfully completed in November 2021. Following the tender offer, Dresden Acquisition Corp merged with and into Acceleron Pharma, with Acceleron surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck. This strategic acquisition allowed Merck to incorporate Acceleron's lead candidate, sotatercept, into its cardiovascular pipeline. The transaction also included Acceleron's hematology portfolio, notably the marketed drug Reblozyl, which is partnered with Bristol Myers Squibb.