Merck KGaA (MKKGY) announced that its U.S. and Canadian healthcare division, EMD Serono, has entered into an agreement with President Donald J. Trump's administration to broaden access to its in vitro fertilization (IVF) therapies. The initiative aims to support over 10 million American women facing fertility challenges.
As part of the agreement, EMD Serono will offer Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) sales of its full IVF therapy portfolio—including Gonal-f, Ovidrel, and Cetrotide—at significantly reduced prices for eligible patients with prescriptions. When used together in a standard IVF protocol, the therapies will be available at an 84% discount off list prices. These offerings will be accessible via the TrumpRx.gov platform, launching in January 2026, alongside EMD Serono's existing and expanded pharmacy networks.
The collaboration aligns with a White House Executive Order focused on increasing affordable access to fertility treatments. President Trump and his administration hosted a landmark fertility event at the White House to recognize EMD Serono's voluntary compliance with the Executive Order's provisions.
Additionally, EMD Serono has reached an agreement with the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to exempt its pharmaceutical products and ingredients from Section 232 tariffs. In return, the company will invest in future biopharmaceutical manufacturing and research within the United States.
To further enhance treatment options for patients with complex fertility needs, EMD Serono plans to file Pergoveris for review under the FDA Commissioner's National Priority Voucher (CNPV) program. This program accelerates drug review timelines from 10-12 months to just 1-2 months for therapies that address critical national health priorities. Pergoveris meets all criteria for CNPV consideration.
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June 19, 2026 16:46 ET Major central banks continued to dominate the economic news flow this week too, led by the Federal Reserve, as they announced their latest policy decisions. The Federal Reserve policy session was in focus as it was the first to be led by the new chief Kevin Warsh. In Europe, central banks of the U.K. and Switzerland announced their rate decisions. In Asia, the Bank of Japan drew attention for its policy moves, while data out of China threw some light on the state of the economy.