Germany’s Merck KGaA is in advanced talks to aquire the U.S. biopharmaceutical company that specializes in rare diseases and cancer.

Merck KGaA, the German healthcare and technology group, is in advanced talks to acquire U.S. cancer and rare diseases drugmaker Springworks Therapeutics, according to people familiar with the matter.

Merck KGaA is in advanced talks to buy US cancer and rare diseases drugmaker SpringWorks Therapeutics Inc., according to a report from Reuters, citing people familiar with the matter.

As SpringWorks Therapeutics nears a key regulatory decision in the U.S., the Connecticut-based cancer and rare disease drugmaker appears to have attracted the attention of a biopharma bigwig from o | Merck KGaA is said to be in advanced talks to acquire cancer and are disease specialist SpringWorks,

Merck has not shied away from splashy takeovers in the past. In 2015, the company agreed to buy U.S. lab equipment supplier Sigma-Aldrich for $17 billion, its biggest-ever deal. In 2019, Merck acquired U.S. electronics materials manufacturer Versum for 5.8 billion euros ($5.97 billion).