Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK.US) is expected to launch a simplified version of the cancer drug Keytruda by 2025.

Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK.US) is expected to introduce a more manageable version of its popular cancer treatment drug Keytruda by the end of this year, speeding up the company's efforts to protect its best-selling drug from pricing pressures. CEO Rob Davis said at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco on Monday that the latest version of Keytruda could eventually capture 30% to 40% of the market share of the original version. Keytruda brings in nearly $30 billion in revenue each year and is expected to lose patent protection in 2028, with negotiations for medical insurance expected to take place before the end of this decade. This new version of the drug can be administered via subcutaneous injection (injected under the skin with a needle) instead of intravenous infusion, reducing administration time from half an hour to around three minutes.