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Robert Davis

Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Merck

Search every verified Robert Davis interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. On Merck’s second-quarter 2026 earnings call, Davis discussed the company’s performance, citing 5% sales growth to $16.6 billion driven by KEYTRUDA and new launches. He described the upcoming loss of exclusivity period as “more of a hill than a cliff,” expressing confidence in a shallow dip followed by a return to growth, and stated the company aspires to grow through that period on a non-risk adjusted basis. Regarding the oral PCSK9 program, Davis said the focus is on market expansion rather than taking share from injectable PCSK9s, noting that injectables reach about 5% or less of the market and that many patients on lipid-lowering therapies are not at recommended LDL levels. On the fourth-quarter 2024 earnings call, Davis addressed Merck’s decision to temporarily pause shipments of Gardasil to China beginning that month and through at least mid-year, citing further discussions with commercialization partner Jerpe and their recent financial disclosure and working capital levels. He also said that while Merck still believes there is a path to $11 billion in Gardasil sales long term, the company withdrew that target due to uncertain timing of an economic recovery in China. Davis characterized the China situation as a short-term event and reinforced confidence in the company’s long-term growth, citing a strong pipeline and expected growth in the second half of 2025 leading into 2026 and 2027.

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