UTRECHT, The Netherlands and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merus N.V. (NASDAQ:MRUS) ("Merus", "the Company", "we", or "our"), a clinical-stage oncology company developing innovative, full-length multispecific antibodies (Biclonics^® and Triclonics^®), today announced the selection of an abstract for oral presentation at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, being held in Chicago, Illinois on June 3-7, 2022.

The presentation will highlight updated interim clinical data for the targeted bispecific antibody, zenocutuzumab (Zeno), in NRG1 fusion positive (NRG1+) cancer. Merus is currently enrolling patients into the phase 1/2 eNRGy trial to assess the safety and anti-tumor activity of Zeno monotherapy in NRG1+ cancer.

Oral Presentation:

Title: Efficacy and safety of zenocutuzumab, a HER2 x HER3 bispecific antibody, across advanced NRG1 fusion (NRG1+) cancers

Lead Author: Alison Schram, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NY

Abstract #: 105

Session Title: Clinical Science Symposium/ Bispecifics: Are Two Better Than One?

Session Date and Time: June 5, 2022, 9:45 -11:15 a.m. CT

The abstract highlighting interim clinical data will be available on May 26 at 5:00 p.m. ET and an oral presentation, containing an updated interim clinical data analysis, will be presented to meeting attendees and via a live stream to online-only meeting attendees, during the Clinical Science Symposium, Bispecifics: Are Two Better Than One?, session on June 5 from 9:45-11:15 a.m. CT. The presentation will be available on the Merus website shortly after the live presentation.

We continue to be encouraged by the ongoing trial, observed clinical activity and safety profile and look forward to sharing an interim clinical data update from the May 26 abstract and at ASCO on June 5.

Company Conference Call and Webcast Information

Merus will host a conference call and webcast for investors on Sunday, June 5, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. CT to discuss the updated interim clinical data. A replay will be available after the completion of the call in the Investors and Media section of our website.

About Zeno

Zeno is an antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC)-enhanced Biclonics^® that utilizes the Merus Dock & Block® mechanism to inhibit the neuregulin/HER3 tumor-signaling pathway in solid tumors with NRG1 gene fusions (NRG1+). Through its unique mechanism of binding to HER2 and potently blocking the interaction of HER3 with its ligand NRG1 or NRG1-fusion proteins, Zeno has the potential to be particularly effective against NRG1+ cancers. In preclinical studies, Zeno also potently inhibits HER2/HER3 heterodimer formation and tumor growth in models harboring NRG1 fusions.

Learn more about Zeno Dock & Block^® at https://merus.nl/technology/.

About Merus N.V.

Merus is a clinical-stage oncology company developing innovative full-length human bispecific and trispecific antibody therapeutics, referred to as Multiclonics^®. Multiclonics^® are manufactured using industry standard processes and have been observed in preclinical and clinical studies to have several of the same features of conventional human monoclonal antibodies, such as long half-life and low immunogenicity. For additional information, please visit Merus' website, http://www.merus.nl and https://twitter.com/MerusNV.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements regarding the clinical development of zenocutuzumab, future clinical trial results or interim data, clinical activity and safety profile of Zeno in the on-going eNRGy trial and planned presentation and investor call. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: our need for additional funding, which may not be available and which may require us to restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our technologies or Biclonics^®, Triclonics^® and multispecific antibody candidates; potential delays in regulatory approval, which would impact our ability to commercialize our product candidates and affect our ability to generate revenue; the lengthy and expensive process of clinical drug development, which has an uncertain outcome; the unpredictable nature of our early stage development efforts for marketable drugs; potential delays in enrollment of patients, which could affect the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals; our reliance on third parties to conduct our clinical trials and the potential for those third parties to not perform satisfactorily; impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; we may not identify suitable Biclonics^® or bispecific antibody candidates under our collaborations or our collaborators may fail to perform adequately under our collaborations; our reliance on third parties to manufacture our product candidates, which may delay, prevent or impair our development and commercialization efforts; protection of our proprietary technology; our patents may be found invalid, unenforceable, circumvented by competitors and our patent applications may be found not to comply with the rules and regulations of patentability; we may fail to prevail in potential lawsuits for infringement of third-party intellectual property; and our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names may be challenged, infringed, circumvented or declared generic or determined to be infringing on other marks.

These and other important factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, on February 28, 2022, and our other reports filed with the SEC, could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management's estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change, except as required under applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Biclonics^®, Triclonics^® and Multiclonics^® are registered trademarks of Merus N.V.

Investor and Media Inquiries:
Sherri Spear
Merus N.V.
VP Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
617-821-3246
s.spear@merus.nl

Kathleen Farren
Merus N.V.
IR/Corp Comms
617-230-4165
k.farren@merus.nl

Zenocutuzumab Clinical Abstract Selected for Oral Presentation at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting