Updates

** Shares of drugmaker Merck MRK.N rise 1.5% to $124.10 premarket

**  Co says it will split its human health operations into an Oncology unit and a Specialty, Pharma & Infectious Diseases unit to improve performance ahead of multiple product launches

**  Co says Jannie Oosthuizen will lead oncology; Brian Foard joins from Sanofi SASY.PA to head the second unit starting March 2

** Says restructuring supports its late‑stage pipeline, which includes about 80 late‑stage studies and more than 20 potential new products

**  Co also names Chirfi Guindo as executive vice president for Strategic Access, Policy & Communication

** Merck shares rose ~6% in 2025

(Reporting by Sahil Pandey in Bengaluru)

((Sahil.Pandey@thomsonreuters.com))