(Reuters) -Merck & Co is in late-stage talks to accumulate Prometheus Biosciences Inc to get its fingers on promising immune illness remedies, the Wall Road Journal reported on Sunday citing individuals acquainted with the matter.

A deal could possibly be introduced as quickly as Sunday, the individuals quoted mentioned, although cautioning the talks might nonetheless disintegrate.

Prometheus, a clinical-stage biotechnology firm specializing in therapeutic merchandise for the therapy of immune-mediated illnesses, had a market capitalization of $5.42 billion as of the shut on Friday.

Merck has been in search of offers to guard itself from eventual income loss as its most cancers immunotherapy Keytruda patents start to run out towards the tip of the last decade.

Merck in February forecast 2023 earnings beneath Wall Road estimates and an anticipated steep decline in gross sales of its COVID-19 antiviral therapy.

Merck and Prometheus didn’t instantly reply to a Reuters request for remark.