Merck vs Pfizer: Founders, CEOs and History
Merck was founded in 1891 by George Merck and is led by Robert M. Davis. Pfizer was founded in 1849 by Charles Pfizer, Charles Erhart and is led by Albert Bourla.
Company facts
Founders
Merck
George Merck
Merck & Co. possesses one of the most historic, ancestral founding stories in the entire history of modern medicine, tracing its corporate lineage directly back to a localized, ancient German pharmacy in the 17th century.
Pfizer
Charles Pfizer
Pfizer possesses a historic, immigrant founding story, rooted entirely in the rapid industrial expansion of 19th-century Brooklyn and defined by an effective, intensely meticulous German chemist and his ambitious confectioner cousin.
Charles Erhart
Charles Erhart's role in Pfizer's founding is less celebrated than his cousin's, partly because the company carries Charles Pfizer's name and partly because his commercial contributions were less visible than the scientific achievements that drove the company'…
CEOs and their tenures
Merck
- P. Roy Vagelos1985–1994
Chairman and CEO
Turned Merck Research Laboratories into the engine behind Mevacor and Vasotec and launched the Mectizan Donation Program in 1987.
Source - Kenneth Frazier2011–2021
Chairman and CEO
Backed the broad Keytruda development program that made it Merck's dominant product and oversaw the 2021 Organon spin-off planning.
Source - Robert M. Davis2021–present
Chairman and CEO
Since 2025 has added Verona Pharma, Cidara Therapeutics and Terns Pharmaceuticals, launched Keytruda Qlex and won 2026 FDA approval for oral PCSK9 inhibitor Lipfendra, while guiding to $66.3 billion to $67.3 billion in 2026 sales.
Source
Pfizer
- Ian Read2010–2018
Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive of Pfizer from 2010 until December 31, 2018; Albert Bourla succeeded him as CEO on January 1, 2019.
Source - Albert Bourla2019–present
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
A veterinarian by training who joined Pfizer Animal Health in 1993, Bourla became CEO on January 1, 2019 and Chairman in 2020.
Source - Dave Denton2022–2026
Chief Financial Officer
Former CVS Health CFO who ran Pfizer finance through the Seagen financing and cost program, leaving on August 15, 2026 for a consumer goods company.
Source - Chris Boshoff2025–present
Chief Scientific Officer and President, Research & Development
Former Chief Oncology Officer who took over all of Pfizer R&D effective January 1, 2025.
Source - Cecile Guegan2026–present
Interim Chief Financial Officer
Previously senior vice president of finance for Pfizer's global biopharmaceuticals business; became interim CFO after Dave Denton left on August 15, 2026.
Source
Timeline: Merck and Pfizer side by side
1849Pfizer
Pfizer Founded
Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart founded the company in Brooklyn.
1891Merck
American Subsidiary of E. Merck Established
George Merck establishes Merck & Co. As the U.S. Subsidiary of E. Merck of Darmstadt, Germany, initially focused on importing and distributing German-manufactured pharmaceutical and chemical products for the American market.
1917Merck
WWI Seizure Creates Independent American Corporation
The U.S. Government seizes Merck & Co.'s assets under the Trading with the Enemy Act following American entry into World War I, appointing an Alien Property Custodian to manage German-owned U.S. Businesses.
1944Pfizer
Penicillin Scale-Up
Pfizer helped industrialize penicillin production during World War II.
1953Merck
Merger with Sharp & Dohme Adds Vaccine Capability
Merck completes its merger with Sharp & Dohme, a Philadelphia-based pharmaceutical company with particular strength in vaccines and biological products.
1981Merck
World's First Recombinant DNA Vaccine Hepatitis B
Merck receives FDA approval for the world's first recombinant DNA vaccine the Merck Hepatitis B vaccine developed by Maurice Hilleman and his team using yeast-expressed recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen.
1987Merck
Mevacor Approved First Commercially Available Statin
The FDA approves Lovastatin, marketed as Mevacor the first HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin) to reach commercial availability anywhere in the world.
2000Pfizer
Warner-Lambert Deal
Pfizer acquired Warner-Lambert, adding Lipitor.
2004Merck
Vioxx Withdrawal A Defining Moment in Drug Safety
Merck voluntarily withdraws Vioxx (rofecoxib) from global markets after clinical trial data in the APPROVe colorectal polyp prevention study reveal that patients taking the drug have approximately double the risk of serious cardiovascular events compared with…
2006Merck
Gardasil Approved First HPV Cancer Prevention Vaccine
The FDA approves Gardasil, Merck's quadrivalent HPV vaccine, becoming the first vaccine approved to prevent cancer by targeting human papillomavirus strains responsible for most cervical cancers globally.
2009Merck
Merger with Schering-Plough Creates Modern Merck
Merck completes its $41.1 billion merger with Schering-Plough Corporation, acquiring key products including Remicade (shared commercialization rights), Nasonex, and the foundation of the immuno-oncology antibody program that would eventually produce Keytruda.
2014Merck
Keytruda Approved The Beginning of the Immunotherapy Era
The FDA grants accelerated approval to Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for advanced melanoma in September 2014, making it the first PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor to receive FDA clearance.
2020Pfizer
BioNTech COVID Vaccine Partnership
Pfizer and BioNTech brought Comirnaty through emergency authorization.
2021Merck
Acceleron Pharma Acquired for $11.5 Billion Winrevair Pipeline
Merck completes its acquisition of Acceleron Pharma for approximately $11.5 billion, securing sotatercept a first-in-class activin signaling inhibitor in Phase 3 development for pulmonary arterial hypertension.
2023Merck
Prometheus Biosciences Acquired for $10.8 Billion
Merck acquires Prometheus Biosciences for approximately $10.8 billion, adding tulisokibart an anti-TL1A antibody that demonstrated remarkable Phase 2 remission rates in Crohn's disease that substantially exceeded existing biologic benchmarks.
2023Pfizer
Seagen Acquisition
Pfizer completed the $43 billion Seagen acquisition.
2024Merck
Winrevair Approved; Keytruda Reaches $29.5 Billion in Annual Sales
FDA approval of Winrevair (sotatercept) for pulmonary arterial hypertension in March 2024 marks the launch of Merck's most important new commercial product in a decade.
2025Merck
Sales Reach $65.011B
Merck reported $65.011B in FY2025 worldwide sales, $18.254B in net income attributable to Merck, $31.7B in Keytruda/Keytruda Qlex sales, and about 75,000 employees.
2025Pfizer
Chris Boshoff Becomes CSO
Chris Boshoff became Chief Scientific Officer and President, Research & Development effective January 1, 2025.
2025Pfizer
Metsera Acquisition
Pfizer completed its acquisition of obesity drug developer Metsera in November 2025 for up to about $10 billion including CVRs.
2025Pfizer
FY2025 Revenue Base
Pfizer reported $62.579 billion of FY2025 revenue.
2026Merck
Cidara and Terns Deals Close; Lipfendra Approved
Merck completed the roughly $9.2 billion Cidara Therapeutics acquisition in January 2026 and the roughly $6.7 billion Terns Pharmaceuticals acquisition in the second quarter, won FDA approval for once-daily oral PCSK9 inhibitor Lipfendra (enlicitide), and rais…
2026Pfizer
Innovent Oncology Collaboration
Pfizer signed a 12-program cancer collaboration with Innovent Biologics: $650 million upfront and up to $9.85 billion in milestones.
Acquisitions
Merck
- Cidara Therapeutics2026$9.2B
- Terns Pharmaceuticals2026$6.7B
- Verona Pharma2025$10B
- Prometheus Biosciences2023$10.8B
- Acceleron Pharma2021$11.5B
- Schering-Plough Corporation2009$41B
Pfizer
- Metsera, Inc.2025$7B
- Seagen Inc.2023$43B
- Medivation Inc.2016$14B
- Wyeth2009$68B
- Pharmacia Corporation2003$60B
- Warner-Lambert Company2000$111B
Questions about Merck vs Pfizer
Who is the CEO of Merck & Co., Inc. and Pfizer Inc.?
Merck & Co., Inc. is led by Robert M. Davis and Pfizer Inc. is led by Albert Bourla. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Merck & Co., Inc. founded vs Pfizer Inc.?
Pfizer Inc. was founded in 1849 — 42 years before Merck & Co., Inc., which was founded in 1891. Pfizer Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Merck & Co., Inc..
How many employees does Merck & Co., Inc. have compared to Pfizer Inc.?
Merck & Co., Inc. employs approximately 75,000 people, while Pfizer Inc. employs approximately 75,000. Merck & Co., Inc. has the larger workforce at 75,000 employees, compared to Pfizer Inc.'s 75,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Merck & Co., Inc. and Pfizer Inc. headquartered?
Both Merck & Co., Inc. and Pfizer Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Merck & Co., Inc. and Pfizer Inc.?
Merck & Co., Inc. was founded by George Merck. Pfizer Inc. was founded by Charles Pfizer, Charles Erhart.
Which company has a longer operating history — Merck & Co., Inc. or Pfizer Inc.?
Pfizer Inc. has been operating for approximately 177 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Merck & Co., Inc. has been in operation for around 135 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Merck vs Pfizer overview