Genmab to acquire Merus (NASDAQ: MRUS) via planned tender offer

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Merus N.V. has filed a Schedule 14D-9C describing materials related to a proposed acquisition of Merus by Genmab A/S through a tender offer by Genmab’s wholly owned subsidiary, Genmab Holding II B.V., under a Transaction Agreement dated September 29, 2025. The tender offer for Merus common shares has not yet commenced, and any offer to buy will be made only through a formal Schedule TO filing with the SEC.

Merus plans to file a Schedule 14D-9 recommendation statement and a proxy statement on Schedule 14A for an extraordinary general meeting where shareholders will vote on resolutions tied to the proposed transactions. The communication urges investors to read the tender offer documents, recommendation statement and proxy statement in full when available because they will contain the terms and conditions of the transactions. It also includes extensive forward-looking statement cautions highlighting risks such as failure to obtain sufficient tenders or approvals, competing offers, business disruption, and potential shareholder litigation. Exhibits include FAQs for employees and corrected FAQs for investors dated October 3, 2025.

Insights

M&A and securities law analyst

Merus details the planned Genmab tender offer and required shareholder votes, emphasizing regulatory steps and transaction risks.

The communication explains that Genmab A/S, through Genmab Holding II B.V., plans a tender offer to acquire all outstanding common shares of Merus N.V. under a Transaction Agreement dated September 29, 2025. The tender offer has not yet begun; a formal Schedule TO with an offer to purchase and related documents will be filed before shareholders can respond. Merus will also issue a Schedule 14D-9 recommendation and a proxy statement for an extraordinary general meeting to approve resolutions tied to the deal structure.

The text stresses that investors should review the offer to purchase, letter of transmittal, recommendation statement and proxy materials carefully once available, as they will set out key terms and conditions. It includes robust forward-looking statement warnings, listing uncertainties such as the level of shareholder tenders and votes, regulatory approvals and potential competing offers. It also notes risks of business disruption, diverted management attention and possible shareholder litigation, directing readers to Merus’s existing risk factor disclosures and future tender offer materials for additional detail.

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14D-9

SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT

UNDER SECTION 14(d)(4) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

MERUS N.V.

(Name of Subject Company)

MERUS N.V.

(Name of Person Filing Statement)

Common Shares, nominal value €0.09 per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

N5749R100

(CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)

Sven (Bill) Ante Lundberg

c/o Merus US, Inc.

139 Main St. Suite 302

Cambridge, MA 02142

(617) 401-4499

(Name, address and telephone number of person authorized to receive notices and communications

on behalf of the persons filing statement)

With a copy to:

Peter N. Handrinos

R. Scott Shean

Brian R. Umanoff

Latham & Watkins LLP

200 Clarendon Street

Boston, MA 02116

(617) 948-6000

☒ Check the box if the filing relates solely to preliminary communications made before the commencement of a tender offer.

This Schedule 14D-9C consists of the following documents related to the proposed acquisition of Merus N.V., a Dutch public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap) organized under the Laws of The Netherlands (“Merus”), pursuant to the Transaction Agreement, dated as of September 29, 2025, with Genmab A/S, a public limited liability company (Aktieselskab) organized under the Laws of Denmark (“Parent”) and Genmab Holding II B.V., a private limited liability company (besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid) organized under the Laws of The Netherlands and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Purchaser”).

• Frequently Asked Questions for Employees, dated October 3, 2025 (Exhibit 99.1)

• Corrected Frequently Asked Questions for Investors, dated October 3, 2025 (Exhibit 99.2)

Additional Information and Where to Find It

The tender offer for Merus’ outstanding common shares referenced herein has not commenced. This communication is not an offer to buy or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities of Merus. The offer to buy common shares of Merus will only be made pursuant to a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO, including an offer to purchase, a letter of transmittal and other related materials that Parent intends to cause its acquisition subsidiary, Purchaser, to file with the SEC. In addition, Merus will file with the SEC a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 with respect to the tender offer. Merus will also file with the SEC a proxy statement on Schedule 14A in connection with an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders of Merus, at which Merus shareholders will vote on certain proposed resolutions in connection with the proposed transactions, and will mail the definitive proxy statement and a proxy card to each shareholder entitled to vote at the extraordinary general meeting. Once filed, investors will be able to obtain a free copy of these materials and other documents filed by Parent, Purchaser and Merus with the SEC at the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Investors may also obtain, at no charge, any such documents filed with or furnished to the SEC by Merus on Merus’s website at https://merus.nl/.

INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE ADVISED TO READ THESE DOCUMENTS WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, INCLUDING THE OFFER TO PURCHASE, A RELATED LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL, THE SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT AND THE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE TENDER OFFER AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTIONS THAT ARE FILED WITH THE SEC, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY PRIOR TO MAKING ANY DECISIONS WITH RESPECT TO WHETHER TO TENDER THEIR SHARES INTO THE TENDER OFFER OR MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE TENDER OFFER AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTIONS.

Participants in the Solicitation

Merus and certain of its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in soliciting proxies from its shareholders in connection with the proposed transactions. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be considered to be participants in the solicitation of Merus’s shareholders in connection with the proposed transactions will be set forth in Merus’s definitive proxy statement for its extraordinary general meeting at which certain matters relating to the proposed transactions will be submitted for approval by Merus’s shareholders. You may also find additional information about Merus’s directors and executive officers in Merus’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 which was filed with the SEC on February 27, 2025 (as amended) and Merus’s Definitive Proxy Statement for its 2025 annual general meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 24, 2025.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this communication that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Words or phrases such as “believe,” “may,” “could,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “seek,” “plan,” “expect,” “should,” “would” or similar expressions are intended to identify

forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. The forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and expectations and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the planned completion of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement and related timing, as well as the potential effects of the proposed transactions on Merus. Risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially from expectations include without limitation: uncertainties as to the timing and completion of the tender offer and the proposed transactions; uncertainties as to the percentage of Merus shareholders tendering their common shares in the tender offer and as to the percentage of Merus shareholders voting in favor of the matters relating to the proposed transactions at the extraordinary general meeting; the possibility that competing offers will be made; the possibility that various closing conditions for the tender offer or the proposed transactions may not be satisfied or waived, including the failure to receive any required regulatory approvals from any applicable governmental entities (or any conditions, limitations or restrictions placed on such approvals); the effects of disruption caused by the proposed transactions making it more difficult to maintain relationships with employees, collaborators, vendors and other business partners; risks related to diverting management’s attention from Merus’s ongoing business operations; the risk that shareholder litigation in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement may result in significant costs of defense, indemnification and liability; and risks and uncertainties pertaining to Merus’s business, including the important factors described in the section titled “Risk Factors” in Merus’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2025, as such factors may be updated from time to time in Merus’s other filings with the SEC, as well as the tender offer materials to be filed by Purchaser and Parent, the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement to be filed by Merus in connection with the tender offer.

You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and Merus undertakes no obligation to revise or update these statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, except as required by law.

Exhibit Number		Exhibit Description
99.1		Frequently Asked Questions for Employees, dated October 3, 2025
99.2		Corrected Frequently Asked Questions for Investors, dated October 3, 2025

FAQ

What transaction involving Merus (MRUS) is described in this Schedule 14D-9C?

The document relates to a proposed acquisition of Merus N.V. by Genmab A/S through a tender offer for Merus’s outstanding common shares by Genmab’s wholly owned subsidiary, Genmab Holding II B.V., under a Transaction Agreement dated September 29, 2025.

Has the Genmab tender offer for Merus (MRUS) shares started yet?

No. The communication states that the tender offer for Merus common shares "has not commenced." An offer to buy will only be made through a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO to be filed with the SEC by Genmab’s acquisition subsidiary.

What SEC filings will be made in connection with the Merus (MRUS) tender offer and acquisition?

Genmab’s subsidiary will file a Schedule TO with an offer to purchase and related documents. Merus will file a Schedule 14D-9 Solicitation/Recommendation Statement and a proxy statement on Schedule 14A for an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders.

What shareholder actions are expected for Merus (MRUS) in this proposed deal?

Merus shareholders will be asked to tender their common shares into the planned tender offer and to vote at an extraordinary general meeting on certain resolutions connected to the proposed transactions, as described in the upcoming proxy statement on Schedule 14A.

Where can Merus (MRUS) investors obtain the tender offer and proxy materials?

Once filed, investors can obtain free copies of the tender offer materials, the Schedule 14D-9, and the proxy statement from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, and any documents filed or furnished by Merus can also be accessed at its website, https://merus.nl/.

What key risks and uncertainties are highlighted about the Merus (MRUS) and Genmab transaction?

The text cites risks such as uncertainty about the timing and completion of the tender offer, the percentage of shareholders who tender or vote in favor, potential competing offers, failure to satisfy closing conditions or obtain regulatory approvals, business disruption, management distraction, possible shareholder litigation, and broader risks described in Merus’s Form 10-Q risk factors.

What exhibits are included with this Merus (MRUS) Schedule 14D-9C filing?

The exhibits list includes Frequently Asked Questions for Employees, dated October 3, 2025 (Exhibit 99.1), and Corrected Frequently Asked Questions for Investors, also dated October 3, 2025 (Exhibit 99.2).