** Shares of drug developer Enliven Therapeutics ELVN.O rise 14.13% to $35.55 premarket
** Jones Trading raises PT to $45 from $35 and reiterates a "buy" rating
** Brokerage says Merck's MRK.N $6.7 billion deal to buy rival Terns Pharmaceuticals TERN.O means that both ELVN and TERN could "carve out their own market share" and increase ELVN's takeover appeal
** Both TERN and ELVN are developing drugs for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a cancer that starts in the bone marrow and causes uncontrolled growth of leukemia cells
** Brokerage says ELVN's lead drug, ELVN‑001, which has a different mechanism of action compared to Terns' drug, is best positioned for patients whose disease no longer responds to earlier treatments
** Says TERN's lead drug, TERN‑701, is expected to compete mainly in earlier treatment settings
** Adds ELVN is well positioned as a takeout target as most other CML drugs are owned by large drugmakers
** ELVN fell more than 31% in 2025
(Reporting by Kunal Das in Bengaluru)
((Kunal.Das2@thomsonreuters.com;))
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