WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved RAGWITEK™ (Short Ragweed Pollen Allergen Extract) Tablet for Sublingual Use (12 Amb a 1-U).

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved NOXAFIL^® (posaconazole) injection (18 mg/ mL), a new formulation of NOXAFIL for intravenous (IV) use. Merck’s antifungal agent is also marketed as NOXAFIL (100 mg) delayed-release tablets and NOXAFIL (40 mg/mL) oral suspension.

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BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, said today that in a new 96-week, open-label AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) study designed to compare three different NNRTI-sparing HIV regimens in treatment-naïve patients – one containing Merck’s twice-daily ISENTRESS^® (raltegravir) and two containing different once-daily ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitors, atazanavir and darunavir -- all three regimens achieved high and equivalent levels of efficacy, as measured by time to virologic failure (V

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the regulatory approval and launch of GRASTEK^® (Timothy grass pollen allergen extract) sublingual tablets in Canada. This represents the first approval of GRASTEK for Merck. The product is currently marketed by ALK-Abello in Europe as GRAZAX.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved ISENTRESS^® for oral suspension, a new pediatric formulation of Merck’s integrase inhibitor. With this approval, ISENTRESS is now indicated in combination with other antiretroviral (ARV) agents for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in patients four weeks of age and older.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today issued the following statement after the conclusion of the Allergenic Products Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) meeting to discuss GRASTEK^® (Timothy grass pollen allergen extract).

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today provided an update on the development program for MK-8931, a novel investigational oral β-amyloid precursor protein site-cleaving enzyme (BACE) inhibitor.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that ZOSTAVAX® (Zoster Vaccine Live), the company's vaccine to help prevent shingles, received the Prix Galien USA 2013 Award for Best Biotechnology Product.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, is presenting pharmacokinetic data this week on investigational formulations of a once daily (QD) dose of ISENTRESS at the 14^th European AIDS Conference (EACS), sponsored by the European AIDS Clinical Society. The meeting is currently taking place in Brussels, Belgium, Oct. 16-19, 2013. The poster presentation A Single Dose Food Effect Study of Raltegravir Formulations (Poster #PE10/17) will be presented Thursday, Oct.

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Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, and the ADAP Crisis Task Force (ACTF) today announced that the company will extend its commitment to support state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs), which have struggled to meet growing needs in recent years due to funding shortfalls. Through the new agreement, which extends through Dec.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved new labeling for ISENTRESS^® (raltegravir) Film-coated Tablets, Merck’s integrase inhibitor for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adult patients as part of combination HIV therapy.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today issued the following statement regarding this week's NIDDK-NCI Workshop and the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) call for an independent review of data about the safety of incretin-based diabetes medicines, including GLP-1 analogs and DPP-4 inhibitors such as JANUVIA^® (sitagliptin).

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the company has been awarded a significant portion of the UNICEF human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine tender, and will provide sustained supply of GARDASIL^® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] to GAVI-eligible countries. This agreement follows the GAVI Alliance’s earlier announcement that HPV vaccines would be included in its portfolio for the first time.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that its New Drug Application for an investigational, tablet formulation of the company's antifungal agent, NOXAFIL^® (posaconazole), has been accepted for review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced today that two analyses of VICTRELIS (boceprevir) and data from Phase II studies of two of Merck’s investigational medicines for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1, MK-5172 and vaniprevir (MK-7009), will be presented at the 2013 International Liver Congress (EASL) Annual Meeting. The meeting will take place in Amsterdam from April 24-28, 2013.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known outside the United States and Canada as MSD, today announced that the HPS2-THRIVE (Heart Protection Study 2-Treatment of HDL to Reduce the Incidence of Vascular Events) study of TREDAPTIVE^™(extended-release niacin/laropiprant) did not meet its primary endpoint. Merck and the investigators are informing regulatory agencies of these results.

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Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced results of retrospective sub-analyses from a Phase III, open-label study designed to compare the impact of two anemia management strategies – ribavirin dose reduction and an investigational use of erythropoietin (EPO) – on sustained virologic response (SVR)¹ in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection treated with VICTRELIS^® (boceprevir) 200 mg Capsules in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin (PR).

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the New Drug Application (NDA) for suvorexant, the company's investigational insomnia medicine, has been accepted for standard review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Suvorexant will be evaluated by the Controlled Substance Staff of the FDA during NDA review. If approved by the FDA, suvorexant will become available after a schedule assessment and determination has been completed by the U.S.

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WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced final results from the STARTMRK study – the longest double-blind Phase III non-inferiority study evaluating an integrase inhibitor in treatment-naïve adults with HIV-1. In this pre-specified exploratory analysis of ISENTRESS^® (raltegravir) 400 mg Film-coated Tablets in combination therapy in previously untreated (treatment-naïve) adult HIV-1 patients, virologic efficacy was better than the efavirenz-based regimen at 240 weeks.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a labeling update for ISENTRESS^® (raltegravir) Film-coated Tablets to include 156-week data from the STARTMRK study with ISENTRESS in combination therapy compared to efavirenz in combination therapy in previously untreated (treatment-naïve) adult HIV-1-infected patients.

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BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced final results from a Phase III, open-label study designed to compare the impact of two anemia management strategies on sustained virologic response (SVR)¹ in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection treated with VICTRELIS^® (boceprevir) in combination with PEGINTRON^® (peginterferon alfa-2b) and ribavirin (P/R).

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Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced today that several new data analyses from studies of VICTRELIS™ (boceprevir) capsules, the company's oral hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease inhibitor, will be presented at The International Liver Congress™ / 47th European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) annual meeting. The meeting will be held from April 18 – 22 in Barcelona. In total, more than a dozen abstracts highlighting Merck medicines and investigational therapies for chronic HCV infection will be presented.

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SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, today announced results from two different investigational studies conducted to better understand the potential use of VICTRELIS™ (boceprevir), the company’s oral HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor, in treating patients coinfected with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV-1. These data are being presented for the first time today at the 19^th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Seattle.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ZIOPTANTM (tafluprost ophthalmic solution) 0.0015%, the first preservative-free prostaglandin analog ophthalmic solution. ZIOPTAN (pronounced zye-OP-tan) is approved for reducing elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) or ocular hypertension.

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Today, Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, said that it has informed U.S. physicians of the results of a recent pharmacokinetic study evaluating drug interactions between

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Flu is at the top of the list of diseases older adults plan to ask about, according to results from a new Harris Interactive consumer awareness survey, sponsored by Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Most (68 percent) of the more than 600 surveyed adults age 60 and older are at least somewhat likely to ask their healthcare professional (doctors or pharmacists) about preventing the flu this year, and are significantly more likely to ask about this than prevention of other potentially serious diseases like shingles.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the company has been awarded a significant portion of the UNICEF human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine tender, and will provide sustained supply of GARDASIL^® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] to GAVI-eligible countries. This agreement follows the GAVI Alliance’s earlier announcement that HPV vaccines would be included in its portfolio for the first time.

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The Republic of Uganda through the Ministry of Health (MoH), supported by Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the launch of a national vaccination program with GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16 and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] for appropriate girls 9 to 13 years of age in 12 districts throughout the country.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today provided the following statement regarding the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)'s updated recommendation for pneumococcal vaccine as a two vaccine regimen in adults with immunocompromising conditions, functional or anatomic asplenia, cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) leaks or cochlear implants.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that data from the pivotal Phase III study with ZOSTAVAX^® (Zoster Vaccine Live) in adults ages 50 to 59 were published in the April 1 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases. In this study, ZOSTAVAX, Merck's vaccine for the prevention of herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles, significantly reduced the risk of developing shingles by nearly 70 percent in adults ages 50 to 59, compared with placebo.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada) announced today that data from a sub-study of the pivotal Phase III clinical trial with GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] in males were published in the October 27 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the U.S.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that it is contributing $3 million over three years to the Pink Ribbon–Red Ribbon initiative to help address both cervical and breast cancer in sub-Saharan African nations by supporting disease education, screening and treatment efforts as well as increased access to cervical cancer vaccination.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the first patient has been enrolled in the company’s global Phase 3 clinical trial, ONCEMRK. ONCEMRK is assessing a once-daily investigational formulation of ISENTRESS^® (raltegravir), known as reformulated raltegravir, as part of combination HIV therapy for treatment-naïve HIV-1-infected adults.

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WUPPERTAL, Germany & WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AiCuris and Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the publication of results from a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of letermovir, an investigational, oral antiviral agent for the prevention of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in patients receiving bone marrow transplant.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, today announced additional data from the ongoing C-WORTHy study, a multi-arm Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of a once-daily, all-oral regimen combining MK-5172, an investigational hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease inhibitor, and MK-8742, an investigational HCV NS5A replication complex inhibitor, among patients with chronic HCV Genotype 1 infection (GT1).

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the presentation of early findings from studies exploring the relationship between tumor PD-L1 expression and clinical outcomes following monotherapy treatment with MK-3475, an investigational anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, in patients with advanced melanoma and advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that new Phase 2 data for its two investigational hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatments - MK-5172, an investigational HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor, and MK-8742, an investigational HCV NS5A replication complex inhibitor – are scheduled to be presented at the 49^th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), also known as The International Liver Congress™ 2014.

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Merck and Endocyte Announce European CHMP Positive Opinions for VYNFINIT^® (vintafolide) and Companion Imaging Agents FOLCEPRI^® (etarfolatide) and NEOCEPRI^® (Intravenous (IV) folic acid) in Patients with Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer

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BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, today announced new data from HIV/HCV co-infected patients in the ongoing C-WORTHY Study, a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of Merck's all-oral, once-daily regimen combining MK-5172, an investigational hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease inhibitor, and MK-8742, an investigational HCV NS5A replication complex inhibitor.

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BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today presented data from the dose-ranging portion of an ongoing Phase 2B clinical trial of doravirine, the company’s investigational next-generation, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), at the 21^st Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI).

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced results from a Phase 2b study evaluating two doses of its investigational house dust mite sublingual immunotherapy tablet (MK-8237). The data were presented for the first time during a late-breaking oral session at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) in San Diego.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the Biologics License Application for V503, its investigational 9-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, has been accepted for standard review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today it has signed three separate clinical collaboration agreements, through subsidiaries, with Amgen Inc., Incyte Corporation and Pfizer Inc. to evaluate novel combination regimens with MK-3475, Merck’s investigational anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. The financial terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the regulatory approval and launch of GRASTEK^® (Timothy grass pollen allergen extract) sublingual tablets in Canada. This represents the first approval of GRASTEK for Merck. The product is currently marketed by ALK-Abello in Europe as GRAZAX.

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Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today said it was pleased with the positive discussion of RAGWITEK^™ (Short Ragweed Pollen Allergen Extract) at the Allergenic Products Advisory Committee meeting of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today said it was pleased with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee’s recommendation for approval of vorapaxar. Vorapaxar is the company’s investigational antiplatelet medicine for the reduction of atherothrombotic events, when added to standard of care, in patients with a history of heart attack and no history of stroke or transient ischemic attack.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, said today it has started a rolling submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of a Biologics License Application for MK-3475, the company’s investigational anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, for patients with advanced melanoma who have been previously treated with ipilimumab. A rolling submission allows completed portions of the application to be submitted and reviewed by the FDA on an ongoing basis.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the initiation of a clinical trial to evaluate the combination of the company’s investigational anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, MK-3475, and GlaxoSmithKline’s orally administered kinase inhibitor, pazopanib, in advanced renal cell carcinoma.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved NOXAFIL^® (posaconazole) 100 mg delayed-release tablets. NOXAFIL delayed-release tablets are a new formulation with a loading dose of 300 mg (three 100 mg delayed-release tablets) twice daily on the first day, followed by a once-daily maintenance dose of 300 mg (three 100 mg delayed-release tablets) starting on the second day of therapy.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced additional data for MK-3475, an investigational anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, in patients with advanced melanoma that showed an estimated overall survival rate of 81 percent at one year across all MK-3475 monotherapy doses evaluated.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that its New Drug Application for an investigational intravenous (IV) solution formulation of the company's antifungal agent, NOXAFIL^® (posaconazole), has been accepted for priority review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, will present additional data from patients with advanced melanoma from the Phase IB trial of MK-3475 on Monday, Nov. 18 at the 10th International Congress of the Society for Melanoma Research in Philadelphia. MK-3475 is Merck’s investigational anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced data for its investigational Timothy grass sublingual allergy immunotherapy tablet (MK-7243) from a study involving 1,501 North American adult and pediatric patients.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that in the pivotal Phase III efficacy study, its investigational 9-valent HPV vaccine (V503) prevented approximately 97 percent of cervical, vaginal and vulvar pre-cancers caused by HPV types 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced the presentation of interim data from the ongoing C-WORTHY Study, a Phase II clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of an all-oral regimen combining once-daily MK-5172, an investigational hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease inhibitor, and MK-8742, an investigational HCV NS5A replication complex inhibitor, with or without twice-daily ribavirin, administered for 12 weeks to treatment-naïve, non-cirrhotic pat

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the presentation of interim data from a Phase 1B trial (PN001) evaluating MK-3475, an investigational anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, in patients with previously-treated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The data were presented today by Dr.

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WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today provided an overview of the clinical trial program for V503, the company’s investigational 9-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in the United States. Merck said that the pivotal efficacy trial is complete, the primary endpoints have been met and the company expects to submit a Biologics License Application for V503 to the U.S.

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