Merck Provides Update on Odanacatib Development Program

KENILWORTH, N.J.--()--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that it is discontinuing the development of odanacatib, Merck’s investigational cathepsin K inhibitor for osteoporosis, and will not seek regulatory approval for its use. Merck previously reported a numeric imbalance in adjudicated stroke events in the pivotal Phase 3 fracture outcomes study in postmenopausal women. The company has decided to discontinue development after an independent adjudication and analysis of major adverse cardiovascular events confirmed an increased risk of stroke. The data from the analysis will be presented at the American Society for Bone Mineral Research (ASBMR) in September.

“We are disappointed that the overall benefit-risk profile for odanacatib does not support filing or further development,” said Roger M. Perlmutter, M.D., Ph.D., president, Merck Research Laboratories. “We are very thankful to the researchers and patients who participated in the odanacatib clinical development program. We have learned that odanacatib treatment reduces the risk of osteoporotic fractures. At the same time, we believe that the increased risk of stroke in our Phase 3 trial does not support further development.”

About Merck

For 125 years, Merck has been a global health care leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline products that the products will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).

Contacts

Merck
Media:
Pamela Eisele, 267-305-3558
or
Investors:
Teri Loxam, 908-740-1986

Release Summary

Merck Provides Update on Odanacatib Development Program

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Contacts

Merck
Media:
Pamela Eisele, 267-305-3558
or
Investors:
Teri Loxam, 908-740-1986