OUR AREAS OF INTEREST

Atherosclerosis and
Cardiovascular Diseases

  • Cardiometabolic and Atherosclerosis

    Atherosclerosis segments with high unmet medical needs such as: acute coronary syndrome, atherosclerosis in diabetics, statin intolerant, chronic kidney disease, and peripheral arterial disease.

    Mechanisms of Interest:

    • Lipid-lowering therapies
      • Agents with effect on LDL / Apo B and additional effect on glucose, triglycerides, blood pressure, body weight, and / or HDL
    • HDL-raising therapies
      • Acute HDL therapy for high-risk patients (eg, HDL infusion) with evidence of reverse cholesterol efflux
      • Oral compounds, with known mechanism of action, that increase HDL-C or Apo-A1 levels and have additional evidence to increase confidence that such mechanism will reduce cardiovascular risk
      • Agents with effect on HDL / Apo A1 and additional effect on glucose, triglycerides, blood pressure, body weight, and / or LDL
    • Vessel wall or anti-inflammatory mechanisms
      • Must have human evidence of CV risk reduction (genetics or clinical POC) or non-human primate data

    Technology / Methods:

    • Discovery
      • Collaborations for identifying, validating, and developing novel lipid / metabolic and / or other emerging targets with preclinical or human genetic validation and high confidence for reducing CV risk
      • Animal models with strong evidence of translational value
    • Biomarkers
      • Methods, biomarkers, or platforms to assess antiatherogenic properties of HDL or other lipoproteins
      • Translational biomarkers of atherothrombosis
      • Biomarkers of patient subtypes
      • Acute methods to assess cholesterol transport in humans (especially reverse cholesterol transport), including imaging and kinetic models
      • Novel imaging agents to assess plaque stability with evidence of translational value

    Academic Collaborations:

    • Research collaborations in the above areas on novel targets and their involvement in disease processes
    • Research collaborations on novel targets in other areas with strong human genetic and / or pharmacological validation

    Not Interested In:

    • Fibrates or other PPAR-alpha agonists
    • Mechanisms that only lower LDL-C
    • Mechanisms that only lower triglycerides
    • Omega-3 fatty acids
    • Agents for ischemia-reperfusion injury

  • Hypertension in Specific Segments / Pulmonary Hypertension / Heart Failure

    Hypertension segments with high unmet medical needs, such as systolic hypertension, resistant hypertension, hypertension associated with diabetes, hypertension with chronic kidney disease, and pulmonary hypertension. Heart failure, in particular heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, is also of interest.

    Areas of Interest:

    • Diuretics
    • Long-acting vasorelaxants including agents that relax the myocardium
    • Agents that lower blood pressure and have pleiotropic benefits on end-organ protection (especially cardiac, renal, and vascular)
    • Antihypertensive agents with additional benefits on other components of metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular risk factors
    • Agents for pulmonary hypertension
    • Heart failure agents that modulate structural cardiac remodeling and have antihypertensive effects

    Technology / Methods:

    • Discovery
      • Animal models of hypertension and end-organ damage (cardiac, pulmonary vascular, renal) with strong evidence of translational value
    • Biomarkers
      • Technologies for measuring vascular dynamics (eg, flow, shear stress, vascular compliance) and intravascular pressure beyond tonometry
      • Markers for renal sequelae of hypertension (eg, renal perfusion and renal injury)
      • Platform technologies that predict anti-hypertensive efficacy

    Academic Collaborations:

    • Research collaborations in the above areas on novel targets and their involvement in disease processes
    • Research collaborations on novel targets in other areas with strong human genetic and / or pharmacological validation

    Not Interested In:

    • ACE inhibitors, ARBs, CCBs, beta-blockers, adrenergic agents
    • Nutraceuticals

  • Thrombosis

    We are interested in novel mechanisms for the treatment and prevention of arterial and venous thrombotic events.

    Areas of Interest:

    • Novel anti-coagulants that offer potential for improved efficacy and / or reduced bleeding risk as compared to warfarin, DTIs, Factor Xa inhibitors
    • Novel anti-platelet agents with improved efficacy /safety over standard-of-care
    • Novel anti-thrombotic strategies with built-in reversal strategy or reversal agents
    • Novel approaches to thrombo-inflammatory diseases

    Technology / Methods:

    • Preclinical models, clinical models, and / or biomarkers that can be used to differentiate anti-coagulant mechanisms based on efficacy and/or bleeding risk
    • Preclinical models, clinical models, and / or biomarkers that can be used to differentiate anti-platelet mechanisms based on efficacy and / or bleeding risk

    Academic Collaborations:

    • Research collaborations in the above areas on novel targets and their involvement in disease processes
    • Research collaborations on novel targets in other areas with strong human genetic and / or pharmacological validation

    Not Interested In:

    • Agents without clinical POC for acute treatments for MI
    • Treatment of restenosis
    • Heparins

    Late-Stage Opportunities:

    We will continue to pursue external licensing and partnership opportunities for differentiated products in all disease areas in late-stage development (Phase III-ready and later). In addition to those areas cited above, we are particularly interested in antiarrhythmic agents for atrial fibrillation.

Areas of Interest

Click on the icons below for more information about your areas of interest.

Research & Enabling Technologies Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Diseases Biologics Respiratory and Immunology Diabetes and Endocrinology Infectious Diseases Neurosciences and Ophthalmology Oncology Therapeutics Vaccines Global Out-Licensing

Have a Discovery?

If you think something you discovered might be of interest to Merck, contact one of our scientific scouts.

Learn more about us

TRUSTe - Click to Verify   This Web This Web Accessibility icon serves as a link to download eSSENTIAL Accessibility assistive technology software for individuals with physical disabilities. It is being featured as part of a Disability Community Involvement initiative that reflects our commitment to Diversity, Inclusion,Corporate Citizenship and Social Responsibility.