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July 13, 2012 4:00 pm ET

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada,
announced today presentations at the upcoming Alzheimer’s Association
International Conference (AAIC) being held in Vancouver, British
Columbia, Canada on July 14-19, 2012. At the conference, Merck
scientists are scheduled to present results from multiple preclinical
and clinical studies investigating the safety and efficacy of β-amyloid
precursor protein site cleaving enzyme (BACE) inhibitors, including
MK-8931, the company’s lead compound currently being investigated as a
potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.

“The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease is growing rapidly due to the
aging population, creating an unsustainable burden on patients,
caregivers and the economy,” said Darryle D. Schoepp, Ph.D., senior vice
president and head of Neuroscience and Ophthalmology franchise, Merck
Research Laboratories. “Merck is committed to discovering and developing
novel medicines to treat neurodegenerative brain diseases, such as
Alzheimer’s and dementia, and is focused on rapidly advancing its BACE
inhibitor program.”

Select Merck presentations at AAIC include:

July 15, 2012

• P1-221: Safety and pharmacokinetics of the novel BACE inhibitor
  MK-8931 in healthy subjects following single and multiple dose
  administration.
• P1-225: A study to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and
  pharmacodynamics of single and multiple oral doses of the novel BACE
  inhibitor MK-8931 in Japanese subjects.
• P1-229: Population pharmacokinetic modeling of the novel
  BACE inhibitor MK-8931 following single and multiple dose
  administration in healthy subjects.

July 18, 2012

• P4-196: The novel BACE inhibitor MK-8931 dramatically lowers
  CSF Abeta peptides in healthy subjects following single and multiple
  dose administration.

Earlier this year, Merck disclosed the results of a two part randomized,
double-blind, placebo-controlled single dose study evaluating the safety
and tolerability of MK-8931 in 40 healthy adults 18 to 45 years of age.
Single doses of MK-8931 were associated with marked reductions in
amyloid beta peptide concentration levels with a mean reduction from
baseline of up to 92 percent. MK-8931 was generally well tolerated in
these healthy subjects with no serious adverse events and no study
discontinuations. Adverse events were generally mild to moderate in
intensity and transient in duration and included headache (57 percent
and 50 percent), nasal congestion (23 percent and 30 percent) and
dizziness (20 percent and 40 percent, for MK-8931 and placebo
respectively).

About BACE

The amyloid hypothesis predicts that abnormal accumulation of amyloid-β
peptide is a central event in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
The enzyme BACE is a key enzyme in the initiation of synthesis of
amyloid β peptide. Inhibition of BACE is therefore believed to provide a
promising means for therapeutic intervention in Alzheimer’s disease.

About Merck

Today’s Merck is a global healthcare 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
consumer care 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
healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For
more information, visit www.merck.com
and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within the
meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include,
but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the merger
between Merck and Schering-Plough, including future financial and
operating results, the combined company’s plans, objectives,
expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical
facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and
expectations of Merck’s management and are subject to significant risks
and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the
forward-looking statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to
differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the
possibility that the expected synergies from the merger of Merck and
Schering-Plough will not be realized, or will not be realized within the
expected time period; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation
and health care legislation; the risk that the businesses will not be
integrated successfully; disruption from the merger making it more
difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; Merck’s
ability to accurately predict future market conditions; dependence on
the effectiveness of Merck’s patents and other protections for
innovative products; the risk of new and changing regulation and health
policies in the U.S. and internationally and the exposure to litigation
and/or regulatory actions.

Merck 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 Merck’s 2011 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).

Merck
Media:
Ian McConnell, 908-423-3046
or
Investor:
Carol Ferguson, 908-423-4465