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March 6, 2013 8:30 am ET

Company Receives EPA Honor for Eighth Consecutive Year

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that it has received an ENERGY STAR 2013 Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its continued improvement of energy performance and leadership in energy management in both the pharmaceutical and industrial sectors.

Merck has been an ENERGY STAR partner since 1995 and recognized by the EPA for eight consecutive years. 

“Managing energy well is consistent with Merck’s philosophy of being a responsible company,” said Rodney Freeman, vice president, Global Facilities Management, Merck. “We are using greener sources of energy and monitoring greenhouse gas emissions. Our partnership with ENERGY STAR helps us focus on our main goal of reducing energy consumption. We believe the greenest kilowatt is the one not used.”

The award recognizes three Merck manufacturing sites that have achieved ENERGY STAR rankings in the top 25 percent of pharmaceutical plant energy performance nationwide: Arecibo, Puerto Rico; Las Piedras, Puerto Rico; and Elkhorn, Neb.

Also achieving certification this year were Merck’s corporate headquarters in Whitehouse Station, N.J., for the fourth time; Merck’s research headquarters in Upper Gwynedd, Pa., for the second time; and company office buildings in Springfield, N.J., and West Point, Pa., for the first time.

“EPA is recognizing Merck for earning EPA’s highest ENERGY STAR award – the 2013 Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award,” said Bob Perciasepe, Acting Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Merck leads the field with their commitment to energy efficiency and demonstrates how all Americans can save energy, save money, and create a healthier environment.”

Merck will be recognized at an award ceremony in Washington, D.C., on March 26.

For more information about Merck’s ongoing environmental and energy conservation efforts, please visit www.merckresponsibility.com.

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.

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money, and help protect the environment for future generations. Nearly 20,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, and buildings. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).

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. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Merck’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. 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; Merck’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 Merck’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent 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 2012 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).

Media Contacts:

Ron Rogers
(908) 423-6449

Maria Tortoreto
(908) 423-4598

Investor Contacts:

Justin Holko
(908) 423-5088

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