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July 2, 2018 5:30 am ET

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada,
today announced that new data from the company are scheduled to be
presented at the 22^nd
International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018) taking place July 23-27 in
Amsterdam. Presentations include Week 96 data from the Phase 3
DRIVE-FORWARD clinical trial for doravirine (DOR) and additional
analyses for DOR and investigational therapy MK-8591. DOR is a
non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) under
investigation as a single tablet for use in combination with other
antiretroviral (ARV) agents and as a fixed-dose combination with
lamivudine (3TC) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) for the
treatment of HIV-1 infection in adult patients with no prior ARV
treatment history (treatment-naïve). MK-8591 is an investigational
nucleoside reverse transcriptase translocation inhibitor (NRTTI)
currently being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of HIV
infection.

“While enormous progress has been made in the fight against HIV/AIDS,
continued scientific innovation is needed given the unmet need that
continues to exist in HIV,” said Dr. George Hanna, vice president and
therapeutic area head of infectious diseases, global clinical
development, Merck Research Laboratories. “Merck looks forward to
presenting these new data from our HIV pipeline at AIDS 2018.”

Presentations include a late-breaking poster of the Week 96 data from
the pivotal Phase 3 DRIVE-FORWARD clinical trial evaluating the safety
and efficacy of once-daily DOR compared to once-daily ritonavir-boosted
darunavir (DRV+r), each administered with either emtricitabine/tenofovir
disoproxil fumarate (FTC/TDF) or abacavir/lamivudine (ABC/3TC), in
treatment-naïve adults with HIV-1 infection. In addition, analyses of
the resistance profiles of DOR and MK-8591 will be presented.

Data to be presented include:

• Doravirine Versus Ritonavir-Boosted Darunavir: 96-Week Results of
  the Randomized, Double-Blind, Phase 3 DRIVE-FORWARD Noninferiority
  Trial. Abstract LBPEB017. K. Squires. Late-breaking Poster Exhibition:
  Wednesday, July 25, 12:30-14:30 CET, Poster Exhibition Area, Hall 1
• Understanding the Resistance Profile of the HIV-1 NNRTI Doravirine
  in Combination with the Novel NRTTI MK-8591. Abstract THPEB068. D.
  Hazuda. Poster Exhibition: Thursday, July 26, 12:30-14:30 CET, Poster
  Exhibition Area, Hall 1
• Characterization of Doravirine-Selected Resistance Patterns from
  Participants in Treatment-Naïve Phase 3 Clinical Trials. Abstract
  THPDB0101. M. Lai. Poster Discussion: Thursday, July 26, 13:00-14:00
  CET, Emerald Room

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted
for review New Drug Applications for DOR and DOR/3TC/TDF for the
treatment of HIV-1 infection in treatment-naïve adults. The FDA has set
a target action date of October 23, 2018 for both applications.

About Merck

For more than a century, Merck, a leading global
biopharmaceutical company known as MSD outside of the United States and
Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and
vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. 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. Today, Merck continues to be at the
forefront of research to advance the prevention and treatment of
diseases that threaten people and communities around the world –
including cancer, cardio-metabolic diseases, emerging animal diseases,
Alzheimer’s disease and infectious diseases including HIV and Ebola. For
more information, visit www.merck.com
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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 2017 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:
Pamela Eisele, 267-305-3558
or
Carmen de Gourville, 267-305-4195
or
Investors:
Teri Loxam, 908-740-1986
or
Michael DeCarbo, 908-740-1807