Merck

Merck Statement in Response to the FDA's June 12, 2009 Communication with Updated Information on Leukotriene Inhibitors, Including SINGULAIR® (montelukast sodium)

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., June 12, 2009 - Merck & Co., Inc. issued the following statement in response to today's communication from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) addressing updated information on leukotriene inhibitors, including SINGULAIR® (montelukast sodium).    » read more »

01 June 2009 -- AstraZeneca and Merck & Co., Inc. today announced a collaboration to research a novel combination anticancer regimen composed of two investigational compounds, MK-2206 from Merck and AZD6244 (ARRY-886*) from AstraZeneca.

Preclinical evidence indicates that combined administration of these compounds could enhance their anticancer properties. This is the first time that two large pharmaceutical companies have established a collaboration to evaluate the potential for combining candidate molecules at such an early stage of development. The collaboration will more quickly advance a potentially promising anticancer treatment. In general, such combinations would only be studied when one or both of the drugs has entered late-stage development or received marketing approval.    » read more »

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., May 29, 2009 - Merck & Co., Inc. today provided the following statement regarding the decision by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) to reexamine the SINGULAIR patent.

Reexamination is an administrative procedure within the PTO that can be initiated by any person. Essentially, if a potential new issue of invalidity is raised, the PTO will examine this issue and determine whether it should take any further action regarding the current claims of the patent. In the event that the PTO decides further action is warranted, it may amend or revoke the claims in the patent.    » read more »

Arbitration Demand to Resolve Dispute over Agreements for REMICADE® and SIMPONI™

New Brunswick, N.J. (May 27, 2009) – In an arbitration demand filed today with the American Arbitration Association, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) has requested a ruling that the agreement and plan of merger between Merck & Co., Inc., and Schering-Plough Corporation constitutes a change of control that would permit the termination of the agreements between Schering-Plough and Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc., regarding the product REMICADE® (infliximab), a well-established biologic product for inflammatory/immunological diseases, and SIMPONI™ (golimumab), a next-generation treatment.    » read more »

WHO Pre-qualification Will Help to Facilitate Expanded Global Access and Implementation of HPV Vaccination Programs

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., May 26, 2009 - GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16 and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant], Merck's cervical cancer vaccine, has been awarded World Health Organization (WHO) pre-qualification. GARDASIL is the first cervical cancer vaccine to receive WHO pre-qualification.

WHO pre-qualification means that GARDASIL is now eligible for procurement by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other United Nations (UN) agencies including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), for use in national immunization programs.    » read more »

Combined Company Positioned For Sustainable Growth Through Scientific Innovation And A Stronger, More Diversified Product Portfolio; Powerful Joint R&D Pipeline with Strong Candidates in All Development Phases Doubles the Number of Late-Stage Compounds to 18

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. and KENILWORTH, N.J., March 9, 2009 - Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) and Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) today announced that their Boards of Directors have unanimously approved a definitive merger agreement under which Merck and Schering-Plough will combine, under the name Merck, in a stock and cash transaction.    » read more »

Record-Breaking Agreement Requires Company to Submit Ads to FDA Prior to Airing

May 20, 2008 -- Chicago - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan today announced a landmark financial settlement with Merck and Company, Inc., that also requires the pharmaceutical manufacturer to submit television drug advertisements to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for review before their broadcast.    » read more »

Boise – The State of Idaho will receive more than $1.1 million as a result of a consent judgment with Merck and Company, Inc., Attorney General Lawrence Wasden announced today. Wasden’s office filed a consent judgment resolving a three-year investigation by 30 states concerning the company’s deceptive promotion of the drug Vioxx.

The judgment, filed Tuesday in Fourth District Court in Ada County, will largely restrict Merck’s ability to deceptively promote any Merck product.    » read more »

Company was under investigation for marketing of anti-inflammatory drug

May 20, 2008 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL - Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today filed a stipulated consent judgment with Merck and Company, Inc. resolving a three-year investigation that targeted the company’s promotion of the prescription drug Vioxx.

Merck Vioxx

The agreement provides $58 million to the 30 participating states, of which Florida’s share will be more than $3.5 million. The judgment, filed today in the Broward County Circuit Court and pending court approval, will largely restrict Merck’s ability to promote any Merck product in a manner that may be deceptive.    » read more »

May 20, 2008 -- SAN DIEGO -- California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced a “groundbreaking settlement” with Merck & Co. which requires the pharmaceutical manufacturer to obtain Federal Drug Administration approval before running any television drug advertisements for new pain medications.

“Merck’s aggressive television advertising convinced hundreds of thousands of consumers to seek Vioxx prescriptions before the drug’s risk were fully understood,” Attorney General Brown said. “Today’s groundbreaking settlement prevents Merck from releasing new television drug advertisements without obtaining federal approval.”    » read more »

April 2, 2008 -- "The full results of the study released today, showing that Vytorin had no effect on heart disease, put the lie to Merck and Schering-Plough’s $200 million advertising campaign urging Americans to take this drug.

While these corporations profited, Americans were left in the dark. The millions who take this drug, taxpayers who subsidize its use through the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and Merck and Schering-Plough’s investors deserve to know why it took so long for the results to be made public.

This new information underscores our concerns and advances our investigation, which we will pursue aggressively."

Source: New York Attorney General

February 11, 2008 -- Medicaid fraud cases against Merck and Aventis recover money for health care, schools Raleigh: More than $23 million will benefit North Carolina’s Medicaid Program and public schools thanks to settlements with two pharmaceutical companies, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper announced today.

“Drug makers shouldn’t cut corners with a program the helps the neediest among us,” Cooper said. “Schemes like these hurt taxpayers and drive up health care costs for all of us."    » read more »

February 8, 2008 - Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell announced today that Vermont will receive $3,881,945.00 as part of two separate global settlements totaling $649 million with Merck & Co., Inc. The entire Vermont settlement will be split between Vermont Medicaid and the federal government. The settlements involve 49 states, the District of Columbia and the federal government.    » read more »

February 7, 2008 -- Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers today announced that the State of Oregon Medicaid Program will receive approximately $1.75 million as part of two national settlements with Merck & Co., Inc. The settlements involve 49 states, the District of Columbia and the federal government. Merck is the manufacturer of the drugs Zocor, Vioxx, and Pepcid.    » read more »

February 08, 2008 -- (ALBUQUERQUE) -- New Mexico Attorney General Gary King today announced thatNew Mexico will receive $716,071 as part of two separate global settlements totaling $649 million with Merck & Co., Inc. The settlements involve 49 states, the District of Columbia and the federal government.    » read more »