A panel of expert advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on November 30 narrowly voted to recommend the regulatory agency authorize Merck & Co.’s antiviral pill to treat Covid-19.
Merck & Co. Inc.’s experimental Covid-19 drug molnupiravir should have similar activity against any new coronavirus variant, a company executive said on NOvember 30.
The latest data from Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics’ MOVe-OUT trial on the use of molnupiravir to treat COVID-19 in adults has shown a lower efficacy than previously reported.
Merck & Co. said on November 26 updated data from the company’s study of the experimental COVID-19 pill molnupiravir showed the drug was significantly less effective in cutting hospitalizations and deaths than previously reported.
Merck’s HIV strategy took a major hit as a “very important” aspect, MK-8507, was paused in development after patients experienced a low white blood cell count. East coast neighbor Enanta is also feeling the sting of a failed program with HBV trials, as the Massachusetts biotech is dropping the oral hepatitis B virus RNA destabilizer EDP-721 after healthy participants experienced safety signals.
The European Union’s drug regulator on November 19 advised that an experimental Covid-19 pill from Merck should be given within five days of first symptoms to treat adults who do not need oxygen support and are at risk of their disease worsening.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Merck’s blockbuster checkpoint inhibitor Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for adjuvant treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients at intermediate-high or high risk of recurrence after nephrectomy or following nephrectomy and resection of metastatic lesions.
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories – one of a handful of Indian drug companies licensed to make a new Covid-19 pill developed by Merck – said on November 15 that the manufacturer was open to making a similar pill from Pfizer, thought to be even more effective.
As a class of drugs to treat high cholesterol, PCSK9 inhibitors have had trouble gaining tracking in the marketplace.
Organon announced the women’s health company is acquiring Finland-based Forendo Pharma, which focuses on intracrinology or sex steroid physiology in women.
