I predicted this sequence of events on December 20 -- in the comments box, right here -- but the Reuters story on today's Merck announcement may be found under this link:
. . . .Merck & Co Inc said it would withdraw its cholesterol drug Tredaptive from markets worldwide after European regulators recommended that marketing of the drug be suspended.
The drug was under review in Europe after the failure of a major study raised safety concerns.
Merck recommended that physicians stop prescribing the drug and review treatment plans for patients taking it. . . .
So it ends. With this news, and the likely approval of a Januvia competitor last evening, Merck is off a bit in the NASDAQ-Pre-Market trading, this morning.
1 comment:
New Merck CEO Frazier said in Davos, Switerland this morning that the "jury is still out," on raising HDL. By that I think he really means the anacetrapib progam is still a worthwhile bet -- and about three years off.
I think he knows Tredaptive is a dead letter, and is hedging a little -- because most believe that ENHANCE (the 32,000 patient Vytorin outcomes study) will be inconclusive at best, in late 2014.
FInally -- and hilariously, Reuters runs this story with the logo for the wrong company. Reuters is using the German Merck's logo over the story at the moment.
Hilarious!
-- Namaste, COndor
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