Merck Sharpe and Dohme allies with Roche on hepatitis C partnership

Merck Sharpe and Dohme has agreed a new alliance with fellow pharmaceutical company Roche that will see the firms aiming to improve treatment conditions for hepatitis C patients.

Under the terms of the new collaboration, the companies and their various subsidiaries will be looking into new ways of enhancing therapy options, diagnosis and awareness of the disease globally.

This will include conducting research into novel combinations of marketed and investigational medicines to discover possible new treatment options.

It will also see Roche promoting the use of Merck's Victrelis as part of a triple combination therapy regimen in the US, with both firms set to work together to extend this agreement to other global markets.

Adam Schechter, executive vice-president and president for global human health at Merck, said: "These agreements are consistent with both companies' goal of improving healthcare outcomes for patients with chronic hepatitis C."

Earlier this month, Merck Sharpe and Dohme announced the launch of Hope Against Hepatitis C, a new campaign aimed at raising awareness of the condition via educational initiatives and research collaborations.