Merck Sharpe and Dohme highlights strength of future pipeline

Merck Sharpe and Dohme has expressed confidence that its pipeline of upcoming pharmaceutical products will help to support corporate growth in the coming years.

The firm has hosted its first research and development and business briefing since the merger with Schering-Plough, highlighting the clinical progress made on a number of its key treatments in recent months.

These include the atrial fibrillation drug Brinavess, the asthma treatment mometasone/formoterol, the contraceptive NOMAC/E2 and the schizophrenia therapy asenapine, all of which are currently under regulatory review in Europe.

In addition, the firm has a wider variety of treatments in areas such as neuroscience, diabetes, infectious disease and cardiovascular illness, which are currently being evaluated in clinical trials.

Richard Clark, chairman and chief executive officer of Merck Sharpe and Dohme, said: “This merger was about creating a new global health care leader and we are well on our way.”

Earlier this week, the company had its HIV treatment Isentress approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium for use among specific NHS patients in Scotland.