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July 25, 2012 4:00 pm ET

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada,
announced today the publication of a study in the July 26 issue of the
leading scientific journal Nature
that provided early evidence for the use of a drug to dislodge
reservoirs of hidden virus in patients receiving treatment for HIV, the
virus that causes AIDS.

Scientists from Merck Research Laboratories collaborated with
researchers from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill,
the Harvard School of Public Health, National Cancer Institute, and the
University of California at San Diego in the study in a collaboration
initiated last year to identify new ways to purge persistent infection
of HIV from the body.

“We believe that the disruption and clearance of these virus reservoirs
is a critical first step to the daunting challenge of finding a cure for
HIV/AIDS,” said Daria Hazuda, Ph.D., vice president, Merck Research
Laboratories. “We are excited about this pioneering research and remain
hopeful for its potential.”

This is the first published study to show the potential for histone
deacetylase inhibitors to attack latency within dormant virus pools in a
translational clinical study. This research was first presented in March
at the Conference
on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Seattle and more
recently at the International AIDS Conference in Washington DC.

“This work provides compelling evidence to support a strategy to
directly attack and eradicate latent HIV infection,” said David
Margolis, MD, professor of medicine, microbiology and immunology, and
epidemiology at UNC at Chapel Hill, who led the study.

The research conducted is part of a UNC-led consortium, the Collaboratory
of AIDS Researchers for Eradication (CARE), funded by the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Funding for this research
was provided by Merck, the National Institutes of Health, and the James
B. Pendleton Charitable Trust.

Merck’s history in HIV research and access

Merck has been engaged in the fight against HIV/AIDS for more than two
decades. In 1988, Merck researchers were the first to demonstrate that
inhibiting the protease enzyme would prevent replication of HIV; the
following year, Merck scientists published the first crystal structure
for HIV protease. Years later, Merck scientists were the first to
demonstrate inhibition of HIV integrase in vitro and in vivo. Currently
Merck scientists are actively pursuing HIV research against at least
five distinct targets and have several HIV compounds in development.
Since our first HIV medicines became available, Merck has worked to
expand access to these medicines, including through partnerships with
others.

About Merck

Today’s Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be
well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada.
Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and
consumer care and animal health products, we work with customers and
operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health
solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to
healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For
more information, visit www.merck.com
and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within the
meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include,
but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the merger
between Merck and Schering-Plough, including future financial and
operating results, the combined company’s plans, objectives,
expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical
facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and
expectations of Merck’s management and are subject to significant risks
and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the
forward-looking statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to
differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the
possibility that all of the expected synergies from the merger of Merck
and Schering-Plough will not be realized, or will not be realized within
the expected time period; the impact of pharmaceutical industry
regulation and health care legislation in the United States and
internationally; Merck’s ability to accurately predict future market
conditions; dependence on the effectiveness of Merck’s patents and other
protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation
and/or regulatory actions.

Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking
statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ
materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be
found in Merck’s 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at
the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).

Merck
Media:
Ian McConnell, 908-423-3046
or
Investors:
Carol Ferguson, 908-423-4465