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March 6, 2012 8:14 pm ET

SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, today announced results from two different investigational studies conducted to better understand the potential use of VICTRELIS™ (boceprevir), the company’s oral HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor, in treating patients coinfected with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV-1. These data are being presented for the first time today at the 19^th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Seattle.

Results were presented from a 12-week post treatment interim analysis of a Phase IIb clinical study evaluating the investigational use of VICTRELIS in combination with peginterferon alfa-2b and ribavirin for the treatment of chronic HCV genotype 1 infection in adult patients coinfected with HIV-1 (n=100). In the study, a higher percentage of patients receiving VICTRELIS in combination with peginterferon alfa-2b and ribavirin had undetectable hepatitis C virus (HCV-RNA) 12 weeks after treatment ended (sustained virologic response-12¹ or SVR-12) than patients receiving peginterferon alfa-2b and ribavirin alone.

Additionally, Merck announced results as part of a late-breaker poster session [Poster #771] from a pharmacokinetic study evaluating drug interactions between VICTRELIS and ritonavir-boosted HIV protease inhibitors in 39 healthy volunteers. In this study, concomitant administration of VICTRELIS with ritonavir (Norvir^®) in combination with atazanavir (Reyataz^®) or darunavir (Prezista^®), or with lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra^®) resulted in reduced exposures of the HIV medicines and VICTRELIS. These drug interactions may be clinically significant for patients infected with both chronic HCV and HIV by potentially reducing the effectiveness of these medicines when co-administered. Merck does not recommend the co-administration of VICTRELIS and ritonavir-boosted HIV protease inhibitors.

“In light of the differing results in these data sets, Merck recognizes it is important to continue to study VICTRELIS in combination therapy in this difficult-to-treat patient population,” said Eliav Barr, M.D., vice president, Project Leadership and Management, Infectious Diseases, Merck Research Laboratories. “Our collaborative studies with the French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis² (ANRS) and the AIDS Clinical Trial Group (ACTG), which is funded by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, will provide greater insight into the potential role of VICTRELIS in treating patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection who are coinfected with HIV-1.”

Indications and usage for VICTRELIS

VICTRELIS is indicated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 (G1) infection, in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin (P/R), in adult patients (18 years and older) with compensated liver disease, including cirrhosis, who are previously untreated or who have failed previous interferon and ribavirin therapy.

The following points should be considered when initiating VICTRELIS for treatment of chronic HCV infection:

• VICTRELIS must not be used as monotherapy and should only be used in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin.
• VICTRELIS efficacy has not been studied in patients who have previously failed therapy with a treatment regimen that includes VICTRELIS or other HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitors.
• VICTRELIS in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin has not been studied in patients documented to be historical null responders (less than a 2 log HCV-RNA decline by treatment week 12) during prior therapy with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin. The clinical studies included patients who were poorly interferon responsive. Patients with less than 0.5 log HCV-RNA decline in viral load at treatment week 4 with peginterferon alfa plus ribavirin alone are predicted to have a null response (less than a 2 log viral load decline by treatment week 12) to peginterferon alfa and ribavirin therapy.
• Poorly interferon responsive patients who were treated with VICTRELIS in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin have a lower likelihood of achieving a sustained virologic response (SVR), and a higher rate of detection of resistance-associated substitutions upon treatment failure, compared to patients with a greater response to peginterferon alfa and ribavirin

The safety and efficacy of VICTRELIS alone or in combination with peginterferon alfa or ribavirin has not been established in patients coinfected with HIV and HCV.

Interim SVR-12 Results from Phase IIb HCV-HIV Coinfection Study

One hundred (100) adult patients with previously untreated HCV genotype 1 infection, on an optimized antiretroviral regimen and with stable HIV-1 disease (HIV-RNA less than 50 copies/mL; CD4 cell counts equal to or greater than 200 cells/mm³) were randomized into the study. Two patients randomized to the treatment arm receiving VICTRELIS in combination with peginterferon alfa-2b (P) and ribavirin (R) did not receive VICTRELIS. Thus, the interim analysis was based on 98 patients who received at least one dose of study drug: 64 patients in the arm receiving VICTRELIS plus PR, and 34 patients in the control arm receiving PR alone. All patients treated in the study received a 4-week lead-in with PR alone followed by VICTRELIS plus PR or placebo plus PR for 44 weeks, for a total treatment duration of 48 weeks. Preliminary 24-week on-treatment data from this study were presented at the Infectious Diseases Society of America annual meeting in October 2011. Final study completion will be at week 72, or 24 weeks after the end of all treatment.

The interim analysis showed that 60.7 percent (n=37/61) of patients receiving VICTRELIS in combination with PR achieved SVR-12 compared to 26.5 percent (n=9/34) of patients receiving PR alone, a treatment difference of 34.2 percent. Three (3) patients in the VICTRELIS plus PR arm had not reached 12 weeks post treatment and were excluded.

Three (3) patients in treatment arms receiving VICTRELIS plus PR and four (4) patients in the PR control arm experienced HIV breakthrough (HIV viral load greater than 50 copies/mL at two consecutive visits). Preliminary safety data for VICTRELIS in combination therapy in HCV/HIV-1 coinfected patients demonstrated a profile similar to that previously observed in patients with HCV mono-infection.

The most common clinical adverse events with a difference of equal to or greater than 10 percent for the treatment arm receiving VICTRELIS plus PR compared to the PR control arm, respectively, were: anemia (41 vs. 26 percent), pyrexia (fever) (36 vs. 21 percent), asthenia (weakness) (34 v. 24 percent), decreased appetite (34 vs.18 percent), diarrhea (28 v. 18 percent), dysgeusia (bad taste) (28 vs. 15 percent), vomiting (28 vs. 15 percent), flu-like illness (25 v. 38 percent) and neutropenia (19 vs. 6 percent). Serious clinical adverse events occurred in 17 percent and 21 percent of patients in the two treatment arms, respectively. Dose modification for any study drug due to a clinical adverse event occurred in 28 percent and 24 percent of patients, respectively, and study discontinuation due to a clinical adverse event occurred in 20 percent and 9 percent of patients, respectively.

About the Phase IIb coinfection study

The primary objective of this ongoing randomized, multicenter, double-blinded Phase IIb study is to compare the efficacy of 800 mg of VICTRELIS three times daily in combination with peginterferon alfa-2b (P) 1.5 mcg/kg weekly plus ribavirin (R) 600 to 1,400 mg/daily to therapy with PR alone in adult patients coinfected with chronic HCV genotype 1 and HIV-1. Patients were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to the treatment arm with VICTRELIS plus PR or the PR control arm, respectively. Patients were stratified by cirrhosis (yes/no) and baseline HCV-RNA (less than 800,000 IU/mL vs. equal to or greater than 800,000 IU/mL). The majority of patients were non-cirrhotic (95 percent), white (82 percent) and male (69 percent), with a median age of about 43 years. Most patients had high HCV-RNA (88 percent) at baseline and HCV genotype 1a infection (65 percent).

Antiretroviral regimens for HIV-1 that included non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), or zidovudine, stavudine or didanosine were not permitted. Ritonavir-boosted HIV protease inhibitors could be included in antiretroviral regimens for HIV-1. Patients with detectable HCV-RNA and less than a 2 log HCV-RNA decline at treatment week 12 or detectable HCV-RNA at treatment week 24 were considered treatment failures and discontinued all HCV treatment.

Primary pharmacokinetic drug interaction study results

The study was a single-center, three-arm, open-label, drug-interaction study in 39 healthy adults. Patients received 800 mg of VICTRELIS three times daily on Days 1-6. Following a 4-day “washout” period, patients received either 300 mg of atazanavir/100 mg of ritonavir once daily, 400 mg of lopinavir/100mg of ritonavir twice daily, or 600 mg of darunavir/100 mg of ritonvair twice daily on Days 10-31. From Days 25-31, patients also received 800 mg of VICTRELIS three times daily. Blood samples were collected for the pharmacokinetic assessment of the HIV medicines and VICTRELIS.

In the study, co-administration of VICTRELIS reduced mean trough concentrations of ritonavir-boosted atazanavir, lopinavir and darunavir by 49, 43 and 59 percent, respectively. Mean reductions of 34 to 44 percent and 25 to 36 percent were observed in AUC and Cmax of atazanavir, lopinavirand darunavir. Co-administration of ritonavir-boosted atazanavir with VICTRELIS did not alter the exposure of VICTRELIS, but co-administration of VICTRELIS with lopinavir/ritonavir or ritonavir-boosted darunavir decreased the exposure of VICTRELIS by 45 and 32 percent, respectively. These drug interactions may be clinically significant for patients infected with both chronic HCV and HIV by potentially reducing the effectiveness of these medicines when co-administered.

Important safety information about VICTRELIS

All contraindications to peginterferon alfa and ribavirin also apply since VICTRELIS must be administered with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin. Because ribavirin may cause birth defects and fetal death, VICTRELIS in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin is contraindicated in pregnant women and in men whose female partners are pregnant. Avoid pregnancy in female patients and female partners of male patients. Patients must have a negative pregnancy test prior to therapy; have monthly pregnancy tests; and use two or more forms of effective contraception, including intrauterine devices and barrier methods, during treatment and for at least 6 months after treatment has concluded. Systemic hormonal contraceptives may not be as effective in women while taking VICTRELIS and concomitant ribavirin.

VICTRELIS is contraindicated in coadministration with drugs that are highly dependent on CYP3A4/5 for clearance, and for which elevated plasma concentrations are associated with serious and/or life-threatening events. VICTRELIS also is contraindicated in coadministration with potent CYP3A4/5 inducers where significantly reduced VICTRELIS plasma concentrations may be associated with reduced efficacy. Drugs that are contraindicated with VICTRELIS include: alfuzosin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifampin, dihydroergotamine, ergonovine, ergotamine, methylergonovine, cisapride, St. John’s Wort (hypericum perforatum), lovastatin, simvastatin, drosperinone, Revatio^® (sildenafil) or Adcirca^® (tadalafil) (when used for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension), pimozide, triazolam, and orally administered midazolam.

Anemia and/or Neutropenia — The addition of VICTRELIS to peginterferon alfa and ribavirin is associated with an additional decrease in hemoglobin concentrations compared to peginterferon alfa and ribavirin alone and/or may result in worsening of neutropenia associated with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin therapy alone. Dose reduction or discontinuation of peginterferon alfa and/or ribavirin may be required. Dose reduction of VICTRELIS is not recommended. VICTRELIS must not be administered in the absence of peginterferon alfa and ribavirin.

Complete blood counts (with white blood cell differential counts) must be conducted in all patients prior to initiating combination therapy with VICTRELIS. Complete blood counts should be obtained at treatment weeks 4, 8 and 12, and should be monitored closely at other time points, as clinically appropriate.

The most commonly reported adverse reactions (greater than 35 percent) in clinical trials in adult patients receiving the combination of VICTRELIS with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin were fatigue, anemia, nausea, headache and dysgeusia. Of these commonly reported adverse reactions, fatigue, anemia, nausea, and dysgeusia occurred at rates greater than or equal to 5 percent above the rates for peginterferon alfa and ribavirin alone in either clinical study. The incidence of these adverse reactions in previously untreated patients who were treated with combination therapy with VICTRELIS compared with peginterferon and ribavirin alone were: fatigue (58 vs. 59 percent), anemia (50 vs. 30 percent), nausea (46 vs. 42 percent) and dysgeusia (35 vs. 16 percent), respectively. The incidence of these adverse reactions in previous treatment-failure patients who were treated with combination therapy with VICTRELIS compared with peginterferon and ribavirin alone were: fatigue (55 vs. 50 percent), anemia (45 vs. 20 percent), nausea (43 vs. 38 percent) and dysgeusia (44 vs. 11 percent), respectively.

VICTRELIS is a strong inhibitor of CYP3A4/5 and is partly metabolized by CYP3A4/5. The potential for drug-drug interactions must be considered prior to and during therapy.

Please see U.S. prescribing information at: http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/v/victrelis/victrelis_pi.pdf

Merck’s global commitment to advancing hepatitis therapy

Merck is committed to building on its strong legacy in the field of viral hepatitis by continuing to discover, develop and deliver vaccines and medicines to help prevent and treat viral hepatitis. In hepatitis C, company researchers developed the first approved therapy for chronic HCV in 1991 and the first combination therapy in 1998. In addition to ongoing studies with VICTRELIS, extensive research efforts are underway to develop additional innovative oral therapies for viral hepatitis treatment.

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 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; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; disruption from the merger making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; Merck’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; dependence on the effectiveness of Merck’s patents and other protections for innovative products; the risk of new and changing regulation and health policies in the U.S. and internationally 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).

Please see Prescribing Information for VICTRELIS at http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/v/victrelis/victrelis_pi.pdf and Medication Guide for VICTRELIS at http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/v/victrelis/victrelis_mg.pdf.

¹ SVR-12, the primary endpoint of the interim analysis, is defined as achievement of undetectable HCV-RNA at the 12 week post-treatment visit.

² ANRS HC27 BOCEPREVIR pilot study; clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01335529

VICTRELIS™ is a trademark of Schering Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, N.J., USA.

Norvir^®, Reyataz^®, Prezista^® and Kaletra^® are trademarks of their respective owners and are not trademarks of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, N.J., USA.

Revatio^® and Adcirca^® are trademarks of their respective owners and are not trademarks of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, N.J., USA.

INFC-1027976-0000

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