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February 22, 2013 8:30 am ET

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada,
today announced that researchers will present new data analyses of the
safety and efficacy of the company’s investigational allergy
immunotherapy tablets (AITs) for ragweed pollen (Ambrosia
artemisiifolia) and grass pollen (Phleum pratense) at the
2013 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual
Meeting. The meeting will be held in San Antonio from February 22-26.

Merck’s AIT products are investigational, dissolvable oral tablets
designed to help treat the underlying cause of allergic rhinitis by
generating an immune response to help protect against targeted
allergens. Merck has partnered with ALK-Abello to develop AITs in North
America. Earlier this year, Merck submitted a Biologics License
Application (BLA) for its grass pollen AIT to the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), and Merck plans to submit a BLA for its ragweed
pollen AIT to the FDA later in 2013.

“We are pleased to present new results for Merck’s investigational AIT
products to the scientific community that we believe will be valuable in
thinking about immunotherapy and the treatment of allergic rhinitis,”
said Jeffrey A. Chodakewitz, M.D., senior vice president, Global
Scientific Strategy, franchise head, Infectious Diseases and interim
franchise head, Respiratory & Immunology, Merck Research Laboratories.
“Merck is committed to research in the area of allergic rhinitis.”

Select Merck Presentations at AAAAI

Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m., Poster Session 3209,
Exhibit Hall C

• 403: Characterizing the 12 Amb a 1-U Ragweed Allergy
  Immunotherapy Tablet Adverse Event Profile in Adults with
  Ragweed-Induced Allergic Rhinoconjunctivitis
• 405: Safety of Ragweed Allergy Immunotherapy Tablet: Results
  From Four Placebo-Controlled Trials

Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013 9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m., Poster Session 5206,
Exhibit Hall C

• 809: Ragweed Allergy Immunotherapy Tablet Reduces Use of Ocular
  Antihistamines in Patients With Ragweed Pollen–Induced Allergic
  Rhinoconjunctivitis
• 810: Effect of Allergy Immunotherapy Tablet in Patients with or
  without Local Application-Site Reactions

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. These statements are based
upon the current beliefs and expectations of Merck’s management and are
subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no
guarantees with respect to pipeline products that the products will
receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be
commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or
risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially
from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry
conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest
rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of
pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the
United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost
containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained
by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development,
including obtaining regulatory approval; Merck’s ability to accurately
predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays;
financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk;
dependence on the effectiveness of Merck’s patents and other protections
for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including
patent 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
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