Merck Announces FDA Acceptance of Biologics License Application for Bezlotoxumab, an Investigational Antitoxin for Prevention of Clostridium Difficile Infection Recurrence

FDA Grants Priority Review with Target Action Date of July 23, 2016

Marketing Authorization Application Also Filed with the European Medicines Agency

KENILWORTH, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review the Biologics License Application (BLA) for bezlotoxumab, an investigational antitoxin for prevention of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection recurrence. The FDA granted Priority Review for bezlotoxumab, with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of July 23, 2016.

The company also has filed a marketing authorization application for bezlotoxumab with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) that is currently under review.

“Recurrence is a major challenge with C. difficile infection, one of the most common healthcare-associated infections in U.S. hospitals,” said Dr. Roy Baynes, senior vice president of clinical development, Merck Research Laboratories. “Currently, there are no therapies approved for the prevention of C. difficile infection recurrence. As part of Merck’s commitment to the fight against infectious diseases, we look forward to continuing to work with the FDA and EMA to bring forward this novel medicine for appropriate patients.”

The application for bezlotoxumab is based in part on data from the pivotal MODIFY I and MODIFY II clinical trials. Data from these trials were previously presented at the Interscience Conference of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) and International Congress of Chemotherapy and Infection (ICC) 2015 joint meeting.

About bezlotoxumab

Bezlotoxumab is an investigational antitoxin given in conjunction with standard of care antibiotics that are used in the treatment of C. difficile infection. It is not an antibiotic. Bezlotoxumab is designed to neutralize C. difficile toxin B, a toxin that can damage the gut wall and cause inflammation, leading to C. difficile-associated diarrhea.

About Merck

Today's Merck is a global health care 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 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 health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co. Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’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; the company’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 the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company 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 the company’s 2014 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).

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Merck
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Source: Merck

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