Merck & Co. Inc.'s decision to take a $2.9bn pre-tax intangible asset impairment charge against its 2016 financial results due to a reassessment of the value of Phase II hepatitis C candidate uprifosbuvir (MK-3682) reflects the declining market opportunity in HCV due to a diminishing patient population and the impacts of pricing pushbacks.
In an 8-K filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission Feb. 23, the firm revealed that it would assess...