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Merck & Co's Gefapixant Effective In Refractory Cough, But Taste Concerns Remain

Data From Phase III Studies To Be Shared With Regulators

 
• By John Davis

Updated results from two Merck & Co Phase III studies, COUGH-1 and COUGH-2, confirm the drug’s efficacy in reducing the frequency of refractory cough and its association with taste disturbances.      

Coughing
• Source: Shutterstock

Updated results from two Phase III studies, COUGH-1 and COUGH-2, continue to show Merck & Co., Inc.’s investigational agent, gefapixant, significantly reduces the frequency of refractory or unexplained chronic cough, but the purine P2X3 receptor antagonist is also associated with quite a high incidence of taste disturbance, which may limit its promise. 

The results were presented at the virtual European Respiratory Society (ERS) congress 2020, and built on interim results presented earlier this year

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