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Merck & Co. Pivots To COVID-19 Treatments After Vaccines Disappoint

Program Halt Seen As 'Hit' To Vaccine-Making Reputation

 
• By Alaric DeArment

The company cited lackluster efficacy in its decision to discontinue development of V590 and V591. It will instead develop two drugs to treat COVID-19.

Coronavirus
Merck & Co. pivots as its coronavirus vaccines show disappointing efficacy.

While several companies have reported positive COVID-19 vaccine data, including signs of efficacy against the more dangerous emerging strains of the virus, Merck & Co., Inc. is pivoting from vaccines to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection to therapeutics for those already infected as Phase I data for its vaccine candidates yielded disappointing results.

The drug maker said on 25 January that it would discontinue development of its two vaccine candidates, V590 and V591, after in-house data showed they were well-tolerated but produced immune responses inferior to those seen with natural infection and other vaccines

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Lilly And Alchemab Tap Into Resilient Individuals To Develop ALS Drug

 
• By Andrew McConaghie

The pharma company is helping to validate the biotech’s model by developing a novel amyotrophic lateral sclerosis candidate, based on its novel approach that ‘turns drug discovery on its head’.

Pipeline Watch: Thirteen Approvals And Ten Phase III Readouts

Pipeline Watch is a weekly snapshot of selected late-stage clinical trial events and approvals announced by pharmaceutical and biotech companies at medical and industry conferences, in financial and company presentations, and in company releases and statements.

Accelerated Approval May Be Out Of Reach For PTC’s Huntington’s Drug

 
• By Joseph Haas

PTC said its updated Phase II data for PTC 518 met the primary endpoint of Huntingtin’s protein reduction, but analysts said there isn’t clear correlation with clinical benefit.

In Brief: Genmab To Seek FDA Nod For Epkinly In Lymphoma

 
• By Sushmita Panda

Genmab will submit an sBLA for Epkinly in R/R follicular lymphoma in H1 2025, backed by positive Phase III data.

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Deal Watch: Lilly Looks To Creyon For Oligonucleotides

 
• By Joseph Haas

Plus deals involving J&J/Addex/Sinntaxis, Concentra/Kronos, Granata/Oviva, Coeptis/Z Squared, Ligand/Channel and more.

BioNTech Aims To Diversify BNT323 Manufacturing As Filing Nears

 
• By Alaric DeArment

The company plans to expand manufacturing of the HER2-targeting ADC beyond China and plans to file for US FDA approval in 2025.

Accelerated Approval May Be Out Of Reach For PTC’s Huntington’s Drug

 
• By Joseph Haas

PTC said its updated Phase II data for PTC 518 met the primary endpoint of Huntingtin’s protein reduction, but analysts said there isn’t clear correlation with clinical benefit.