Merck Has Issued an Update on The Development Programs for Vorapaxar

Merck has issued an update on the development programs for vorapaxar, extended release niacin/laropirprant(MK524A,Tredaptive) and anacetrapib in association with the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) meeting in Munich, Bavaria.

Merck is planning to file applications for vorapaxar, an investigational anti-thrombotic medicine in the US and the European Union in 2013 following the review of the clinical trial data and discussions with external experts.

Merck is also planning to seek an indication prevent cardiovascular events in patients with a history of heart attack and no history of TIA (transient ischemic attack) or stroke.

HPS2-THRIVE (Treatment of HDL to Reduce the Incidence of Vascular Events) study for MK-524A (Tredaptive) is to be completed later this year followed by the filing in the US and the European Union in 2013, according to Merck.

Merck has also announced information about a different method to measure LDL-C in patients treated with anacetrapib, an investigational CETP-inhibitor.

REVEAL ((Randomized EValuation of the Effects of Anacetrapib through Lipid-modification), the cardiovascular clinical outcomes trial between Merck and Oxford researchers will enroll 30,000 patients with pre-existing vascular disease and is expected to complete in 2017, according to Merck.

Merck Research Laboratories late stage development senior vice president Jeff Chodakewitz said the clinical outcomes studies for the three medicines have involved or will involve more than 90,000 patients around the world.

"All of these studies are designed to address the important question of whether, by adding these medicines to the current standard of care, we can further reduce the risk of cardiovascular events," Chodakewitz added.