logo
Merck's potential blockbuster cholesterol pill succeeds in late-stage studies

Merck's potential blockbuster cholesterol pill succeeds in late-stage studies

Yahoo8 hours ago

(Reuters) -Merck's oral cholesterol pill succeeded in two late-stage studies, marking a win for the drugmaker as it focuses on the development of growth drivers beyond its cancer drugs and vaccines.
The company is searching for its next blockbuster candidate as its major revenue driver, Keytruda, is expected to lose patent protection by the end of the decade.
Merck's non-statin cholesterol drug, enlicitide decanoate, is being tested for the treatment of hyperlipidemia, a condition that causes elevated buildup of fat in the blood vessels and can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Enlicitide works by blocking PCSK9, a protein that plays a crucial role in regulating cholesterol levels, while statins block an enzyme the liver uses to make cholesterol.
BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman said Merck's drug could potentially provide a "multi-billion dollar opportunity" that expands the PCSK9 market beyond current injectable therapies.
The drug showed meaningful reductions in LDL-C cholesterol, commonly referred to as "bad cholesterol", when compared to placebo and other oral non-statin therapies, Merck said.
However, Leerink analysts have noted that Astrazeneca's AZD0780 is a "credible threat" as it has shown a 50.7% reduction in LDL-C levels during a trial.
Merck has not given the details on LDL-C reduction for enlicitide.
The drug was tested in patients who have a history of, or are at risk for a type of heart disease, and were treated with a statin.
Shares of Merck were up 2% in premarket trading.
Verve Therapeutics is also developing a gene therapy to reduce high cholesterol levels, which is expected to be used in combination with other drugs.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Pause in ECB rate cuts could last a while, policymaker Holzmann tells Austrian TV
Pause in ECB rate cuts could last a while, policymaker Holzmann tells Austrian TV

Yahoo

time13 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Pause in ECB rate cuts could last a while, policymaker Holzmann tells Austrian TV

VIENNA (Reuters) -The current pause in European Central Bank rate cuts could be long-lasting unless economic data worsens, in which case there could be further rate cuts this year, policymaker Robert Holzmann told Austrian broadcaster ORF on Monday. "It could be that the pause lasts a while," he said when asked if there would be further rate cuts this year, adding each rate decision was based on the data available at that time. "If economic developments worsen, there could be further interest-rate cuts." Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

OpenAI's annualized revenue hits $10 billion, up from $5.5 billion in December 2024
OpenAI's annualized revenue hits $10 billion, up from $5.5 billion in December 2024

Yahoo

time30 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

OpenAI's annualized revenue hits $10 billion, up from $5.5 billion in December 2024

(Reuters) -OpenAI ( said on Monday that its annualized revenue run rate surged to $10 billion as of June, positioning the company to hit its full-year target amid booming AI adoption. Its projected annual revenue figure based on current revenue data, which was about $5.5 billion in December 2024, has demonstrated strong growth as the adoption and use of its popular ChatGPT artificial-intelligence models continue to rise. This means OpenAI is on track to achieve its revenue target of $12.7 billion in 2025, which it had shared with investors earlier. The $10 billion figure excludes licensing revenue from OpenAI-backer Microsoft and large one-time deals, an OpenAI spokesperson confirmed. The details were first reported by CNBC. Considering the startup lost about $5 billion last year, OpenAI's revenue milestone shows how far ahead the company is in revenue scale compared to its competitors, which are also benefiting from growing AI adoption. Anthropic recently crossed $3 billion in annualized revenue on booming demand from code-gen startups using its models. OpenAI said in March it would raise up to $40 billion in a new funding round led by SoftBank Group, at a $300 billion valuation. In more than two years since it rolled out its ChatGPT chatbot, the company has introduced a bevy of subscription offerings for consumers as well as businesses. OpenAI had 500 million weekly active users as of the end of this March.

Trump says meeting on Iran planned for Thursday
Trump says meeting on Iran planned for Thursday

Yahoo

time44 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Trump says meeting on Iran planned for Thursday

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said the U.S. and Iran would continue talks on Thursday for a nuclear deal, adding that Tehran was a tough negotiator and that the main impediment to an agreement was over enrichment. "We're doing a lot of work on Iran right now," Trump told reporters at an economic event at the White House. "It's tough. ... They're great negotiators." "They're just asking for things that you can't do. They don't want to give up what they have to give up," he added. "They seek enrichment. We can't have enrichment. We want just the opposite. And so far, they're not there." "They have given us their thoughts on the deal. And I said, you know, it's just not acceptable," Trump said as Tehran plans to hand Washington a counter-proposal. Trump also said he discussed Iran among other topics with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, adding that the call went well.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store