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RAHWAY, N.J. - Merck (NYSE:MRK), a prominent player in the pharmaceutical industry with annual revenue of $63.62 billion, presented additional data from Phase 3 studies of its investigational once-daily oral two-drug HIV treatment doravirine/islatravir (DOR/ISL) showing minimal changes in weight, body composition and no clinically meaningful effects on fasting lipids when patients switched from their current regimens. According to InvestingPro analysis, Merck maintains a strong financial health score of "GREAT," supporting its robust drug development pipeline.
The findings, presented at the 20th European AIDS Conference in Paris, build on earlier data that demonstrated DOR/ISL maintained viral suppression comparable to standard three-drug regimens in adults with virologically suppressed HIV-1 infection. With an impressive gross profit margin of 77.41% and trading at a P/E ratio of 13.14, Merck demonstrates strong operational efficiency in bringing innovative treatments to market.
In the MK-8591A-052 trial, patients who switched to DOR/ISL from bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF) showed a mean weight change of -0.03 kg compared to +0.28 kg in those who continued BIC/FTC/TAF at 48 weeks.
The percentage of participants experiencing weight gain of 5% or more was similar between groups (14.6% for DOR/ISL vs. 16.0% for BIC/FTC/TAF). Changes in body composition measurements including lean body mass, peripheral fat, and trunk fat were also comparable between treatments.
Across both Phase 3 trials, pooled data showed minimal changes in fasting lipids and insulin resistance markers, with no substantial differences between treatment groups.
"Weight and body composition are often central concerns for people living with HIV," said Dr. Chloe Orkin, dean for healthcare transformation at Queen Mary University of London, in the company’s press release.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted Merck’s New Drug Application for DOR/ISL with a target action date of April 28, 2026.
Drug-related adverse events were similar between DOR/ISL and BIC/FTC/TAF in the double-blind trial (10.2% vs. 9.4%), while in the open-label study, adverse events were more commonly reported with DOR/ISL (12.0%) than baseline antiretroviral therapy (4.9%).
The information in this article is based on a company press release statement. InvestingPro analysis indicates that Merck is currently undervalued, with additional ProTips and comprehensive financial metrics available through the Pro Research Report, offering deeper insights into the company’s healthcare sector positioning and growth potential.
In other recent news, Merck & Co. reported its second-quarter 2025 earnings, revealing a 2% decrease in total revenues to $15.8 billion. However, the company noted a 7% growth in revenues when excluding sales from China for its GARDASIL product. Merck’s earnings per share (EPS) stood at $2.13 on a non-GAAP basis. Additionally, Merck announced the completion of its $10 billion acquisition of Verona Pharma, integrating the COPD maintenance treatment Ohtuvayre into its portfolio. This acquisition makes Verona Pharma a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck, and its shares will no longer be traded on the Nasdaq Global Market. These developments reflect Merck’s ongoing strategic initiatives and focus on product innovation. The company remains optimistic about its growth prospects in the latter half of the year.
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