Merck (MRK) Drugs Under Scanner Of Cholesterol Study

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) is likely to be impacted by a new cholesterol study that has its multibillion cholesterol medications under the scanner. Analysts are flying down to Orlando, Fla. Sunday to see the findings in a cardiology conference.

The issue is that Merck has two drugs Vytorin and Zetia, which are likely to be adversely impacted by this study. Analysts have said that these two drugs could bring in $4.5 bilion in revenue for this pharma major in 2012. These two drugs are very crucial from a strategic and financial standpoint.

A previous study that questioned these two drugs bled the revenues of the drugs in 2007 as well as 2008. The whole controversy is centered around the fact that it is said that these two drugs do not function any better than statins which are also offered by the competitors of Merck.