Merck's Antiviral Therapy Shows Efficacy In Prevention of Cytomegalovirus In Kidney Transplant Patients - Merck & Co (NYSE:MRK)

Merck & Co Inc MRK highlighted findings from a Phase 3 trial of Prevymis (letermovir) compared to valganciclovir for cytomegalovirus (CMV) prophylaxis in high-risk kidney transplant recipients.
At 52 weeks following the kidney transplant, Prevymis was effective and non-inferior to valganciclovir for preventing CMV disease (10.4% vs. 11.8%).
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In a pre-specified safety analysis, Prevymis-treated participants had significantly less myelotoxicity, as measured by rates of leukopenia or neutropenia, compared to valganciclovir-treated participants (26.0% vs. 64.0%).
The FDA approved Prevymis in 2017 for prophylaxis of CMV infection and disease in adult CMV-seropositive recipients [R+] of an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT).
Merck is planning to present these data at a scientific congress and will submit a supplemental marketing application with these data to the FDA by the end of this year.
Price Action: MRK shares closed higher by 2.94% at $95.67 on Friday.