Merck, Ferring Pharmaceuticals & the World Health Organization Working Together to Prevent Excessive Bleeding in Women after ...
April 04 2014 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
Post-partum Hemorrhage Is Leading Cause of
Mothers Dying
Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and
Canada, and Ferring Pharmaceuticals today announced their
collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) to advance a
new, proprietary formulation of carbetocin, used to prevent
excessive bleeding (post-partum hemorrhage) in women after
childbirth, that is designed to be stable at room temperature, even
in hot and tropical climates (ICH climatic zone IV). Currently,
oxytocin, the standard medicine administered for the prevention of
excessive bleeding, is temperature-sensitive and requires sustained
cold distribution and storage in hot climates. The WHO will conduct
a multi-country clinical study to evaluate the effectiveness of
room-temperature-stable carbetocin, as compared to oxytocin. The
development of a medicine that can be stored at room temperature
has the potential to significantly improve management of bleeding
following childbirth in the many areas of the world where cold
storage is difficult to achieve and maintain, and thereby help
reduce maternal deaths in those areas.
Starting this year, the study will take place in 12 countries
around the world and enroll approximately 29,000 women. If the
results of the study are positive, the organizations will work
together with the aim of making the medicine available in
developing countries that have a high burden of maternal mortality
at an affordable and sustainable public-sector price.
“Mothers hold the future in their hands. That’s why Merck has
taken on our 10-year, $500 million fight against maternal
mortality,” said Kenneth C. Frazier, chairman and chief executive
officer, Merck. “Working with our partners, we can help make a
better solution a reality. It would be a real breakthrough to help
prevent the number-one cause of women dying in childbirth in the
most vulnerable parts of the globe.” Through its Merck for Mothers
initiative, Merck is applying its scientific and business expertise
– as well as its financial resources – to reduce maternal mortality
around the world.
“Few tragedies compare to the death of a mother during
childbirth. Obstetric treatments that benefit mother and baby are a
key focus of our efforts at Ferring. Ferring originally developed
carbetocin and received the indication for the prevention of
post-partum hemorrhage more than a decade ago. Ferring is delighted
to join with the WHO and Merck in this project that aims to make
the benefits of carbetocin available in areas of the world where
cold storage is not readily available,” said Michel L. Pettigrew,
President of the Executive Board and COO, Ferring Group.
About Carbetocin
Carbetocin is not available in the United States. The WHO study
of room-temperature-stable carbetocin will take place in Argentina,
Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Singapore, South
Africa, Thailand, Uganda and the United Kingdom.
About Ferring Pharmaceuticals
Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a research-driven, specialty
biopharmaceutical group, headquartered in Switzerland, and active
in global markets. The company identifies, develops and markets
innovative products in the areas of reproductive health, urology,
gastroenterology and endocrinology. Ferring’s obstetric portfolio
(available in various countries outside the USA) includes
carbetocin, a medicine which prevents post-partum hemorrhage,
atosiban, a medicine which delays imminent preterm birth and
dinoprostone and misoprostol to be used in connection with labour
induction. Ferring has its own operating subsidiaries in 55
countries and markets its products in more than 100 countries. To
learn more about Ferring or its products please visit
www.ferring.com.
About Merck for Mothers
Every two minutes, a woman dies from complications related to
pregnancy and childbirth. If nothing is done an estimated three
million women may die from complications of pregnancy and
childbirth in the next decade. Most of these deaths are
preventable. While the burden falls most heavily on the developing
world, certain communities in the United States and other developed
nations are suffering significant and worsening rates of maternal
death.
Merck for Mothers is a 10-year, $500 million initiative focused
on creating a world where no woman has to die from complications of
pregnancy and childbirth. Drawing on the company's history of
discovering innovative, life-saving medicines and vaccines, Merck
for Mothers is applying Merck's scientific and business expertise –
as well as its financial resources and experience in taking on
tough global healthcare challenges – to reduce maternal mortality
around the world. For more information, visit
www.merckformothers.com and connect with us on Facebook.
About Merck
Today's Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the
world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and
Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic
therapies, and consumer care and animal health products, we work
with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver
innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to
increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies,
programs and partnerships. For more information, visit
www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and
YouTube.
Merck Forward-Looking Statement
This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within
the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements
are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Merck’s
management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties.
If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or
uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially
from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general
industry conditions and competition; general economic factors,
including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations;
the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care
legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends
toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new
products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent
in new product development, including obtaining regulatory
approval; Merck’s ability to accurately predict future market
conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial
instability of international economies and sovereign risk;
dependence on the effectiveness of Merck’s patents and other
protections for innovative products; and the exposure to
litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory
actions.
Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause
results to differ materially from those described in the
forward-looking statements can be found in Merck’s 2013 Annual
Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s
Internet site (www.sec.gov).
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MerckMedia:Jennifer Allen Woodruff, 267-305- 3550orLainie
Keller, 908-423-4187orInvestor:Carol Ferguson,
908-423-4465orFerring Media:Helen Gallagher, +41 58 301
0051orPatrick Gorman, +41 58 301 0053
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