Merck, Schering-Plough's cholesterol drug combination fails to benefit patients in study [View All]

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Source: AP

NEW YORK - Drug developers Merck & Co. and Schering-Plough Corp. said Monday patients with a predisposition to high cholesterol fared no better when taking their cholesterol drug Vytorin than with a high dose of the generic form of Zocor.

The study focused on a group of 720 patients with a rare condition predisposing them to high cholesterol. The patients were given either Vytorin or a high dose of generic Zocor, known as simvastatin. Vytorin itself is a combination of Schering-Plough's Zetia and Merck's Zocor, which lost patent protection in 2006.

Wall Street has been anxiously awaiting details on the study results, with analysts mixed on how equal results in the two study sections would affect Vytorin sales.

Earlier in January, Merck Chief Executive Richard T. Clark said he expected Vytorin to keep a secure position in the cholesterol drug market and cited several other ongoing studies in addition to this one.



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22647253/