Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada,
today announced financial results for the third quarter of 2012.
"Our strong global sales this quarter offset the impact of the SINGULAIR
patent expiry in the U.S.," said Kenneth C. Frazier, chairman and chief
executive officer of Merck. "We will continue to drive value for our
customers and shareholders through Merck's four-part strategy of
executing on our core business, expanding geographically in high-growth
markets, extending our complementary businesses and excelling at
managing our costs while investing for growth. With our robust pipeline,
we remain on target to submit multiple new products for marketing
approval between now and the end of 2013, including suvorexant for
insomnia, odanacatib for osteoporosis and TREDAPTIVE for multiple lipid
parameters."
Select Revenue Highlights
Worldwide sales were $11.5 billion for the third quarter of 2012, a
decrease of 4 percent. Excluding the unfavorable impact of foreign
exchange, sales were comparable with the third quarter of 2011. Strong
growth of key products offset the negative impact of the August 2012
loss of market exclusivity for SINGULAIR (montelukast sodium) in the
United States.
Pharmaceutical Revenue Performance
Third-quarter pharmaceutical sales declined 5 percent to $9.9 billion,
including a 5 percent negative impact due to foreign exchange. Strong
sales growth for GARDASIL [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6,
11, 16 and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant], JANUVIA (sitagliptin), VICTRELIS
(boceprevir), ZOSTAVAX (zoster vaccine live), ISENTRESS (raltegravir),
and JANUMET (sitagliptin/metformin hydrochloride) offset the expected
declines in sales of SINGULAIR, COZAAR (losartan potassium) and HYZAAR
(losartan potassium and hydrochlorothiazide).
Sales from emerging markets accounted for approximately 20 percent of
pharmaceutical sales in the third quarter. Sales growth in the emerging
markets is being driven by primary care and women's health, vaccines,
hospital and specialty, and diversified brands. China continues to be a
key driver with 19 percent growth for the third quarter, including a 1
percent benefit from foreign exchange.
Worldwide sales of the combined diabetes franchise of JANUVIA/JANUMET,
medicines that help lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2
diabetes, grew 15 percent to $1.4 billion in the third quarter of 2012
primarily driven by growth in the United States and Japan.
Sales of ZETIA (ezetimibe) and VYTORIN (ezetimibe/simvastatin),
medicines for lowering LDL cholesterol, declined 1 percent to $1.1
billion in the third quarter driven by lower sales of VYTORIN, partially
offset by growth of ZETIA in the United States.
Worldwide sales of SINGULAIR, a once-a-day oral medicine for the chronic
treatment of asthma and the relief of symptoms of allergic rhinitis,
declined $734 million, or 55 percent, to $602 million in the third
quarter of 2012. The patent for SINGULAIR expired in the United States
on Aug. 3, 2012 and will expire in major European markets in February
2013. The company is experiencing a significant and rapid reduction in
sales in the United States and expects a similar decline in Europe
following patent expiry there. SINGULAIR will retain marketing
exclusivity in Japan until 2016.
