Merck Posts Positive Safety Data for Investigational HIV Drug
July 20 2021 - 5:48AM
Dow Jones News
By Matt Grossman
Merck & Co. Inc. said Tuesday that its islatravir
investigational drug for preventing HIV-1 infection was
well-tolerated by patients through 24 weeks of a Phase 2a
study.
Most adverse events were mild and there were no serious
drug-related adverse events among patients who got the drug, Merck
said. Blood levels remained above the pre-specified efficacy
threshold eight weeks after the last study dose at two separate
dose levels, according to the company.
Merck is studying the drug's use as pre-exposure prophylaxis for
adults with low risk of contracting HIV-1 in a study that included
242 people. Dr. Joan Butterson, the vice president for global
clinical development in infectious diseases for Merck Research
Laboratories, said the results provided "encouraging support."
Write to Matt Grossman at matt.grossman@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 20, 2021 06:37 ET (10:37 GMT)
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