KEYTRUDA (Pembrolizumab) From Merck & Co. Awarded Prix Galien USA 2015 Best Biotechnology Product Award

KENILWORTH, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), the company’s anti-PD-1 therapy for the treatment of advanced melanoma and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer in patients whose disease has progressed after other therapies, received the Prix Galien USA 2015 Award for Best Biotechnology Product.

“This achievement is a testament to the remarkable contributions of everyone at Merck, as well as the many physicians and patients who participated in our clinical trials, in helping to bring KEYTRUDA to patients.”

“As a company built on a foundation of scientific excellence, Merck is honored to again have been chosen as a recipient of this prestigious award,” said Dr. Roger M. Perlmutter, president, Merck Research Laboratories. “This achievement is a testament to the remarkable contributions of everyone at Merck, as well as the many physicians and patients who participated in our clinical trials, in helping to bring KEYTRUDA to patients.”

The Prix Galien Award recognizes the pharmaceutical industry’s outstanding achievement in the development of new medicines. An internationally recognized award, the Prix Galien was founded in France in 1969 by French pharmacist Roland Mehl and is considered the highest accolade for pharmaceutical research and development.

This latest award for KEYTRUDA is Merck’s seventh Prix Galien USA award in nine years. The company was previously recognized for ZOSTAVAX (2013), VICTRELIS (2012), ROTATEQ (2010), ISENTRESS (2008) and JANUVIA and GARDASIL (2007). In total, around the world, Merck has won the Prix Galien 40 times, making Merck the most-awarded company of all time.

About Merck

Today’s Merck is a global health care 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 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 health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co. Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA (the “company”) 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 the company’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 healthcare legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward healthcare cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’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 the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company 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 the company’s 2014 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).