Merck Announces Third-Quarter 2012 Financial Results

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.

Sales recorded by Merck for GARDASIL, a vaccine to help prevent certain diseases caused by four types of human papillomavirus (HPV), increased 31 percent to $581 million for the quarter driven by greater uptake in males in the United States and favorable performance in the emerging markets.

Combined sales of REMICADE (infliximab) and SIMPONI (golimumab), treatments for inflammatory diseases, declined 9 percent to $576 million for the third quarter of 2012. The combined sales grew 4 percent excluding foreign exchange.

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