Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK.US) achieves key primary endpoints in two pivotal Phase 3 trials of oral HIV therapy.

Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK.US) announced today that two key phase 3 trials, MK-8591A-051 and MK-8591A-052, have met their primary endpoints. The once-daily two-drug single pill combination therapy doravirine/islatravir (DOR/ISL) showed non-inferiority compared to standard antiretroviral therapy (ART) in treating HIV-1 infected adults who have achieved virologic suppression. Merck & Co., Inc. plans to present detailed results of these trials at future scientific meetings and submit relevant data to regulatory agencies. Doravirine is a once-daily oral innovative non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor developed by Merck & Co., Inc. It works by binding to the reverse transcriptase enzyme of the HIV-1 virus, preventing the virus from converting RNA to DNA and thereby blocking HIV-1 virus replication. It has been approved in the United States for the treatment of treatment-nave adult patients with HIV-1 infection.