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Biotech / Medical : Merck -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bobbybucks who wrote (685)	4/13/1998 7:22:00 AM
From: John Carragher	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1580

The Wall Street Journal -- April 13, 1998 Health: FDA Advisory Panel Recommends Approval Of Merck Heart Drug ---- WASHINGTON -- A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel overwhelmingly backed Merck & Co.'s anti-clotting heart drug, Aggrastat, for acute coronary syndrome. In a 9-1 vote, FDA's cardiovascular and renal-drugs advisory committee said the agency should approve the drug for use with the standard care of heparin and aspirin. Acute coronary syndrome includes unstable angina, which is severe chest pain, and myocardial infarction, a blockage in the heart so great its effects resemble a small heart attack. Christine Fanelle, a Merck spokeswoman, said because Aggrastat has been designated for expedited review, a final decision is expected by April 30. The agency routinely consults outside advisory committees when drugs come for approval. The cardiovascular committee was set up for such a purpose. The full FDA generally, but not always, follows the recommendations of its expert panels. Once Merck hears from the FDA, Ms. Fanelle said, the company will rush the drug to market. Merck is eager to tap into the market of more than one million people yearly who are rushed to the hospital with severe chest pains. Powered by Quote Agentr and News Agentr from Gari Software/IDD Information Services Copyright c 1998 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

To: Bobbybucks who wrote (685)	4/13/1998 2:38:00 PM
From: Sonki	Respond to of 1580

if the split is NOT announced...(since every one expects it now), we could go down some more ? Shares of pharmaceutical concern are taking a breather today after Friday's partial FDA advisory panel approval for its Aggrastat inhibitor drug to prevent cardiac ischemic events in patients with unstable angina. While the news is positive for Merck, the advisory panel failed to recommend the drug for use in patients who are about to undergo angioplasty; this is viewed to be a minor setback for Merck. Nonetheless, the approval of Aggrastat for unstable angina and non-Q-wave myocardial infarction is still very positive for this major drug company as the medication stands to help millions of patients that are at high risk for massive heart attack and sudden cardiac death, particularly as the population ages. And while Aggrastat failed to receive the wider scope of approval for angioplasty treatment, there is a good likelihood that the full panel could still give the nod for such usage. If so, it could be a big boost for Merck longer-term as the positioning for acute coronary syndrome medication remains very competitive following the recent approval of COR Therapeutics's (CORR 20 3/16 -1/8) Integrilin drug and the existing ReoPro medication from Centocor (CNTO 40 13/16 +1/16). In the past couple of sessions, Merck has fallen from the high reached last week, but given the strength and leadership that this sector has exhibited during the past three years, the price retreat is only expected to be temporary as the growth prospects for these major pharmaceutical issues remains very positive and are a favorite group among wall Street strategists.