Published on 29 Nov 2021 on Zacks via Yahoo Finance

Merck (MRK) COVID Pill Less Effective in Final Study, Stock Down

Shares of Merck MRK were down around 4% on Monday after announcing final data from a phase III study on it and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics’ oral antiviral medicine, molnupiravir.

Data from the final analysis of the MOVe-OUT study showed that the medicine reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by approximately 30% in non-hospitalized at-risk adult patients with mild or moderate COVID-19, which was less than 50% as previously reported, per interim data announced in October.

Final data from all enrolled participants from the study showed that 6.8% of patients treated with molnupiravir were hospitalized or died versus 9.7% of placebo-treated patients. There was one death reported in patients treated with molnupiravir versus nine deaths in placebo-treated patients.