Merck nabs phase 3 win for vascular disorder drug

A phase 3 clinical trial of Merck's pulmonary arterial hypertension treatment, sotatercept, significantly improved exercise capacity among adults with the rare blood vessel disorder, the drugmaker said Oct. 10. 

The trial met its primary outcome of improvement in the distance pulmonary arterial hypertension patients could achieve during a six-minute walk. Compared to a placebo, seven other endpoints were also statistically significant. 

About 40,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension, which is a progressive, life-threatening disease, Merck said. 

Sotatercept was part of the drugmaker's $11.5 billion acquisition of Acceleron Pharma in November 2021. 

Based on the results, Merck Research Laboratories President Dean Li said, "We are moving with urgency on our regulatory applications to bring this investigational therapy to these patients."

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