By Colin Kellaher


Merck & Co. on Monday said its MK-0616 oral cholesterol drug candidate significantly reduced low density lipoprotein cholesterol, or LDL-C, in patients With hypercholesterolemia in a Phase 2b study.

The Kenilworth, N.J., drug maker said MK-0616 significantly reduced LDL-C compared to placebo and was generally well-tolerated at all four doses across the eight-week study.

Merck said it plans to start a Phase 3 pivotal study in the second half of the year.

MK-0616 is an inhibitor of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, or PCSK9, which is an enzyme linked to hypercholesterolemia, a lipid disorder in which a person's low-density lipoprotein, or bad cholesterol, is too high.

Merck said MK-0616 is designed to lower LDL-C via the same biological mechanism as currently approved injectable PCSK9 inhibitors, but in a daily pill form.


Write to Colin Kellaher at colin.kellaher@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

03-06-23 1247ET