By Cecilia Butini

Merck KGaA said Tuesday that a phase-3 trial to assess the efficacy of a drug to cure tropical disease schistosomiasis in children has met its primary endpoint of clinical cure in children aged three months to six years.

The German pharmaceuticals-and-chemicals company said the drug, which is named arpraziquantel, showed cure rates close to or above 90% in children infected with two different parasites that cause the disease.

The trial demonstrated safety, tolerability and palatability of the drug--which is administered as an orally dispersible tablet--among pre-school children, the company said.

Merck intends to apply for a scientific opinion at the European Medicines Agency under a procedure for high-priority medicines intended for markets outside the European Union, it said.

Write to Cecilia Butini at cecilia.butini@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

11-16-21 0336ET