Merck’s Ragweed Allergy Drug Results Good (MRK)

Photo of Paul Ausick
By Paul Ausick Published

Drug maker Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK) has released results of a phase III study of its investigational allergy immunotherapy tablet (AIT) for ragweed pollen this morning. According to the company’s announcement:

The study results showed that the use of ragweed AIT significantly reduced the total combined score that measured nasal and eye symptoms and use of rescue allergy medicines, compared to placebo, in ragweed-allergic adults with or without asthma. The study was conducted during peak ragweed pollen season. …

Merck’s AIT is an investigational, dissolvable oral tablet designed to treat the underlying cause of allergies, and is being studied to determine whether AIT may help to prevent allergy symptoms by generating an immune response to protect against targeted allergens. … Merck has partnered with ALK-Abello to develop AITs to treat these allergens in North America and plans to file New Drug Applications (NDAs) for its ragweed and grass AITs with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2013.

Merck’s shares opened this morning up about 0.6% at $38.00, in a 52-week range of $29.47-$39.43.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Photo of Paul Ausick
About the Author Paul Ausick →

Paul Ausick has been writing for 247Wallst.com for more than a decade. He has written extensively on investing in the energy, defense, and technology sectors. In a previous life, he wrote technical documentation and managed a marketing communications group in Silicon Valley.

He has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Chicago and now lives in Montana, where he fishes for trout in the summer and stays inside during the winter.

Continue Reading

Top Gaining Stocks

ABNB Vol: 15,913,153
MCHP Vol: 19,139,269
PLTR Vol: 77,240,329
MRNA Vol: 6,820,509
AXON Vol: 1,591,827

Top Losing Stocks

TTD Vol: 133,453,513
CTRA Vol: 73,319,495
AKAM Vol: 8,143,908
ZTS Vol: 12,784,005
RMD Vol: 3,810,438