Merck, Bristol-Myers will test hepatitis C regimen
Merck and Bristol-Myers will run mid-stage trial of two-drug regimen for type of hepatitis C
WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. (AP) -- Merck and Bristol-Myers Squibb will run a mid-stage clinical trial of a drug regimen designed to treat the most common type of the hepatitis C virus.
The trial will study a combination of Bristol's drug daclatasvir, and Merck's MK-5172. Merck will run the trial in which patients with genotype 1 hepatitis C will be monitored. That is both the most common type of the virus and the toughest to treat.
Bristol-Myers is running late-stage trials of daclatasvir and MK-5172 is in mid-stage testing. Merck's hepatitis C drug Victrelis was approved in 2011.
Shares of Merck & Co. closed at $47.49 Friday and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. shares finished at $41.15.
