Merck and partner Schering-Plough were celebrating new US labelling for their combination cholesterol product Vytorin in lowering LDL or 'bad' cholesterol.
The updated label includes data from a clinical trial which showed that Vytorin (ezetimibe and simvastatin), sold as Inegy in some markets, was more effective than AstraZeneca's Crestor (rosuvastatin) in lowering LDL cholesterol at all the doses tested.
The data came from a 2,600-patient study which found that Vytorin achieved reductions in LDL cholesterol of between 52% and 61%, compared to 46% to 57% for AstraZeneca's drug.
Combined sales of Vytorin and Zetia for the Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals joint venture were $2.4 billion last year, twice their 2004 tally, while Crestor brought $1.3 billion into AstraZeneca's coffers.
But, of course, AZ have already started down the combo route themselves!
Source: PhamaTimes
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