Merck discontinues Phase III diabetes drug
Executive Summary
Merck hopes to file an NDA for antidiabetic DP-IV inhibitor in 2006 after terminating its Phase III MK-767 diabetes agent. Development of MK-767 was halted after long-term safety study identified a "rare form" of malignant tumors in mice, Merck says. MK-767 is the second Merck product to fail Phase III in as many weeks; the company recently terminated the substance P antagonist aprepitant (MK-0869) for depression (1"The Pink Sheet" Nov. 17, 2003, p. 34)...