Merck's
The company said today that rolofylline failed to show an effect in its phase 3 clinical trial in heart failure patients. Companies often try to sugar-coat pipeline failures, but there was apparently nothing good to say about this one. It failed its primary and secondary endpoints: no improved symptoms, no reduction in the risk of death or re-hospitalization after treatment, and no reduction in occurrence of kidney impairment. Nothing!
Merck acquired the drug though its 2007 purchase of NovaCardia for $366 million. Not a bad price for a phase 3 drug, but it's wasted nonetheless. Fortunately the company used stock to pay for the acquisition, which was about double the current price back then.
As a result of the news, Biogen Idec
Rolofylline's failure highlights the reason Merck needs to acquire Schering-Plough
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