Merck: COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine

2021: Discontinuation of development of two experimental vaccines due to lack of results

At the end of January 2021, Merck & Co. announced that it was discontinuing the development of two of its experimental vaccines against COVID-19. Early trials have shown that these drugs are unable to induce an immune response comparable to a natural infection or other vaccines.

When developing the vaccine, Merck used a different approach from the strategy of its competitors, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. The more traditional Merck decided to use a vaccine with a weakened virus. In one development, the V590 vaccine, the technology for producing the Merck vaccine against Ebola virus was borrowed, and the other vaccine, V591, was based on the measles vaccine used in Europe.

Merck discontinues development of coronavirus vaccines due to lack of expected results

Merck lagged behind competitors and completed the recruitment of first participants for early research on the safety of the drug near the end of 2020, when companies such as Pfizer and Moderna were already preparing to submit data on the effectiveness of their vaccines at a later stage of testing, and the Russian vaccine Sputnik V was already at the stage of mass production.

In January 2021, Merck received interim results from its research. The results "proved unexpected and disappointing," said Nick Kartsonis, senior vice president of clinical research for infectious diseases and vaccines at Merck Research Laboratories. Both vaccines produced fewer neutralizing antibodies than other COVID-19 vaccines and provided too low an immune response compared to individuals who naturally underwent coronavirus infection.

We did not receive encouraging results for which it would be worth continuing to work, "admitted Cartsonis. After evaluating the data, Merck senior management decided to stop the research program and direct the company's resources to develop new treatments for COVID-19.[1]

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