From Merck:

Merck Announces CHMP Issues Positive Opinion for Investigational Antibiotic SIVEXTRO® (tedizolid phosphate)

Monday, January 26, 2015 8:30 am EST

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KENILWORTH, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion recommending approval of the investigational antibiotic SIVEXTRO^® (tedizolid phosphate) for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) in adults. Merck acquired SIVEXTRO as a part of its purchase, through a subsidiary, of Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

The CHMP positive opinion will be reviewed by the European Commission. If the European Commission affirms the CHMP opinion, it will grant a centralized marketing authorization with unified labeling that is valid in the 28 countries that are members of the European Union, as well as European Economic Area members, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

SIVEXTRO is a once-daily oxazolidinone antibiotic developed for both intravenous and oral administration for the treatment of serious infections caused by certain Gram-positive bacteria.

SIVEXTRO in the U.S.

SIVEXTRO is approved in the U.S. and is indicated for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) caused by susceptible isolates of the following Gram-positive microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus (including methicillin-resistant [MRSA] and methicillin-susceptible [MSSA] isolates), Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus anginosus group (including Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus intermedius andStreptococcus constellatus), and Enterococccus faecalis.

Selected Safety Information

Patients with neutropenia: The safety and efficacy of SIVEXTRO (tedizolid phosphate) in patients with neutropenia (neutrophil counts <1000 cells/mm3) have not been adequately evaluated. In an animal model of infection, the antibacterial activity of SIVEXTRO was reduced in the absence of granulocytes. Alternative therapies should be considered when treating patients with neutropenia and acute bacterial skin and skin structure infection.

Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD), ranging from mild diarrhea to fatal colitis, has been reported with nearly all systemic antibacterial agents, including SIVEXTRO. Evaluate all patients who present with diarrhea following SIVEXTRO use.

Development of drug-resistant bacteria: Prescribing SIVEXTRO in the absence of a proven or strongly suspected bacterial infection or prophylactic indication is unlikely to provide benefit to the patient and increases the risk of the development of drug resistant bacteria.

The most common adverse reactions for SIVEXTRO are nausea, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, and dizziness.

About Merck

Today's Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Merck’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline products that the products will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; Merck’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of Merck patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Merck’s 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).

Please see Prescribing Information for SIVEXTRO (tedizolid phosphate) athttp://sivextro.com/pdf/sivextro-prescribing-info.pdf.

SIVEXTRO^® is a registered trademark of Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA.