Merck Highlights Data From Multiple Phase 3 Trials For Its Investigational Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine

Tuesday, Merck & Co Inc MRK released data from multiple Phase 3 studies evaluating V116, the company’s investigational, adult-specific 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, at the Meeting of the International Society of Pneumonia and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD).

Across the clinical studies presented, V116 was shown to be immunogenic for all 21 serotypes covered by the vaccine in a variety of adult populations, including those who had not previously received a pneumococcal vaccine (pneumococcal vaccine-naïve), those who had previously received a pneumococcal vaccine (pneumococcal vaccine-experienced) and those with an increased risk of pneumococcal disease, including people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 

Related: Merck Highlights Data On New Vaccine, Compares ‘Tolerability And Safety’ To Pfizer’s.

V116 also elicited higher immune responses than the studied comparators for the serotypes unique to V116 in all STRIDE studies presented at the meeting.

Key findings from the studies include:

• In pneumococcal vaccine-experienced adults 50 years of age and older (STRIDE-6), V116 elicited comparable immune responses for the serotypes shared with PCV15 (pneumococcal 15-valent conjugate vaccine) or PPSV23 (pneumococcal vaccine, polyvalent [23-valent]) and higher immune responses for the serotypes covered by V116 only.
• In adults 18 years of age and older living with HIV, V116 elicited comparable immune responses to PCV15+PPSV23 for all 13 shared serotypes and higher immune responses for the eight serotypes covered by V116 only.
• Across all presented studies, V116 demonstrated a safety profile comparable to the studied comparators, including PCV20 (pneumococcal 20-valent conjugate vaccine), PCV15, and PPSV23.
• Merck also presented preliminary data from the real-world evidence study, which found that among 2,065 adults 50 years of age and older hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia between 2018 and 2022, 242 pneumococcal serotypes were detected. 
• Of these serotypes, approximately 84% were covered by V116. One-fourth (approximately 25%) of the detected serotypes were covered only by V116 and not by PCV15 or PCV20.

If approved, V116 would be the first pneumococcal conjugate vaccine specifically designed for adults.

MRK Stock Prediction For 2024

Equity research can be a valuable source of information for learning about a company's fundamentals. Analysts create financial models based on the fundamentals and expected future earnings of a company to arrive at a price target and recommendation for the stock.

Shares of Merck & Co have an average 1-year price target of $134.25, representing an expected upside of 10.49%.

Because of differences in assumptions, analysts can arrive at very different price targets and recommendations. 1 analysts have bearish recommendations on Merck & Co, while 10 analysts have bullish ratings. The street high price target from UBS is $148.0, while the street low from Societe Generale is $104.0.

Price Action: MRK shares are down 0.02% at $121.42 on the last check Tuesday.

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