Latest news

• Merck decision to drop odanacatib lifts UCB/Amgen

  Merck &Co has decided to discontinue development of its osteoporosis candidate odanacatib after seeing an elevated risk of stroke in studies. ... Meanwhile, the demise of odanacatib could also benefit Radius Health's new parathyroid hormone (PTH) based

• Amgen and UCB's romosozumab hits goals in male osteoporosis

  odanacatib. However, a major shake-up in the osteoporosis market is expected to occur as generic competition to Lilly's big-selling PTH drug Forteo (teriparatide) starts to gather momentum.

• Merck & Co plays catch-up with osteoporosis data for odanacatib

  The company had intended to file the drug for approval in 2013 but put that plan on hold while it looked into a'safety signal' of odanacatib. ... Treatment with odanacatib also led to progressive increases in bone mineral density (BMD) over five years at

• Merck's anti-PD1 drug promising in lung cancer

  alongside a major reworking of its R&D operations after a series of late-stage pipeline failures and delays including osteoporosis drug odanacatib, anaesthesia drug sugammadex and new insomnia candidate suvorexant.

• FDA rejects Merck muscle relaxant drug once again

  odanacatib, and some investors have called for an acceleration in the company's R&D restructuring plans to reduce costs and boost productivity.