Merck to Launch TREDAPTIVE™ (ER niacin/laropiprant) in International Markets Later This Year

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. - Merck & Co., Inc. will begin launching TREDAPTIVE™ (ER niacin/laropiprant) in international markets including Mexico, the UK and Germany by the third quarter this year. TREDAPTIVE is a lipid-modifying therapy for patients with mixed dyslipidemia and primary hypercholesterolemia.

TREDAPTIVE, also known by the trademark of CORDAPTIVE™ in some places, is now approved in 39 countries outside the U.S. In the U.S., it remains investigational.

“Merck is pleased that we are now able to supply TREDAPTIVE in approved markets and continue our long-standing commitment to help address unmet medical needs in cardiovascular care" said Luciano Rossetti, MD, senior vice president and franchise head, Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular, Merck Research Laboratories.

About Merck
Merck & Co., Inc. (Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A.), which operates in many countries as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD, is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, the Company currently discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. The Company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate its medicines but help deliver them to the people who need them. Merck also publishes unbiased health information as a not-for-profit service. For more information, visit www.merck.com.

Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. The forward-looking statements may include statements regarding product development, product potential or financial performance. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect Merck’s business, particularly those mentioned in the risk factors and cautionary statements in Item 1A of Merck’s Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2008, and in any risk factors or caututionary statements contained in the Company’s periodic reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K, which the Company incorporates by reference.
TREDAPTIVE™ and CORDAPTIVE™ are trademarks of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA