Merck Unveils New Heart & Lung Disease Data at ACC.26

Merck is intensifying its focus on heart and lung diseases with the announcement of new clinical data ahead of the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session and Expo (ACC.26), which will take place in New Orleans from March 28 to 30.

The pharmaceutical giant is set to showcase fresh findings from its cardio-pulmonary pipeline, with two late-breaking studies that could revolutionize treatments for patients with high cholesterol and a complex form of heart failure.

The first key study is the Phase 3 CORALreef AddOn trial, where Merck's experimental oral drug, enlicitide — a once-daily PCSK9 inhibitor — demonstrated promising results when compared to existing therapies, including ezetimibe and bempedoic acid, in patients already taking statins.

The second set of results comes from the CADENCE trial, a Phase 2 study evaluating WINREVAIR (sotatercept-csrk) in patients suffering from combined post- and precapillary pulmonary hypertension associated with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). This condition, which has few effective treatment options, could see significant advancements in care based on the encouraging trial outcomes.

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“These data will underscore the strength and momentum of Merck’s cardio-pulmonary pipeline,” said Joerg Koglin, Senior Vice President and Head of General and Specialty Medicine, Global Clinical Development at Merck Research Laboratories. “We are proud to share research that enhances our understanding of these serious diseases and has the potential to improve outcomes for patients worldwide.”

Merck’s expanding work in cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases aims to address the global health burden caused by atherosclerosis and rare pulmonary conditions, offering new hope for millions of patients.