Updated 28 March 2022

We are saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and we continue to stand united with the Ukrainian people. We hope for an urgent and peaceful resolution, and our paramount concerns are the safety and well-being of our employees and ensuring our patients and customers have continued access to medicines and vaccines needed for patient and public health.

For humanitarian reasons, MSD has a responsibility to continue supplying essential medicines and vaccines in Russia. MSD has saved and improved lives around the world for more than 130 years, and we remain committed to doing so. Any profits resulting from these sales will be donated to humanitarian causes. We will maintain scientific exchange of information with stakeholders in critical therapeutic areas. However, the company will not make further investments in Russia. This includes stopping all promotional activities, capital investments and business development initiatives. Additionally, screening and enrollment in ongoing clinical trials, and planning for new studies in Russia have been suspended. We are continuing to treat patients already enrolled in existing clinical trials and collect data from these studies underway, and we are working hard to ensure no patient is left behind. MSD does not have research or manufacturing facilities in Russia and is operating in compliance with all international sanctions while working to ensure continued access to essential medicines and vaccines.  

During this tragic time, MSD’s commitment to helping the people affected is unwavering. We are using our resources to help alleviate the human suffering in Ukraine. MSD is taking various actions to address the humanitarian crisis, which include: 

• As part of its pandemic response, delivery of medicine to Ukraine through a supply and purchase agreement we have with the government, plus donation via Direct Relief for distribution to refugees. We are preparing to donate further medicines specifically for people affected by the invasion of Ukraine.
• Donation of further medicines in relation to asthma, infections in hospitalised patients, and cancer. We are actively assessing needs for additional products.
• Commitment of $1 million USD directed to humanitarian partners, American Red Cross, Direct Relief, International Medical Corps and Project HOPE, delivering urgent assistance to those affected in the region.
• Utilisation of our donation program for U.S. and Puerto Rico employees to donate to Ukraine relief efforts. Contributions will be matched 100% by the company. Employees outside of the U.S. can receive a company match toward their donation to the Red Cross and Direct Relief, and the contribution will be matched 100% by the company.
• Donation of vaccines from MSD Animal Health to farmers in Ukraine to support the continued raising of livestock and food production. 

As of March 28, our total cash and product donations amount to more than $65 million USD.

MSD will continue to monitor this tragedy and update its response as this crisis unfolds. The focus now remains on supporting the well-being of our employees, doing what we can to ensure access to our medicines and vaccines, and further using our resources to alleviate the unimaginable human suffering in Ukraine.

About MSD

For over 130 years, MSD has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, MSD continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals – including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases – as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world. For more information, visit www.msd-uk.com and connect with us @MSDintheUK on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. 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 the global outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19); 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; the company’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 the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company 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 the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).

GB-NON-05772 | Date of Preparation: March 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – FRIDAY FEBRUARY 4, 2022

New Managing Director Announced for MSD in the UK and Ireland – Ben Lucas to succeed David Peacock

LONDON, February 2022– MSD (tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (NYSE: MRK)) announced today that Ben Lucas will succeed David Peacock as Managing Director of MSD UK and Ireland as of February 1^st.

Ben Lucas joins the UK business from MSD in the Netherlands where he has held the position of Managing Director for the last three years.

Ben will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new role in the UK. He started his career working with elite athletes as an exercise physiologist at the Institute of Sport, Newcastle before joining MSD in 1999 in his first role in pharmaceuticals and progressed through to sales and marketing roles. Ben was instrumental in building the MSD Oncology Franchise in the UK & Ireland, pioneering solutions to accelerate access to new innovative medicines for UK patients, commenting on his new role, Ben said:

            “I am delighted to have been appointed as MD of MSD in the UK and Ireland. MSD has a rich heritage of helping to save and improve the lives of patients and populations around the world. Our people and teams here in the UK play a critical role enabling this to happen through scientific innovation and ensuring that the patient remains at the heart of all that we do.

            “I feel privileged to be able to help build on MSD’s existing strong heritage and legacy – but know that we cannot solve for current and future healthcare challenges alone. I look forward to building on the existing strong partnerships and collaborations in the UK to ensure that those who need our medicines and vaccines in the UK have access to them.”

Ben is married, with five daughters. His interests (aside from parenting) include rugby, football, cycling, golf, most spectator sports and country walks.

David Peacock has been appointed President of MSD in Asia Pacific and will be based in Singapore.

About MSD

For more than 125 years, MSD has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives.  MSD is a trade name of Merck & Co., Inc., with headquarters in Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, MSD continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals – including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases – as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world. For more information, visit www.msd-uk.com and connect with us @MSDintheUK on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook.

GB-NON-05512 | Date of Preparation: January 2022

MSD appoints Alloga and Alliance Healthcare as its exclusive distribution partners

Alloga (warehousing and logistics) and Alliance Healthcare (wholesaler) will manage the MSD in the UK portfolio from early 2022.

LONDON, December 7, 2021 – MSD (tradename Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (NYSE: MRK)) announced today that it has appointed Alloga and Alliance Healthcare Ltd. as its exclusive wholesaler distribution partner in the UK.

From early 2022, Alloga will exclusively manage the warehousing and logistics and Alliance Healthcare Limited will be the wholesaler for MSD products across the UK ensuring MSD vaccines and medicines get to those who need them.

The new distribution partnership with Alliance Healthcare is the result of a competitive and thorough tender process which was conducted to enable MSD to continually meets the needs of patients and those who care for them by ensuring timely distribution of products to hospitals, pharmacies, GP surgeries and clinics. The new partnership includes a strong network of dispensing points across the UK – all of which will optimise support for patients and ensure that those who need MSD’s vaccines and medicines can receive them.

David Peacock, Managing Director of MSD in the UK, said: “At MSD our mission is to save and improve lives, for us to do this we need to implement and maintain timely and efficient distribution of the many products and vaccines which make up our portfolio.

“Following a thorough and competitive process we believe that both Alloga and Alliance Healthcare will be strong partners in helping us to achieve this by delivering a robust, transparent and efficient supply chain and we look forward to working with them.”

Owen Cooper, Client Services Director, Alliance Healthcare, said: “We are truly delighted to be working with MSD again and to be their sole distributor to all customers in the UK and Northern Ireland.  Partnership and patient focus are the foundation of everything we do here at Alliance Healthcare, so being able to build upon this strong relationship with MSD to provide an efficient and flexible ‘pallet to patient’ supply chain will deliver value and benefit for all.”   

Chris Williams, Managing Director, Alloga, continued: “We are incredibly proud of how our business has responded throughout the recent challenging years, our motivated teams adapted to these changes to enable the very best patient outcomes.   That this has been recognised by MSD is one of our greatest achievements of 2021 and we are honoured to be working with them going forward.”

About MSD

For more than 130 years, MSD has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives.  MSD is a trade name of Merck & Co., Inc., with headquarters in Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs, and partnerships. Today, MSD continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals – including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases – as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world. For more information, visit www.msd-uk.com and connect with us @MSDintheUK on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. 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 the recent global outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19); 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; the company’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 the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether because 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 the company’s 2019 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).

GB-NON-04806 | Date of Preparation: December 2021

MSD named as finalist in ‘Diverse Company’ category at National Diversity Awards from shortlist of over 64,000 entries across the UK

LONDON, September 20, 2021 – MSD (tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (NYSE: MRK)) announced today that they were a finalist in the ‘Diverse Company’ category at the National Diversity Awards which took place Friday night (September 17) in London.

The National Diversity Awards, which are sponsored by ITV, are one of the highest accolades for championing Diversity in the UK.

MSD was one of twelve finalists shortlisted from 64,000 entries in the ‘Diverse Company’ category and has been recognised for its continued implementation of a strong diversity and inclusion strategy which has resulted in an inclusive culture where employees can ‘bring their whole self to work everyday’.

Milestones achieved – which formed part of the judging criteria, include the introduction of Mental Health First Aider training for employees and the assembly of several successful and thriving networks within the MSD Diversity and Inclusion strands including: the MSD UK Rainbow Alliance (LGBTQ+), LEAD ( League of Employees of African Descent), the Next Generation Network (NGN) which aims to include our multi – generational employees in all that we do, MSD Women’s’ Network and our capABILITY network which supports employees with seen and unseen disabilities.

Susannah Hodgson, Executive Director for Human Resources at MSD in the UK, said: “We are delighted and honoured to be a finalist in these awards. At MSD we are deeply committed to fostering an inclusive environment that embraces different perspectives and values the contributions of everyone. We have always believed that diversity and inclusion are not simply ‘nice’ virtues for us to have, they form a core part of our everyday culture and who we are and we actively encourage everyone to be themselves and bring their whole selves to work every day.

This is an outstanding recognition for the continued work that is undertaken by the people in our company everyday to ensure that everyone, regardless of their background, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability or age – has a voice that is heard, and our ongoing work will ensure this continues to happen.”

David Peacock, Managing Director of MSD in the UK, said: “I am extremely proud and excited at the news that MSD has been a finalist for ‘Company of the Year’ at the National Diversity Awards. I am proud to be part of a company that is committed to making meaningful progress toward ensuring a more inclusive society wherever we operate in the world.

This award recognises the excellent progress we have made at MSD to make diversity and inclusion part of our culture – but I believe we are all still on a journey, learning from each other everyday.

The success of any organisation and society in general, depends on all of us embracing diversity and inclusion and making it a living part of our daily lives.”

About MSD

For more than 125 years, MSD has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives. MSD is a trade name of Merck & Co., Inc., with headquarters in Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, MSD continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals – including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases – as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world. For more information, visit www.msd-uk.com and connect with us @MSDintheUK on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook.

GB-NON-04806 | Date of Preparation: September 2021

MSD joins forces with other leaders from the technology, health, global development and academic sectors to announce the Alliance for Advancing Health Online

LONDON June 10, 2021 – MSD (tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (NYSE: MRK)) announces its commitment to the Alliance for Advancing Health Online, a new initiative to advance public understanding of how social media, online engagement and behavioural sciences can be leveraged to improve the health and resiliency of communities around the world.

Social media has become one of the most integral aspects of modern society, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when many of our real-world forums have disappeared and online platforms have been relied on to bring people together from around the world.

This week, MSD and other leaders from the technology, health, global development and academic sectors have announced the Alliance for Advancing Health Online, a new initiative to advance public understanding of how social media, online engagement and behavioural sciences can be leveraged to improve the health and resiliency of communities around the world. Our company and Facebook have each committed $20 million to this multi-year initiative, which will work on addressing vaccine hesitancy and vaccine equity with a strong focus on historically excluded or marginalized communities.

As part of the initiative, an independent Vaccine Confidence Fund has been established to support research on how social media and online platforms can be leveraged to best support confidence in and uptake of COVID-19 and routine immunisations around the world. This fund is financially supported by Facebook and MSD.

“The first step in addressing health issues like vaccine hesitancy is understanding the underlying reasons and meeting people where they are. This collaborative effort is an important step toward better understanding how social media is already being used by people as they make choices about their health,” says Dr. Priya Agrawal, chief behavioural science officer.

Whilst the initial focus of research supported will be on COVID-19 vaccinations and routine immunisations, the Alliance will in time seek to create a global network of centres of social media and health research, focused on generating credible information about vaccination and on improving health behaviour via online platforms.

For more information, https://www.vaccineconfidence.org/latest-news/leading-global-health-and-private-sector-organizations-come-together-to-create-the-alliance-for-advancing-health-online-to-improve-global-health-outcomes

About MSD

For more than 125 years, MSD has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives. MSD is a trade name of Merck & Co., Inc., with headquarters in Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, MSD continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals – including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases – as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world. For more information, visit www.msd-uk.com and connect with us @MSDintheUK on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. 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 the recent global outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19); 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; the company’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 the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company 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 the company’s 2019 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).

News Release

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL THURSDAY, 6th APRIL, 2021, 11:00 GMT

MSD Announces Election of Dr Fiona H. Marshall as Fellow of The Royal Society

London, May 06, 2021 – MSD (tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (NYSE: MRK)) announced today that Dr Fiona H. Marshall, Senior Vice President and Head of Discovery Sciences and Translational Medicine at MSD, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. The Royal Society is a self-governing Fellowship made up of the most eminent scientists, engineers and technologists from the UK and the Commonwealth. Fellows and Foreign Members are elected for life through a peer review process on the basis of excellence in science.

Fiona is a world-renowned scientist, entrepreneur, and expert in G Protein-Coupled Receptor (GPCR) biology, an area of innovation in which recent developments in structural biology have provided new opportunities in the design of therapeutic candidates targeting a number of important disease areas.

Sir Adrian Smith, President of The Royal Society, commented:

“This is the first year of my presidency at the Royal Society and I’ve been very much looking forward to welcoming the newly elected Fellows and Foreign Members.

The global pandemic has demonstrated the continuing importance of scientific thinking and collaboration across borders. Each Fellow and Foreign Member bring their area of scientific expertise to the Royal Society and when combined, this expertise supports the use of science for the benefit of humanity. Our new Fellows and Foreign Members are all at the forefronts of their fields from molecular genetics and cancer research to tropical open ecosystems and radar technology. It is an absolute pleasure and honour to have them join us.”

In her current role as Senior Vice President and Head of Discovery Sciences and Translational Medicine at MSD, Fiona provides scientific and strategic leadership to the company at a global level. In addition she is actively engaged in the establishment of MSD’s new Discovery Centre and HQ in the Knowledge Quarter, London, with a scientific focus on the biological mechanisms of diseases of ageing.

Dr Fiona Marshall commented:

“I’m delighted and honoured to be recognized by The Royal Society – I thank them for the recognition and reflect upon the positive signals that we are giving to female scientific leaders and those pursuing scientific excellence across academia and industry alike.”

Fiona won the 2012 WISE award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the 2015 Royal Society of Chemistry Malcolm Campbell Award and the 2018 Vane Medal from the British Pharmacological Society. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and Honorary Fellow of both the British Pharmacological Society the Royal Society of Chemistry.

In a career, spanning more than 25 years, Fiona has led research teams that have made important scientific contributions to drug discovery spanning multiple disease areas including oncology, neuroscience, inflammation and metabolic disease. She joined MSD in 2018 as head of the new Discovery Research Center in London. In 2019, she was appointed head of neuroscience discovery and then in 2021 Head of Discovery and Translational Medicine. Prior to joining MSD she was co-founder and chief scientific officer of the biotechnology company Heptares (now Sosei-Heptares) a successful U.K. biotechnology company focused on structure-guided drug design of small molecules, peptides and antibody therapeutics to G protein-coupled receptors. Prior to founding Heptares, she held senior positions at Millennium Pharmaceuticals (now Takeda), and GSK. Fiona holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Bath and a doctorate in neuroscience from the University of Cambridge.

Each year, the Fellows of the Royal Society elect up to 52 new Fellows and up to 10 new Foreign Members. Fellows are elected for having made ‘a substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathematics, engineering science and medical science’. Each candidate is considered on his or her own merits and can be proposed from any sector of the scientific community.

About MSD

For more than 130 years, MSD has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives. MSD is a trade name of Merck & Co., Inc., with headquarters in Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, MSD continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals – including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases – as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world. For more information, visit www.msd-uk.com and connect with us @MSDintheUK on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’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 the global outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19); 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; the company’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 the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company 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 the company’s 2020 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)

GB-NON-04278

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MSD Accelerates Climate Goals; Announces Carbon Neutrality in Operations by 2025

100% Renewable Energy Goal to be Achieved 15 Years Ahead of Schedule; Includes Three New Virtual Power Purchase Agreements

LONDON, April 26, 2021 – MSD (tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (NYSE: MRK)) announced today ambitious goals to achieve carbon neutrality across its operations by 2025 (Scopes 1 & 2 emissions) and a 30% reduction in its value chain emissions by 2030 (Scope 3 emissions).¹

These goals are aligned with science and build on MSD’s long-standing focus on preventing the worst impacts of climate change and supporting the global effort to achieve the Paris Agreement goals by reducing demand for energy and minimizing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

MSD will achieve carbon neutrality in its operations with ongoing innovation to increase efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, applying sustainable building standards and continuing to transition away from fossil fuel use. Remaining Scope 1 emissions will be offset each year with a portfolio of high-quality carbon credits, including carbon removals.

“Global efforts to combat climate change are essential to the health and sustainability of our planet,” said Robert Davis, president, MSD. “Our new climate action goals reflect our ongoing commitment to operating responsibly and will help us drive long-term sustainability for our business, society and for the patients and communities we serve.”

New Virtual Power Purchase Agreements Signed

MSD is also accelerating by 15 years its previous 2040 goal to source 100% renewable energy for its purchased electricity. MSD signed three new virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs) for utility-scale energy projects based in Texas and Spain. These projects will address approximately 35% of MSD’s Scope 2 emissions by collectively adding 145 megawatts (MW) of solar and wind energy to the grid. MSD previously signed a U.S. wind VPPA in 2018, which has added 60 MW of new renewable energy capacity, while providing MSD with the associated renewable energy credits.

To achieve the 30% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2030, MSD will continue to engage with its suppliers to reduce their emissions, promote opportunities for suppliers to source renewable energy, and use existing procurement and supply chain processes to drive additional strategies to decrease emissions.

“At MSD, we are focused on adopting innovative ways to reduce emissions, in our own operations and across our entire value chain,” said Jennifer Zachary, executive vice president and general counsel, who is also responsible for the company’s global safety and environment function. “Our new VPPA agreements and ongoing engagement with suppliers reflect our responsible use of resources in every aspect of our work.”

MSD has a long-standing commitment to environmental sustainability. The new commitments expand on MSD’s most recent goals and priorities set in 2017 that focus on driving efficiency in its operations, designing new products to minimize environmental impact, and reducing the impacts in its value chain. To learn more about MSD’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) efforts, visit MSD’s Corporate Responsibility Report.

About MSD

For 130 years, MSD has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives. MSD is a trade name of Merck & Co., Inc., with headquarters in Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, MSD continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals — including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases — as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world. For more information, visit www.msd.com and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. 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 the global outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19); 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; the company’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 the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company 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 the company’s 2020 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).

¹ Scope 1 emissions are direct greenhouse (GHG) emissions that occur from sources that are controlled or owned by an organization (e.g., emissions associated with fuel combustion in boilers, furnaces, vehicles). Scope 2 emissions are indirect GHG emissions associated with the purchase of electricity, steam, heat, or cooling. Scope 3 emissions are the result of activities from assets not owned or controlled by the reporting organization, but that the organization indirectly impacts in its value chain.

GB-NON-04241