Your questions answered:How MSD is responding to the global pandemic, COVID-19

On May 26, MSD announced three significant scientific initiatives to combat COVID–19. These include two agreements to develop potential vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, and a research collaboration to advance the development of a novel antiviral candidate, detailed below:

• MSD to acquire Themis Bioscience, a company focused on vaccines and immune-modulation therapies for infectious diseases, including COVID-19;
• MSD and IAVI collaborate to develop vaccine against COVID-19;
• MSD and Ridgeback Bio collaborate to advance development of an oral antiviral candidate for COVID-19, EIDD-2801.

Kenneth C. Frazier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, MSD (tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (NYSE: MRK)), said: “Though the challenge of this pandemic is immense, we know that science and collaboration will triumph, just as they have before. While we cannot predict when this battle will be won, we are confident that science is on our side, that collaboration is already well underway, and that together, we will prevail.”

In addition to this, MSD makes a range of medicines and vaccines for infectious diseases, but none of them are approved for use to treat COVID-19. We have enormous experience in inventing antivirals and vaccines and like many other pharmaceutical companies, are actively engaged in scientific efforts to help find solutions to coronavirus disease. This pandemic underscores the need for our company and our industry to continue to invest in research for the greatest health threats.

As part of this, MSD is studying potential antiviral therapies that could be deployed more rapidly, in addition to evaluating compounds in our own laboratories.

To support this focus, globally MSD is studying potential antiviral therapies that could be deployed more rapidly, in addition to evaluating compounds in our own laboratories.

We have also identified programmes in other laboratories that could prove beneficial, and have announced that we are participating in a new research collaboration with the Institute for Systems Biology in the US, to investigate and define the molecular mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19, and identify targets for medicines and vaccines.

Additionally, we have also announced we are in collaboration with the NIH-led Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV consortium). ACTIV is a partnership that aims to develop a collaborative framework for prioritising vaccine and drug candidates, streamlining clinical trials and regulatory processes, and/or leveraging assets among all partners, to rapidly respond to the COVID-19 and future pandemics.

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Driven by our steadfast commitment to patients, we are making every effort to ensure that patients in affected areas who are enrolled in clinical trials can continue their treatment and receive appropriate care and monitoring.

Conditions are fluid and evolving but as local conditions allow, we are enrolling patients in ongoing studies, and we are starting new studies.

We continue to make decisions that are aligned with UK Government and NHS recommendations and in the best interests of our employees, patients and customers. Our colleagues who can work from home are working from home and we have paused in-person interactions with health care providers.

We are also asking all employees to follow global health recommendations on handwashing and social distancing. And, if any of our employees are experiencing symptoms of fever, shortness of breath or a change in taste or smell during this outbreak, we have asked them to stay at home. Where we have keyworkers and employees working on-site, we have taken feedback from employees and conducted full risk assessments in line with UK Government guidance and MSD own global policies and procedures.

We are committed to supporting our health care providers and our communities both as a global organisation as well as within the UK, and we continue to consider other possible ways to extend our support. Below are a few examples of how we are trying to provide support where we can:

Global support:

MSD Commits Additional $10 Million to COVID-19 Relief Efforts – totalling over $30 million in support to date

The MSD Foundation has announced that the company will make an additional commitment of $10 million in support of COVID-19 relief efforts to help address health disparities and inequality among patients and communities. MSD is making this new commitment in solidarity and support of #GivingTuesdayNow, a new global day of giving and unity as an emergency response to COVID-19. With this commitment, MSD has contributed or committed more than $30 million in support of global, national and local COVID-19 relief efforts.

Teaming up to advance COVID-19 research:

In addition to the efforts outlined earlier, our company has partnered with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a consortium of life-sciences companies to accelerate the development, manufacture and delivery of vaccines, diagnostics and treatments for COVID-19. “We know that the private sector is where the technical skills and know-how regarding discovery, clinical trials and commercialisation sit,” says Mark Suzman, chief executive officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “We look to harness that knowledge and experience — combining it where possible — to connect with national regulators and the World Health Organization to see if we can help flatten the curve of this epidemic and make sure the results reach everyone around the world.

Helping mothers in need:

Through MSD for Mothers, our global initiative to help end preventable maternal deaths, we are committing an additional $3 million to help health systems better meet the needs of pregnant women before, during and following delivery while tackling COVID-19. MSD for Mothers will be directing investments to efforts in COVID-impacted countries to help address maternal health challenges that are arising as a result of the pandemic.

UK & Ireland support:

Lending testing equipment to aid the NHS

MSD is one of several research and development companies that has loaned its automated liquid handling platform (the Tecan EVO 150) from its Discovery Research facilities in London to the UK government to support critical COVID-19 lab testing efforts.

Donating PPE and fitting equipment to organisations in the North East to support aid efforts around COVID-19

Our manufacturing site in Cramlington, which produces over 4.5 billion tablets a year for UK and global markets, has not only been focused on continuing to manufacture medicines during this unprecedented time, but has also enabled a number of donations of PPE, other essential equipment and volunteer support to aid efforts around COVID-19 of organisations in the North East.

These donations have included the donation of safety glasses to the Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) and the operating theatres at the Freeman Hospital, Tyvek protective suits to Bedlingtonshire Medical Group for carers making essential care home visits; protective glasses and Tyrek protective suits to North Tyneside General Hospital, in addition to bottles of alcohol based hand sanitiser and protective glasses to Railway Medical Practice in Blyth.

In addition, MSD Cramlington has also donated a Portacount face-fit testing respirator to the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington which will help to ensure accurate fitting of masks for frontline NHS employees and we have also enabled a volunteer to help operate the equipment which will help to free up other critical NHS care workers.

Responding to the call for skilled volunteers:

We are responding to the call for skilled volunteers as we know that health professionals like doctors, nurses, medical laboratory technicians and others are in high demand. As a result, we’ve expanded our volunteer policy to enable these colleagues to help with COVID-19 related health care in their communities whilst maintaining their base pay. Read one of our stories here.

Keeping hands clean in Ireland:

Our Irish colleagues in Ballydine donated 80 litres of bulk isopropyl alcohol, which was used to produce approximately 100 litres of sanitiser for general practitioner offices to use.

Donating Oxygen to a hospital in Limerick City, Ireland:

Our colleagues at MSD Brinny donated a 60,000 litre Oxygen tank which engineers removed from the site and transported to University College Hospital, Limerick.

If you have an inquiry and would like to reach our media team, please email externalaffairs_UK@merck.com.

We know there’s a lot of information about COVID-19. We recommend visiting NHS UK for health information and advice and GOV.UK to learn about the government response to coronavirus.

While supply and demand vary by product, we continue to monitor the situation to avoid impacts on the availability of our medicines and vaccines as a result of COVID-19. The situation remains fluid, and we remain committed to keeping our stakeholders, including the MHRA and Department of Health and Social Care, informed of any important updates regarding the supply of our medicines and vaccines.

Up to date information for Healthcare Practitioners regarding UK supply of Pharmaceutical Products and Vaccines can be found here.