Headquarters: Rahway, New Jersey, USA
Ticker: MRK (NYSE)
Website: merck.com
Merck & Co., Inc. (known as Merck KGaA outside the United States and Canada) is a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Rahway, New Jersey. With a history spanning over 130 years, Merck is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies by revenue and market capitalization. The company has a significant presence in neuroscience research, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease programs[1].
Merck was founded in 1891 as a subsidiary of Merck KGaA in Germany. The company has grown to become a major force in pharmaceutical research, with numerous breakthrough treatments across oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, and neuroscience[2].
Merck has historically been involved in Alzheimer's disease research, primarily through its BACE inhibitor program[3].
| Program | Mechanism | Stage | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verubecestat (MK-8931) | BACE1/2 inhibitor | Phase 2/3 | Discontinued (2017) |
| JNJ-54861911 | BACE inhibitor | Phase 2 | Discontinued |
| MK-2214 | Undisclosed | Research | Preclinical |
Recent Developments:
Merck maintains interest in Parkinson's disease through academic partnerships and early-stage research programs[7].
| Program | Mechanism | Stage | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preladenant (SCH-420814) | Adenosine A2A receptor antagonist | Phase 3 | Discontinued |
| Undisclosed programs | Various | Discovery/Preclinical | Active |
Preladenant (SCH-420814): Merck developed preladenant, a selective adenosine A2A receptor antagonist for Parkinson's disease. The drug advanced to Phase 3 clinical trials but was discontinued due to insufficient efficacy compared to placebo. The preladenant program represents Merck's historical interest in non-dopaminergic Parkinson's therapeutics targeting the purinergic system. The A2A antagonist approach aimed to improve motor function through antagonism of adenosine A2A receptors in the striatum, offering a non-dopaminergic mechanism that could potentially avoid dyskinesias associated with levodopa therapy.
Merck's current neuroscience research emphasizes:
Merck collaborates with academic institutions and biotech companies on neuroscience research:
Miller, G. The changing landscape of pharmaceutical neuroscience R&D. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. 2017. ↩︎
Kesselheim AS, Avorn J. The most transformative drugs of the past 25 years: a survey of physicians. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2013. ↩︎
Kennedy ME, et al. The BACE inhibitor verubecestat (MK-8931) reduces β-amyloid in a Phase 1 study. Alzheimer's & Dementia. 2016. ↩︎
Egan MF, et al. Randomized Trial of Verubecestat for Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease. New England Journal of Medicine. 2019. ↩︎
Hawkes N. Merck discontinues BACE inhibitor trials for Alzheimer's disease. BMJ. 2017. ↩︎
Crews L, Masliah E. Molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration: targets for novel therapeutics. Experimental Neurology. 2019. ↩︎
[Kalia LV, Lang AE. Parkinson's disease](https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15). Lancet. 2015. ↩︎
Heneka MT, et al. [Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease](https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(15). Lancet Neurology. 2015. ↩︎
Selkoe DJ. Alzheimer's disease. Cell. 2019. ↩︎
Soto C, Satani N. The intricate mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer disease. Drug Discovery Today. 2010. ↩︎
Weiner MW, et al. The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative: progress report and future directions. Alzheimer's & Dementia. 2016. ↩︎