Merck & Co (US)

Merck is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, with sales for 2010 expected to total $46bn. The group has struggled against multiple setbacks in recent years, the most serious of which were the repercussions from defects in its blockbuster arthritis medicine Vioxx. Merck withdrew that product in 2004 after publication of a report which demonstrated that it increased the risk of heart attacks in some patients. A series of lawsuits ensued, although for the most part Merck was exonerated of any fault and later announced a settlement to cover all subsequent suits. As if that were not enough to contend with, the company's flagship product Zocor lost its patent in 2006, and Merck seemed to have comparatively few other blockbusters in its pipeline. Yet the company has made a dynamic recovery since then, turning what appeared to be a clutch of minor vaccines into what could now be substantial new products. In 2009 it announced plans to acquire smaller competitor Schering-Plough. The two companies were already partners in a global asthma and anti-cholesterol joint venture. Advertising Age estimated global measured combined advertising expenditure of $933m for Merck and Schering-Plough in 2008, making it the world's #44 advertiser.

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Merck website

Singulair	Remicade
Januvia	Zocor
Janumet	Cozaar
Gardasil	Merck Vaccines
Isentress	Merial
Emend	Temodar
Crixivan	Nasonex
Fosamax	PEG-Intron
Maxalt	Integrilin
Propecia	Afrin
Nuvaring	Miralax
Follistim	Dr Scholl's
Proscar	Claritin
Zetia	Coppertone

Merck Sharp & Dohme

Banyu Pharmaceutical

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