BioCentury
ARTICLE | Company News

Merck, Pfizer in diabetes deal

April 30, 2013 12:49 AM UTC

Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) partnered to co-develop and co-commercialize worldwide Pfizer's ertugliflozin ( PF-04971729), an oral sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, and fixed-dose combinations of ertugliflozin with metformin and ertugliflozin with Merck's diabetes drug Januvia sitagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor. The companies said Pfizer has received an upfront payment and milestones of $60 million and is eligible for additional milestones. The companies will share potential revenues and costs on a 60/40 basis. Further financial details were not disclosed. This year, the partners plan to begin Phase III testing of ertugliflozin and the combination products to treat Type II diabetes. ...