June 5, 2009WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. (AP) -- Merck says its heart failure treatment rolofylline missed its goals in a trial, failing to improve patient symptoms compared with a placebo.
The Whitehouse Station, N.J., company says rolofylline did not reach its primary or secondary goals in the late-stage trial. Merck & Co. is still analyzing study data but says it will not ask the Food and Drug Administration to approve the drug candidate this year.
The trial also showed that 30 mg rolofylline did not reduce the risk of death or hospitalization due to heart or kidney problems 60 days after treatment, and that it did not reduce kidney impairment. Merck will present full results from the PROTECT study at a future medical conference.
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