Drugmaker Merck (MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, Thursday said the first patient has been enrolled in a global Phase 3 clinical study of letermovir or MK-8228, an investigational antiviral agent.
The multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of letermovir for the prevention of clinically-significant cytomegalovirus or CMV infection in adult CMV-seropositive recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants.
Dr. Michele Trucksis, executive director, Infectious Diseases, Merck Research Laboratories, said, "There remains a need for additional therapeutic options in the prevention of CMV infection in high-risk patients. Merck is pleased to initiate this global Phase 3 study with letermovir."
In the study, letermovir will be administered once daily, either as an oral tablet or IV formulation, for 14 weeks after transplant.
The dose will be 240 mg once daily for participants receiving concomitant cyclosporin A and 480 mg once daily for participants not receiving cyclosporin A.
The primary outcome measure of the study will be the percentage of participants with clinically-significant CMV infection through 24 weeks after transplant who were administered letermovir compared to placebo.
Merck expects approximately 540 patients will be enrolled in the study at more than 70 centers in 20 countries, including the U.S.. The estimated study completion date is July 2017.
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