Merck, Schering-Plough end respiratory collaboration

Merck and Schering-Plough have withdrawn their NDA for a pill combining Claritin and Singulair and are breaking up their respiratory collaboration, which has been in place since 2000. The goal of the joint venture was to develop and market a product made from the two blockbusters. Merck and Schering-Plough stressed, however, that this action has no impact on the their cholesterol collaboration, which has been put under stress due to the Vytorin brouhaha. As a result of the termination of the respiratory joint venture, Schering-Plough expects to receive payments totaling $105 million from Merck.

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