PRESS RELEASE: Harvard Medical School and Merck Announce Research Agreement

Harvard Medical School and Merck Announce Research Agreement

BOSTON, September 14, 2007 - Harvard Medical School's Office of Technology Development (OTD) and Merck announced today that they have signed a cooperative research agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Harvard Medical School and Merck will jointly advance research programs in two core areas -- oncology and central nervous system (CNS) disorders. The unique nature of the initiative provides a degree of intellectual cross-fertilization that is rarely attained in such collaborations, and represents an innovative model for industry/academic partnerships. The unique features of the collaboration include:  

- Breadth: Six HMS labs will be funded, enabling the advancement of a broad range of research projects.

- Common Goals: Scientists from HMS and Merck will work collaboratively, unifying the program's goals to ensure the utmost progress and advancement.

- Proximity: Merck and HMS are within walking distance of one another in Boston, thereby maximizing efficient communication and exchange of ideas.

"Boston is home to some of the world's premiere universities. This agreement and our decision to establish our research labs in Boston reflect Merck's mission to work closely and strategically with academic thought leaders on the most compelling science in order to advance drug discovery," said Lex Van der Ploeg, vice president, Basic Research and Site Head, Merck Research Laboratories, Boston. "Furthermore, this agreement represents a synergistic alliance between two organizations dedicated to advancing the best science, thus enabling our drug discovery efforts in the most effective way."


"We're very pleased to partner with Merck on this initiative," stated Isaac T. Kohlberg, Chief Technology Development Officer, Harvard University. "It's a new chapter in our relationship with Merck, and represents an important new model to collaborate with an industry leader, as well as an essential means to provide our investigators with the resources required to advance their work and translate their research findings into what we hope will one day culminate in new therapeutic modalities that address important unmet medical needs."

 

As is the case with all research at Harvard Medical School, it is anticipated that the findings that arise from these projects will be published by the principal investigators in peer-reviewed journals.


About Harvard University's Office of Technology Development

The Harvard Office of Technology Development (OTD) is responsible for all activities pertaining to the evaluation, patenting and licensing of new inventions and discoveries made at Harvard University and Harvard Medical School. OTD also serves to further the development of Harvard technologies through the establishment of sponsored research collaborations with industry. OTD's mission is to promote the public good by fostering innovation and translating new inventions made at Harvard into useful products available and beneficial to society.


About Merck

Merck & Co., Inc. is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. The Company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate Merck medicines but help deliver them to the people who need them. Merck also publishes unbiased health information as a not-for-profit service. For more information, visit www.merck.com  and www.merckboston.com  .

Merck Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. The forward-looking statements may include statements regarding product development, product potential or financial performance. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect Merck's business, particularly those mentioned in the risk factors and cautionary statements in Item 1A of Merck's Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2006, and in its periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K, which the Company incorporates by reference.