Merck & Co strengthens its portfolio in key market, getting Japanese approval for Gardasil, Zolinza and Cubicin

4 July 2011

US drug giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) revealed on Friday that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) had approved three of its products - Gardasil (human papillomavirus quadrivalent [types 6, 11, 16 and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant], Zolinza (vorinostat) and Cubicin (daptomycin for injection) – for use in Japan, the world’s second largest pharmaceutical market.

“These three new approvals will enable Merck to bring these new medicines and vaccines to the people of Japan,” said Tony Alvarez, president, of Merck subsidiary MSD Japan, adding: "Doing so will help Merck continue to fulfill its mission and deliver growth."

In Japan, Gardasil was approved for the prevention of cervical cancer (squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma) and their precursor lesions (cervical intraepithelial neoplasm grade 1/2/3 and cervical adenocarcinoma in situ), vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1/2/3, vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1/2/3 and genital warts caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 in females nine years of age and older.

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