Merck & Co (NYSE:MRK) Investor Event Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Merck & Co, Inc. - **Event Date**: November 09, 2025 - **Location**: New Orleans, coinciding with the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2025 Key Industry Insights - **Cardiovascular Disease Epidemic**: Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death globally, with approximately 90 million deaths annually, 85% attributed to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) [22] - **Current Treatment Gaps**: Less than 30% of patients treated for ASCVD achieve guideline-recommended LDL cholesterol goals, indicating a significant need for more effective interventions [23] Core Product Highlights WinRevir - **Impact**: Positive real-world results from studies (Zenith and Hyperion) indicate WinRevir's strong clinical benefit for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) [9][13] - **Clinical Data**: A pooled analysis showed a 75% reduction in composite morbidity and mortality, 56% reduction in lung transplantation or death, and 51% reduction in overall mortality [14] Otovir - **Innovation**: First novel mechanism for inhaled maintenance treatment of COPD in over 20 years, combining bronchodilatory and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory properties [10][15] - **FDA Approval**: Received FDA approval in June 2024, with ongoing Phase II trials for non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis [11] Enlicitide - **Overview**: An oral PCSK9 inhibitor designed to provide antibody-like efficacy in lowering LDL cholesterol [12] - **Clinical Trials**: Three positive pivotal trials from the Coral Reef program, with a 55.8% reduction in LDL cholesterol in the primary analysis and 59.7% in post hoc analysis [16] - **Potential**: Positioned as a first-choice add-on lipid-lowering therapy, with filings expected to begin in early 2026 [12][39] Market Dynamics - **Patient Awareness**: There is a lack of awareness regarding cardiovascular disease risks, which can lead to serious complications [43] - **Market Opportunity**: Over 18 million treated patients in the U.S., Europe, and Japan have LDL levels above recommended goals, indicating a significant market for add-on therapies [44] - **Initial Focus**: Targeting patients not at LDL goals, particularly those with established ASCVD and high-risk primary prevention patients [45] Financial Outlook - **Revenue Potential**: Merck anticipates a non-risk adjusted revenue opportunity exceeding $50 billion by the mid-2030s, with significant contributions from the cardiometabolic and respiratory portfolio [49] - **Commercial Strategy**: Plans to work with payers to reduce barriers and ensure broad access to enlicitide, aiming for a wide prescriber base beyond cardiologists [48] Additional Considerations - **Adherence Rates**: Enlicitide demonstrated a 97% adherence rate in clinical trials, suggesting ease of use and potential for real-world application [29][46] - **Regulatory Filings**: Data from the Coral Reef studies will support regulatory filings in early 2026, with ongoing studies to confirm the efficacy of enlicitide in reducing major adverse cardiovascular events [39][40] Conclusion - Merck's innovative portfolio, particularly with enlicitide and WinRevir, positions the company to address significant unmet needs in cardiovascular disease management, with a strong focus on improving patient outcomes and achieving commercial success in the evolving healthcare landscape.

Summary of the Conference Call Company and Industry - **Company**: Esperion Therapeutics - **Industry**: Cardiovascular Disease Treatment, specifically focusing on lipid-lowering therapies Key Points and Arguments 1. **Unmet Need in Cardiovascular Disease**: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally, with 44% of US adults affected. Over half of these patients do not meet LDL-C goals, and 30% may be unable or unwilling to take statins [7][8][9]. 2. **Clinical Development of Bempedoic Acid**: Esperion's clinical trials for bempedoic acid focused on patients with unmet needs, including those with statin intolerance and primary prevention patients. The trials included a combination of bempedoic acid with low-dose statins and a fixed combination with Ezetimibe [8][10][11]. 3. **Phase Three Trials**: Five placebo-controlled Phase Three trials demonstrated significant reductions in LDL cholesterol and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) across various patient populations, including those with cardiovascular disease and statin intolerance [11][12][13]. 4. **Clear Outcomes Study**: This unique trial validated that bempedoic acid reduces cardiovascular risk by lowering LDL cholesterol. It included both primary and secondary prevention patients and showed a 13% relative risk reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) [12][13][14]. 5. **Safety Profile**: Bempedoic acid was generally well tolerated, with a safety profile similar to placebo. Myalgia was the most common side effect, but the incidence was lower than with statins [22][23]. 6. **Market Positioning**: Bempedoic acid is the only non-statin FDA-approved drug with data in primary prevention patients, addressing a significant unmet need in cardiovascular risk reduction [25][26]. 7. **Real-World Experience**: Doctor Moriarty emphasized the importance of early intervention in atherosclerosis and noted that bempedoic acid has been effective in managing patients with statin intolerance, achieving up to a 40% reduction in LDL [50][52]. 8. **Patient Preferences**: There is a strong preference among patients for oral therapies over injectables due to convenience and cost considerations [55][56]. 9. **Future Directions**: The potential for combining bempedoic acid with statins and other therapies is being explored, with ongoing studies to assess the efficacy of triple combination therapies [86][90]. Other Important but Possibly Overlooked Content 1. **Educational Gaps**: There is a lack of awareness among some healthcare providers regarding the benefits and availability of bempedoic acid, which may hinder its adoption [96][97]. 2. **Inflammation and Cardiovascular Risk**: The discussion highlighted the importance of addressing inflammation in cardiovascular disease, with bempedoic acid showing promise in lowering inflammatory markers like hsCRP and RDW [46][48][49]. 3. **Cost Considerations**: The cost of therapies remains a significant factor in prescribing practices, with generics being preferred due to their affordability [76][90]. This summary encapsulates the key insights from the conference call, focusing on the clinical development, market positioning, and real-world application of bempedoic acid in treating cardiovascular disease.