Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) reported quarterly revenue beating Wall Street’s estimates, as sales for its blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda remained strong and demand for its Gardasil vaccine also rebounded. The company’s second-quarter sales increased 22% to $11.40 billion, beating estimates of $11.10 billion. Merck reported adjusted earnings of $1.31 per share for the quarter, in line with analyst estimates.
Merck expects to have late-stage data for its COVID-19 antiviral, molnupiravir, in October, informed Chief Financial Officer Caroline Litchfield. Sales of cancer immunotherapy Keytruda increased 23% to $4.18 billion in the quarter, meeting estimates.
Demand for Gardasil, its vaccine to prevent cancers linked to the human papillomavirus, also recovered in the second quarter as patients got back to routine medical visits that were amiss during the pandemic. Gardasil sales increased 88% to $1.23 billion, ahead of analysts’ estimates of $991.38 million.
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) is a global healthcare solutions provider that has been working towards bringing forward medicine and vaccines for some of the world’s most challenging diseases for more than a century. They are committed to increasing health care access and continue to be at the leading edge of research. Merck has the industry’s largest immuno-oncology clinical research program. To learn more about Merck (MRK) and to track its ongoing progress please visit the Vista Partners Merck Coverage Page.
