Merck & Co,with research and development chief Roger Perlmutter, will begin to focus increasingly more on biotechnology and cancer drugs. Perlmutter has said that Merck has been too prudent and cautious in the past, and needs to be willing to take risks with new drugs. Another problem was that many of their research projects were not cut short when the drugs did not seem promising. Now, Perlmutter wants the efficacy of a drug to be the first priority, and for Merck’s scientists to then look at safety. Merck is now looking at acquiring experimental cancer treatments, as well as speeding up vaccine and viral treatments for conditions such as hepatitis C and HIV.
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