New Merck Migrane Drug Causing Headaches for Drug Maker

A new migraine medicine being developed by drug maker Merck has hit a snag in development after clinical studies showed daily use of the drug could cause a dangerous increase in liver enzymes.

Telcagepant, the drug Merck had hoped to have approved by the Food and Drug Administration soon with projected annual sales of $800 million, may now be shelved forever or possibly revived as a less-than-daily therapy for migraines, according to pharmaceutical industry analysts.

The drug once billed as a way to carry Merck through the coming years when many of the company’s drugs will lose patent protections and face generic competition for the first time was derailed largely because of data from an exploratory study designed to determine whether telcagepant could be taken daily. Some people participating in the study developed high levels of liver enzymes, prompting the company to halt the research.

Merck is now reviewing date from another study of the drug, officials said. While telcagepant may never be a daily pill for migraine sufferers, it may see the light of day – but who knows when – for intermittent use to treat migraine attacks.

The problems for telcagepant were unveiled in Merck’s disappointing first-quarter financial report.

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