1036 ET - Merck's struggles with Gardasil aren't easing up. The drug maker disclosed 1Q sales of the treatment, which prevents cancers caused from the human papillomavirus, declined 41% to $1.33 billion, due primarily to lower demand in China. Gardasil's challenges were on display in the prior quarter when the company's guidance came up short of Wall Street's estimates and said it was pausing shipments to China of the treatment from February through at least the middle of the year. Gardasil is Merck's biggest-selling franchise behind blockbuster cancer therapy Keytruda, which saw sales increase 4% to $7.21 billion in the quarter. (denny.jacob@wsj.com; @pennedbyden)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 24, 2025 10:36 ET (14:36 GMT)
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