MSD’s legacy of antimicrobial innovation and action
Delivering on our commitment to fight infectious diseases for more than a century
October 12, 2023
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For more than 100 years, MSD has contributed to the discovery and development of novel medicines and vaccines to fight infectious diseases. With the growing burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), we’ve focused on stopping the increasing threat of AMR.
1930s
MSD Research Laboratories played a central role in the development of sulfas, the first synthetic antimicrobial.
1940s
In collaboration with Rutgers University, we developed streptomycin, the first antibiotic effective against tuberculosis. We also helped to develop one of the first methods for mass production of penicillin.
1950s & 1960s
We developed multiple novel methods to prevent infectious diseases, including pediatric vaccines.
1970s & 1980s
We received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for two vaccines, as well as three antibiotics that treat a variety of bacterial infections.
1990s & 2000s
MSD received U.S. FDA approval for two antifungals, as well as licenses for two vaccines.
2002
With resistance to antibiotics developing faster through people, animals and the environment, we launched one of the world’s largest and longest-running antimicrobial resistance surveillance studies. Called the Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART), the program enables researchers to monitor and identify trends in the development of AMR.
2010s
We launched an Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Investigator Initiated Studies program, supporting investigator-based, peer-reviewed research supporting the implementation of AMS principles across the globe, with over 20% of studies occurring in low-and middle-income countries.
2016
We created the MSD Exploratory Science Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, focusing on the earliest stages of research into the underlying biology of human disease.
2016-2017
We supported the first United Nations high-level meeting on AMR and subsequent political declaration in 2016, which set policy action on AMR in motion.
As a next step, we joined the newly founded AMR Industry Alliance – a network of over 100 pharmaceutical industry partners working to provide sustainable solutions to help curb antimicrobial resistance.
2020
MSD, along with a group of more than 20 leading biopharmaceutical companies, launched the AMR Action Fund to bring 2-4 new antibiotics to patients by the end of the decade.
2020s
Our staff have championed government actions to create supportive markets for antimicrobial innovation, including the PASTEUR Act in the U.S., inclusion of transferable exclusivity extensions in the EU pharmaceutical strategy, and other incentives around the world.
By collaborating with policymakers, MSD aims to improve appropriate antibiotic use globally.
Going forward
In recognition of our leadership in both human and animal health, MSD represents industry in the One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance, which advocates for a One Health approach to help ensure antibiotics remain an important tool in improving and maintaining human and animal health.
Triple-negative breast cancer: risks, signs and symptoms, and diagnosis
Learn about this aggressive type of breast cancer, including risk factors, signs and symptoms
October 12, 2023
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Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. There are many different types and subtypes of breast cancer that are defined by where in the breast they begin, how much they have grown or spread and how they behave. One of the more aggressive types is triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
What’s triple-negative breast cancer?
The tumors of patients with breast cancer may be tested for three receptors, or proteins, that make cancer grow. If the tumor tests negative for estrogen and progesterone receptors and does not over express HER2, then that patient is diagnosed with TNBC.
Worldwide, there were more than 2.3 million patients diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020:
~10-15%
of people with breast cancer are diagnosed with TNBC
TNBC characteristically has a high recurrence rate within the first five years after diagnosis.
Who’s at risk for triple-negative breast cancer?
Primary risk factors for TNBC include:
Sex: People assigned female at birth are at higher risk for TNBC compared to people assigned male at birth.
Race /ethnicity: Non-Hispanic Black women are nearly two times as likely to have TNBC as non-Hispanic white women.
Age: TNBC is more common in women younger than 40.
Genetic mutations: Mutations in genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 are strongly associated with TNBC.
What are the signs and symptoms of breast cancer?
TNBC can have the same signs and symptoms as other common types of breast cancer.
Most breast cancers are detected before any symptoms appear through regular breast cancer screenings. The signs and symptoms of breast cancer differ from person to person, and some will never show symptoms.
However, some signs of breast cancer to watch out for include:
Swelling of all or part of a breast
Skin dimpling
Breast or nipple pain
Nipple retraction
Nipple or breast skin that’s red, dry, flaking or thickened
Nipple discharge
Swollen lymph nodes, under the arm or near the collar bone
How is triple-negative breast cancer diagnosed?
If you’re experiencing symptoms, speak with your doctor, especially if you have a higher risk of having TNBC. Some screening tests include:
Mammogram: An X-ray of the breast that allows doctors to look for changes in breast tissue. Mammograms can often find breast cancer early when it’s easiest to treat.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): An MRI uses radio waves and strong magnets to make detailed pictures of the inside of the breast. Doctors use MRIs along with mammograms to screen people who are considered at high risk for breast cancer.
Ultrasound: An ultrasound uses sound waves and their echoes to make computer pictures of the inside of the breast. While not typically used as a routine screening test for breast cancer, an ultrasound can be useful for looking at some breast changes such as lumps – especially when they can be felt but not seen on a mammogram.
Biopsy: After a breast cancer diagnosis is made with a biopsy, a health care provider may determine whether a patient has TNBC with an assessment of cells from that biopsy, which are checked for estrogen, progesterone and HER2 receptors, to determine the cancer subtype.
How is triple-negative breast cancer staged?
Doctors use five stages to classify triple-negative breast cancer and inform next steps in your care plan:
Stage 0
Cancers diagnosed at stage 0 are confined to the milk ducts or lobules of the breast.
Stage 1
Cancers diagnosed at stage 1 are small, localized and have not spread beyond one nearby lymph node. Stage 1 TNBC is still considered early stage, so 91% of people diagnosed with this stage of cancer are alive five years after their diagnosis. Stage 1 cancer can be classified as either stage 1A or stage 1B dependent on the size of the tumor and whether there is evidence of cancer on the nearby lymph nodes.
Stage 2
Stage 2 TNBC may have spread regionally (beyond the initial site), but not beyond the lymph nodes in the underarm area. Stage 2 cancer can be classified as either stage 2A or stage 2B dependent on the size of the tumor and whether the breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. For patients whose cancer has spread to regional lymph nodes, 66% of people diagnosed are still alive five years after their diagnosis.
Stage 3
Stage 3 TNBC has extended beyond the immediate region of the tumor and may have invaded nearby lymph nodes and muscles but has not spread to distant organs. At this stage, TNBC can be classified as stage 3A, 3B or 3C, depending on the size of the tumor and how far it has spread. Stage 3 TNBC is considered to have spread regionally, and 66% of patients who are diagnosed at this stage are still alive five years after diagnosis.
Stage 4
Stage 4 TNBC, also known as metastatic breast cancer, has spread distantly to other areas or organs of the body, such as the brain, bones, lung or liver. This stage is not curable but is usually treatable, and current advances in research and medical technology mean that more people are living longer by managing the disease as a chronic illness. Twelve percent of patients diagnosed at this stage survive five years post-diagnosis.
Being diagnosed with TNBC can be scary. By speaking with your care team, you can better understand your options and the best path forward.
Meet the scientist advancing respiratory health and inspiring women and Latino scientists
Dr. Carmen La Rosa is uncovering new ways to help people with respiratory conditions
October 3, 2023
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Growing up, Dr. Carmen La Rosa shared a room with her younger brother who struggled with asthma. She saw the impact of asthma on her brother’s ability to play and how it worried her parents when he was sick.
She also watched her mother care for her brother around the clock when he was sick. It was this experience that sparked her interest in medicine. Over the years, La Rosa was inspired by how much his condition improved with changes in therapy and a better understanding of how to manage his asthma.
La Rosa, second from left, with her husband and children at her son’s medical school’s white coat ceremony.
La Rosa’s family encouraged her interests in science and helping people. Today, she is the first woman in her family to become a doctor and is a leader in MSD’s respiratory research.
As a physician and clinical epidemiologist, La Rosa has worked in multiple therapeutic areas. But it’s through respiratory research where she’s currently bringing together her desire to help others and her professional goal to advance knowledge of lung health.
Delving into the science behind respiratory conditions
An important area of La Rosa’s research focus has been chronic cough, which is defined as a cough that lasts longer than eight weeks. Her team is exploring the physiology behind this condition to better understand it.
“I’ve seen how chronic cough can affect patients’ lives — physically, socially and emotionally — this is a story that needs to be told,” La Rosa said. “I’ve known many people who are struggling with respiratory diseases, and I want to help change that. As our research moves the field forward, I believe that there’s hope for these patients.”
Mentoring tomorrow’s leaders
Outside of the lab, La Rosa enjoys volunteering in her community through our employee business resource group for Hispanic and Latino colleagues and speaking with Latino students about careers in science. Her goal is to inspire other women and Latinos to pursue careers in research and medicine.
When La Rosa first started her journey to become a physician-scientist, she was unaware that drug development was an option. La Rosa wants the next generation to know about the possibilities available to them in medical research and inspire them to pursue careers in science.
“Research offers you the opportunity to explore new areas in medicine, develop study designs and ultimately uncover new treatments that may help people in need,” La Rosa said. “This purpose keeps me grounded, even on the most challenging days.”
How we’re collaborating to address antimicrobial resistance – and why we can’t do it alone
Shared commitments like the AMR Action Fund are vital to make progress against this public health threat
September 8, 2023
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Antibiotics have transformed health care and saved countless lives. But rising levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) can make current antibiotics less effective. There’s no simple solution to the complex problem of AMR, but we’re committed to investing our expertise and resources alongside our partners to get antibiotics to those who need them most. Lives are at risk, and the time to act is now.
Through this groundbreaking partnership of over 20 leading pharmaceutical companies, philanthropies and organizations, we aim to bridge the gap between the innovative early antibiotic pipeline and patients. True to our legacy of preventing and treating infectious diseases, we’re proud of our commitment to invest $100 million over 10 years in the AMR Action Fund. The fund’s collective goal is to bring two to four novel antibiotics to patients and physicians by 2030.
As of early 2023, the AMR Action Fund has invested in five small biotech companies advancing research for new medicines to fight some of the most dangerous bacteria as determined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.
Here are five reasons collaborative efforts are key to addressing AMR:
01.
New antibiotics are urgently needed; however, there are relatively few in development.
The future of antibiotic innovation is at serious risk. Major scientific, regulatory and economic challenges discourage innovation in antibiotics, resulting in a decline in the number of companies conducting antimicrobial R&D. Recognizing there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to the problem, our company and others have suggested a series of policy reforms across several regions of the world. However, time is running out. We need collaboration from policymakers to help antibiotic innovation flourish for decades to come.
02.
Once new antibiotics are approved, they need to be used responsibly.
At MSD, we’re making significant investments to support antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), a broad term for the implementation of evidence-based policies to slow resistance to current antimicrobials. Our investments and partnerships help hospitals around the world develop and implement patient-centered AMS programs that are customized locally based on factors like epidemiology, clinical setting and resource availability to support the responsible prescribing and use of antimicrobials. We also provide significant grant funding to support a wide range of AMS initiatives and collaborations.
Some of our global contributions to AMS include:
Supporting the development of several AMS Centers of Excellence throughout the world.
Helping public health leaders effectively monitor and address emerging AMR infections, promote AMS and customize accepted AMS strategies to meet local needs.
Providing significant grant-funding for numerous investigator-initiated AMS research projects.
03.
Tracking resistance trends and using data to help doctors prescribe the right medicines remains critical.
Our company has been tracking global resistance trends for over 20 years. This data helps doctors prescribe the right medicines. One of the largest and longest-running AMR surveillance programs, our Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART) program has collected nearly 500,000 Gram-Negative bacterial isolates from around 220 sites in more than 60 countries since 2002.
We’re also a partner of the AMR Register, a first-ever online platform that allows pharmaceutical companies to securely share data on infection-causing pathogens with researchers, national governments and multilateral organizations working to fight AMR.
04.
AMR extends beyond human health.
The challenge of AMR is multifaceted, and a One Health approach to creating policies is critical to attain optimal health for people, animals and the environment.
When it comes to animal health, vaccines can help minimize the need for antibiotics. MSD Animal Health is one of the largest manufacturers of animal health vaccines, supplying over 102 billion doses each year.
Protecting the environment through responsible manufacturing is another key component of the One Health approach. We work with our partners in the AMR Industry Alliance to inform science-based manufacturing standards to help ensure scrutiny of industry manufacturing supply chains.
05.
The time to act against AMR is now.
With collaboration across the scientific community and policymakers, AMR is preventable.
We all have a role to play as we prepare for the next health crisis. We must act now to put measures in place to ensure we have the antibiotics we need.
“AMR is not a future problem — it’s here now, threatening human, animal and environmental health as we know it. We must take swift, collaborative action to help reduce the risk of AMR before it’s too late,” said Jennifer Zachary, executive vice president and general counsel at MSD and member of the Global Leaders Group on AMR.
MSD’s Q2 2023 results reflect sustained underlying growth. Our company announced Q2 worldwide sales of $15.0 billion, an increase of 3% from Q2 2022.
“We continue to make great progress as we advance our broad and deep pipeline, raise the bar of innovation, and bring forward leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world,” said Rob Davis, chairman and chief executive officer, MSD. “We delivered robust underlying growth during the second quarter and are well positioned to achieve strong full-year results. I’m proud of our talented, diverse and dedicated global team that continues to focus on creating value for patients and all our stakeholders now and well into the future.”
MSD anticipates full-year 2023 worldwide sales to be between $58.6 billion and $59.6 billion.
Take a look at the infographic below for more details on Q2 2023 results.
Listen as specialists from MSD discuss what they’re most excited about in researching potential treatments for neurologic disorders
July 13, 2023
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Our scientists are revolutionizing how we discover and develop treatments to address unmet medical needs in a number of areas, including neuroscience.
“It’s sort of like the final frontier,” said Joe Herring, scientific AVP, clinical research, in our new podcast. “You’re going off into space to try to figure out how to do very difficult things.”
For more, listen in as Herring sits down with MSD clinical research team senior principal scientists Yuki Mukai and Ari Merola as well as business development director Paige Lacatena to explore today’s breakthroughs and challenges in the field of neuroscience.
MSD’s business development and licensing team explain how they identify new opportunities to strengthen our robust R&D pipeline
June 5, 2023
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It takes a special kind of talent to find and secure the right deals to keep us at the forefront of innovation. Leaders from our business development and licensing team sat down to discuss how their work is a key component to building and maintaining a strong pipeline.
Here’s what you need to know:
01.
Harnessing our legacy
Our reputation for using leading-edge science can make business development connections easier, explains Lizabeth Leveille, vice president, business development.
02.
The speed and determination to get it done
Elizabeth Naldi-Jacob, vice president, business development, knows that having a direct line of reporting to the top is what sets MSD apart as a potential partner.
03.
Balancing the internal and the external
We have a one pipeline mindset, and each asset receives the same focus and rigor whether it comes from inside our company or out, says Christopher Mortko, vice president, business development.
04.
Working hand-in-hand with our scientists
Grace Han McMahon, associate vice president, business development, explains why engaging our internal science leaders is crucial to making the right deals.
05.
What we’re interested in (and why it’s everything)
Our panelists discuss why we focus on five key areas — and when we’re willing to look beyond them.
Great partnerships begin with great conversation. Learn more about how discovery & development and licensing shape the future of MSD.
Here for Good: Bridging the gap between bedside and bench
Members of MSD’s lung cancer clinical development team say working in the hospital inspired their drive to innovate for patients
May 19, 2023
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Dr. Ayman Samkari remembers how treating patients during his medical school rotations brought him face to face with the unmet needs of people with cancer. He learned to listen to what matters for patients beyond their diagnoses, and he sought new ways to make a greater impact as an oncologist.
Watch Samkari and Dr. Nazly Shariati discuss their passion for their work:
“Even though I enjoyed every moment of practicing medicine and treating patients with cancer, I had the question at the back of my mind: How can I do things differently? How can I improve patient outcomes?” recalled Samkari, who now works for MSD as executive director in oncology clinical development. “That’s what drove me to pursue my career in clinical research, where I could help patients on a larger scale.”
And after 25 years as a surgeon, when a hand ailment ultimately sidelined her in the operating room, Dr. Nazly Shariati found that research was another avenue to help more patients.
“MSD allowed me to not only fulfill my goals in life and my career but continue on my path to have an impact on patients’ lives.”
— Dr. Nazly Shariati
Senior principal scientist in oncology clinical development
From careers in clinical care to careers in research
Samkari’s background as an oncologist, and Shariati’s as a surgeon, have informed their work in our lung cancer clinical development program. All too familiar with the challenges of treating patients with advanced disease, Samkari and Shariati are shifting their research to investigating lung cancer at its earlier stages, before it has spread, when it’s more likely to be successfully treated.
When she was a cardiothoracic surgeon, Shariati often felt a sinking feeling whenever a patient’s lung cancer would return, which is common among people diagnosed with lung cancer that was removed surgically. But today she’s excited by scientific advances in resectable lung cancer focused on helping more patients.
Understanding the patient experience
Shariati said understanding the patient experience is what drives a researcher’s passion, innovation and desire to help others.
“It is very important to have that experience in managing and seeing patients because it gives you a completely different perspective on how you conduct your work.”
— Dr. Ayman Samkari
Executive director in oncology clinical development
Each day, Samkari and Shariati continue to push the boundaries in research to help make a difference for people living with cancer.
VIDEO: Patient with PAH shares her clinical trial experience
Diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension, Colleen Brunetti knows the importance of participating in clinical trials
May 15, 2023
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYzot8N7eSM
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Colleen Brunetti is a wife and a mother of two who lives with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) — a rare disease that affects the pulmonary arteries. She’s passionate about helping others affected by PAH and focused on helping the medical community by participating in clinical trials.
Patient volunteers like Brunetti are central to the success of clinical trials. Diverse participation is essential as different people may have different reactions to the same treatment, based on their age, gender, weight, race, ethnicity, lifestyle or severity of illness or disease.
“I'm acutely aware that without clinical trials, we don't move forward.”
— Colleen Brunetti
Participating in a clinical trial requires a supportive team
In addition to her doctors, Brunetti’s family is a key part of her support team. She said it’s vital to be open and understanding of the impact clinical trial participation may have not only on yourself, but also those around you. She added that talking, asking questions and learning more about the benefits and risks of a clinical trial is critical.
“We work as a team together to decide if a clinical trial, or anything that I need, is in my best interest,” she said. “No matter what you go through, there’s going to be changes. Having heart-to-heart conversations about what that looks like and what might need to be adjusted is really important.”
What Brunetti considered when joining a clinical trial
Brunetti said she encourages anyone considering joining a clinical trial to understand that “your doctor has to be your teammate.” She said questions will come up, like:
Will I receive the medicine or the placebo?
What kind of side effects might I anticipate?
How am I going to manage this?
What happens if there’s an emergency?
“If it’s not for you, that’s OK,” she said. “But if you can, I would encourage people to jump in with eyes wide open.”
Why it’s so important to participate in clinical trials
Clinical trials are research studies with volunteers designed to learn more about how our bodies respond to medicines, vaccines, medical devices or other treatments. It may take many clinical trials to understand which treatments work and how they work.
MSD’s Q1 2023 results reflect continued strong underlying performance across key growth drivers, particularly in oncology and vaccines. Our company announced Q1 worldwide sales of $14.5 billion.
“Inspired by our commitment to bring bold science forward to address critical unmet patient needs, we began 2023 with significant advancements across our innovative pipeline,” said Robert M. Davis, chairman and chief executive officer, MSD. “Our first-quarter results are a reflection of the focused execution of our science-led strategy, strong performance across our key growth drivers, continued momentum commercially and operationally, and — most importantly — the collective and dedicated efforts of our colleagues around the world. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, and we will continue to move with speed and agility to deliver value for patients and shareholders, now and well into the future.”
MSD anticipates full-year 2023 worldwide sales to be between $57.7 billion and $58.9 billion.
Take a look at the infographic below for more details on Q1 2023 results.
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