Merck said on Monday its drug met the main goal of reducing a type of cholesterol in two late-stage studies.
The drug, enlicitide decanoate, is being evaluated as a treatment for hyperlipidemia, a condition where there is elevated buildup of fat in the blood vessels.
The company said the drug showed meaningful reductions in the levels of LDL-C, or low-density lipoprotein, which is commonly known as bad cholesterol.
Enlicitide was tested in patients who have a history of, or are at risk for heart disease.
(Reporting by Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)