Merck Halts Sales of Cholesterol Drug Outside U.S.

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Merck & Co. will stop selling the cholesterol drug Tredaptive, marketed outside the U.S., after a the treatment was shown to be ineffective and potentially harmful in a study.

The medicine is approved in 70 countries and sold in 40, the Whitehouse Station, New Jersey-based company said in a statement today. Merck said last month it wouldn’t seek U.S. approval after findings revealed Tredaptive didn’t reduce heart attacks or stroke and led to non-fatal serious side effects.