Merck Launches Pen-Shaped Device for Fertility Treatments

Q: How is Merck’s novel ovarian stimulation treatment for infertility making a difference?

A: Infertility is defined as the absence of a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. It is a common condition experienced by between 50-80 million people globally. It can be caused by numerous reasons, equally divided between men and women. In Mexico, there are at least 2.6 million cases of infertility and 180,000 new diagnoses are added every year.

Merck offers women a portfolio of products that help them overcome infertility. We recently introduced to the market an ovarian stimulation treatment: a pen-shaped device that is safe and comfortable to use, leading to easier application and higher adherence to treatment. This innovative mechanism is a short-term hormonal treatment that can be applied by the patient herself. She selects the amount of medicine to be administered without the need to prepare it beforehand.

Hormonally stimulating the number of ovules released in each menstrual cycle allows for a higher percentage of successful pregnancies by having more than one embryo available during the assisted reproduction process. These embryos can be used in the current cycle or preserved or cryopreserved for a later treatment.

Q: How does this device complement your portfolio of assisted reproduction treatments?

A: This launch completes our portfolio of pen-shaped devices, an area in which Merck is a leader. With this product, we can cover all stages in the assisted reproduction process and provide individualized treatment according to the needs of each patient.

Our pen-shaped devices make it easier for patients to adhere to treatment, which is a global issue for any pharmaceutical company. In fertility, adherence becomes even more challenging because almost every solution in the market consists of products for intramuscular application, which are harder to apply. Merck’s novel treatment gives patients a convenient application device to make it easier for the patient to use the treatment.

The pen-shaped device is a complement to a hormonal product that was already in the Mexican market; it aims to improve clinical results by offering a better, easier way to apply the medication.

Q: Infertility affects both women and men. Why did the company choose to develop a solution for women?

A: Different assisted reproduction treatments can stimulate either partner but the female system is more likely to benefit from treatment. As a result, Merck has created different treatments for infertility that support women, even after they become pregnant.

Q: How will Merck introduce this device to the Mexican market?

A: Mexico has over 100 assisted reproduction centers, in which we try to be present. Merck works alongside medical professionals to introduce our treatments and to listen to their feedback.

Besides developing specialized treatments, Merck constantly works to inform and sensitize the Mexican population to the importance of treating infertility in a timely manner. Merck has operated for over 350 years and has been in Mexico for over 90 years. We invest over €2.6 billion (US$3.02 billion) in annual R&D to develop solutions for patients, including fertility treatments, which allows us to develop highly innovative products that improve to patient’s lives and contribute to science and technology.

Merck Group, founded in 1668 in Germany, is the oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company in the world. It works in biopharma, OTCs, allergen immunotherapy, high-tech chemicals and life sciences. The company has been present in Mexico since 1930.