PR-Premier Marketing Communications Agency provides support to MSD Russia in getting media coverage of the MSD Russia’s completion of merger with Schering-Plough.

MSD Russia Announces Completion of Merger with Schering-Plough ~ MSD Russia In Line With Emerging Markets Growth Strategy ~

MOSCOW, Russia, July 01, 2010 – MSD today announced the completion of the local merger of MSD and Schering-Plough in Russia. MSD is a tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., with headquarters in Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A. The company was recently renamed into MSD Pharmaceuticals LLC. Today, personnel, activities and assets have been transferred from the representative office of Merck Sharpe & Dohme IDEA, Inc. to MSD Pharmaceuticals LLC.

MSD Pharmaceuticals LLC, which has been restructured to capture the value of our integrated product portfolios and customer bases, will provide commercial operations, such as marketing, sales, and administrative services as well as medical and clinical support locally.

Legal Integration Positions MSD Russia For Growth

“In Russia, MSD will be a company of approximately 900 employees with strong potential and large ambitions,” said Robert Karl, managing director of MSD Russia. “This is a major milestone and prerequisite to embark on our ambitions with a strong and integrated organization. MSD aims to become a health care leader in Russia. As a company, we are exploring opportunities for a range of new investments in Russia as one of MSD's key emerging markets. We are looking into collaborative partnerships in Russia in line with our stated aim of developing innovative, first-in-class products that change basic medical practice, improve health and save lives.”

In 2009 combined MSD/Schering-Plough was ranked #12 by market share among multinational and local companies with a 2,5% market share and sales of $306 million worldwide (IMS Health 2009).

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As part of the legal integration, MSD in Russia also plans to relocate offices to a new, 4,285-square-meter office park at the Pavlovsky Business Center in Moscow by year end. Robert Karl, said, “We bring the employees of both legacy companies – MSD and Schering-Plough in Russia – together as the new MSD and we will now have the work environment to better collaborate as a team. This will support us in achieving our goal to become an industry leader in Russia.”

Client: MSD