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My husband found this in his investment information.  Thought it might help
some on list.  Bev in Milwaukee

MERCK'S DRUG:  PROMISE IN TREATING MALE OSTEOPOROSIS; ANALYST
UPGRADE

NEW YORK, Oct 1 (abridged from Reuters) - Merck & Co. (MRK) said on Friday
it will seek approval for its osteoporosis drug Fosamax as a treatment of
the disease in men, following positive results of a clinical trial
conducted in men with the bone condition.  Merck plans to use the Phase V
trial results, which it said are encouraging, to file for Fosamax's
approval as a male osteoporosis treatment.  Merck said there are now no
drugs approved in the United States for the treatment of male osteoporosis.

Merck said its Phase V study of Fosamax is the first large study it has
conducted to test the drug in men since the drug was first approved in
1995 for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.  Phase V studies are
conducted when drug companies seek approval for an existing drug in a new
indication.  Fosamax, a nonhormonal bone-specific therapy, has also been
approved for several other bone-related problems.  Osteoporosis, a bone
condition in which bones progressively become thinner, primarily affects
elderly women.  Only one in five people affected with the disease are men.

The two-year, placebo-controlled study of Fosamax included 241 men with
osteoporosis.  All men in the trial were treated daily with calcium and
vitamin D supplements and either 10 milligrams of Fosamax or a placebo.
The company said patients treated with Fosamax had statistically
significant increases in bone mineral density at the spine and hip, and
reduced height loss compared with those on placebo.  In those taking
Fosamax, significant increases in bone mineral density were seen as early
as six months, the first measurement point of the study, and increases
were seen at all subsequent measurement points during the study.
Treatment with Fosamax also appeared to decrease height loss, which is
often associated with osteoporotic fractures of the spine.

In addition, Merck & Co. (MRK) received an "Outperform" rating from
Schroder & Co. during the past week.