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MEDICAL
Merck, Schering-Plough seek OK
for experimental cholesterol drug
Zetia is the first drug up for FDA OK from the firms' joint venture. Studies showed Zetia cuts "bad" LDL cholesterol by 18% when used alone. It lowers LDL levels by another 18% when used with other big cholesterol drugs. Cholesterol drug sales hit $7 bil in '00. They're expected to reach $30 bil by '07.
A combination allergy drug by Merck and Schering-Plough didn't show improvement over current drugs, late-stage trials showed.
Merck-Medco plan ups generics
The drug benefits manager said its "Generics First" program boosted generic use by 22%. That could cut drug costs by millions. The Merck unit provides 1,700 doctors access to generics in four drug groups.