Merck Announces Expanded Co-Pay Assistance Program for Isentress (Raltegravir)

Whitehouse Station, N.J. -- Merck today announced an enhanced co-pay assistance program for people living with HIV-1 who are taking the Company's first-in-class HIV-1 integrase inhibitor, ISENTRESS® (raltegravir) Tablets. The program provides important savings for privately-insured patients with out-of-pocket costs for ISENTRESS, and is part of Merck's ongoing commitment to providing access to treatment.

People who have been prescribed ISENTRESS who meet certain requirements are eligible to participate in the program, in which they can receive a Savings Coupon for up to $400 toward out-of-pocket costs on each of up to 12 eligible prescriptions of ISENTRESS, regardless of the number of tablets supplied on the prescription. The program applies to eligible patients who have private health insurance with a co-payment for the prescription. Savings are limited to co-pay amount and eligibility restrictions, terms and conditions apply.

"This effort, along with Merck's ongoing collaboration with AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs), further reinforces the Company's long-standing commitment to providing access to our medicines," said Patrick Bergstedt, senior vice president and general manager, Merck Infectious Diseases Franchise. "Given today's economic climate, programs that help alleviate the high co-pay costs that many HIV-1 patients face are increasingly important."

The program is not available to patients who are covered under Medicaid, Medicare, a Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan (regardless of whether a specific prescription is covered), TRICARE, CHAMPUS, Government Health Insurance Plan ("Healthcare Reform"), or any other state or federal medical or pharmaceutical benefit program or pharmaceutical assistance program, or to residents of Massachusetts. Participants must be residents of the United States or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to be eligible for the program.

Eligible patients can enroll in the Savings Coupon program and receive additional information about co-pay assistance by calling 1-877-264-2440 or at www.ISENTRESS.com. The Savings Coupon for ISENTRESS expires Sept. 30, 2012.

SUPPORT™ Program

The SUPPORT™ Program is designed to help patients who have been prescribed ISENTRESS or CRIXIVAN® (indinavir sulfate). The SUPPORT Program is a two-part program that consists of free reimbursement support services and a patient assistance program for eligible individuals through a single toll-free call to 1-800-850-3430. For Information about this program and others, please visit www.merckhelps.com.