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Merck pairs up with Chinese drugmaker Sinopharm
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Merck & Co. said Tuesday it will team up with Sinopharm, a huge Chinese distributor and maker of pharmaceutical and other health products, to market vaccines and potentially other drugs.

In its latest move to expand in emerging markets, Merck will form a joint venture with Sinopharm, cooperating on vaccines for diseases such as human papillomavirus in China. Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a sexually transmitted disease that causes most cases of cervical cancer. Merck makes Gardasil, one of two vaccines approved to prevent HPV.

Merck said the companies will discuss teaming up to sell Merck's drugs in the country, the world's third-biggest economy with a population of more than 1 billion people. Merck's prescription medicines range from diabetes pill Januvia and heart drugs Cozaar and Hyzaar to Remicade for rheumatoid arthritis and Singulair and Nasonex for allergies.

Sinopharm, short for China National Pharmaceutical Group Corp., is China's largest pharmaceutical and health industrial group under supervision of the State Council. Its 10 businesses include drug distribution and sales, pharmaceutical production, traditional and herbal medicines, medical device manufacturing and six institutes working on biological products.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Merck-pair...