Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada, announced results from the Phase 3 VICTOR trial, evaluating VERQUVO® (vericiguat) in adults with stable chronic heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The trial compared VERQUVO to placebo in patients on guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) without a recent worsening heart failure event. The study did not meet its primary endpoint of reducing the combined risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure.
In VICTOR, the composite outcome occurred in 18% of patients on VERQUVO versus 19.1% on placebo (HR 0.93; 95% CI 0.83–1.04; p=0.22). Secondary results showed numerically fewer cardiovascular deaths with VERQUVO (9.6% vs. 11.3%; HR 0.83; 95% CI 0.71–0.97) and similar rates of heart failure hospitalization (11.4% vs. 11.9%). The safety profile remained consistent with prior studies.
A pre-specified pooled analysis of patient-level data from VICTOR and the earlier VICTORIA trial (in patients with recent worsening HFrEF) included 11,155 patients and showed a statistically significant reduction in cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization with VERQUVO across a broad range of disease severity. No new safety concerns were identified.
VERQUVO was initially approved based on the pivotal VICTORIA trial, which demonstrated benefit in high-risk patients with worsening chronic HFrEF and an ejection fraction below 45%. The pooled findings now expand insight into VERQUVO’s role across the heart failure spectrum, reinforcing its positive benefit-risk profile for patients with HFrEF following a recent heart failure event.