Merck Sharp and Dohme ‘to call international media strategy review’

Merck Sharp and Dohme has alerted PR agencies to its plans to carry out a review of its international media strategy, according to a report.

Campaign reports that the review will focus on the pharmaceutical company's media operations in markets outside the US, which are worth an estimated 100 million pounds.

Current advertising partners for Merck include ZenithOptimedia, which has handled the Clarityn brand since winning the brief in 2008 from Schering-Plough, while it is also responsible for several Merck products in Australia.

European media work is also carried out by Initiative, which shares Merck's US media account with DraftFCB, its sister Interpublic agency.

Merck Sharp and Dohme is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, generating worldwide sales of $11.5 billion (7.2 billion pounds) during the third quarter of 2012.

The company is planning to submit a number of new drugs for regulatory approval before the end of 2013, including the insomnia therapy suvorexant and osteoporosis treatment odanacatib.