Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the appointment of Jennifer Zachary as general counsel, effective April 16, 2018. Zachary will be responsible for Merck’s global legal, security and aviation, and environmental, health and safety organizations, and be a member of Merck’s Executive Committee. She succeeds Michael J. Holston.

“We are delighted to welcome Jennifer as our new general counsel. Her extensive experience across the biopharmaceutical industry makes her an exceptional addition to our team,” said Kenneth C. Frazier, chairman and chief executive officer, Merck.

Zachary is currently a partner at Covington & Burling in the firm’s food, drug, and device practice group where she advises a wide range of manufacturers and industry trade associations on FDA’s requirements for the development, manufacture, and distribution of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, biologics, and medical devices. Zachary began her career in FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel, where she served as an Associate Chief Counsel for Enforcement from 2005 to 2011. Zachary also served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

"I’m honored and excited to have the opportunity to join Merck’s Executive Committee,” said Zachary. “I have long admired Merck for its steadfast commitment to its core values and I look forward to contributing to the company’s long-term success.”

About Merck

For more than a century, Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and communities around the world - including cancer, cardio-metabolic diseases, emerging animal diseases, Alzheimer’s disease and infectious diseases including HIV and Ebola. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).