Merck Begins Phase 3 Trial of Ohtuvayre in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations

09:24 AM EST, 11/03/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Merck (MRK) has initiated Enhance-3 phase 3 trial evaluating Ohtuvayre for the prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, exacerbations in adult patients receiving standard of care, the drugmaker said Tuesday. The trial's primary endpoint is the annualized rate of adjudicated moderate or severe COPD exacerbations, while secondary endpoints include lung function and health-related quality of life, among others, the company said. Recruitment for the Enhance-3 study has started, with the first patients now enrolling in the US, Merck said, adding that the trial will enroll about 2,136 patients in 28 countries.