UPDATE 1-Merck and Bayer's heart drug meets main goal of late-stage study

Merck & Co Inc <MRK.N said on Monday an experimental treatment being developed with Bayer AG for patients with worsening chronic heart failure met the main goal of a late-stage study. Compared to placebo, the drug, vericiguat, reduced the risk of heart failure hospitalization or cardiovascular death in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) when given in combination with available therapies, Merck said.