Asthma Healing

Merck & Company has expanded its relationship with the New York office of DDB Worldwide, part of the Omnicom Group, by naming the agency to handle its Singulair anti-asthma drug, which had been handled by the New York office of FCB Worldwide, part of True North Communications. Spending was estimated at $40 million.

Sri Ramaswami, a spokesman for Merck in West Point, Pa., confirmed a report of the decision in the online edition of Adweek. The selection came after a review that had been narrowed to four finalists: DDB New York, FCB New York and the New York offices of McCann-Erickson Worldwide Advertising, part of the McCann-Erickson World Group unit of the Interpublic Group of Companies, and J. Walter Thompson, part of the WPP Group.

DDB New York also handles the Vioxx arthritis drug for Merck as well as a new anticholesterol drug being marketed jointly by Merck and Schering-Plough.