Merck, the pharmaceutical giant with sizable operations in West Point, has decided to discontinue the development of the experimental COVID-19 drug it acquired from a $425 million acquisition of OncoImmune late last year, writes Berkeley Lovelace Jr. for CNBC.

The company decided to end the development of MK-7110 after the Food and Drug Administration asked for additional data to support an emergency use authorization.

Clinical trial data showed in an interim analysis that the drug improved the chances of recovery for sickest COVID-19 patients and reduced the risk of death and respiratory failure.

However, the company disclosed in February that the FDA had asked for additional data beyond the phase three trial that had already been conducted.

Now, Merck has decided that due to the time and resources required to provide the additional data, it will discontinue the development. It will now focus on advancing its other COVID-19 drug along with accelerating production of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

“Based on the additional research that would be required – new clinical trials as well as research related to manufacturing at scale – MK-7110 would not be expected to become available until the first half of 2022,” said the company.

Read more about Merck at CNBC.