Vytorin data on cancer seen as "errant"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The American Heart Association's president-elect on Monday said the latest data on cancer deaths reported in Schering Plough Corp and Merck & Co's Vytorin cholesterol drug is "an errant signal for now."

Clyde Yancy, president-elect of the American Heart Association, commented on the findings of a closely watched heart study released earlier that found the drug combination failed to meet its main goal of improving cardiovascular outcomes.

There were numerically more cancer deaths in the group of patients treated with Vytorin compared with those on a placebo, although the difference could have been statistically due to chance.

"One has to surmise that the signal seen in the (current) trial was really just an errant signal for now," Yancy said, noting researchers checked two larger studies and found no similar signal.

The suggestion of cancer spooked some investors and lead to about a 15 percent drop in shares of Schering-Plough, which relies heavily on the drug, for its revenue.

Prior to the data, shares were down about 8 percent on the NYSE.

"We need to stay watchful. Certainly the signal was not strong enough that it should warrant a change in behavior," he said.