KENILWORTH, N.J. (AP) — Drugmaker Merck boosted its third-quarter profit by 55% and blew past Wall Street expectations, due to slightly higher sales, restrained spending and a small, one-time gain. The Kenilworth, New Jersey, company said it's making progress on three efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic: two different vaccines and an antiviral drug. The maker of cancer blockbuster Keytruda on Tuesday reported net income of $2.94 billion, or $1.16 per share, up from $1.9 billion, or 74 cents per share, a year earlier. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs and costs related to mergers and acquisitions, came to $1.74 per share.Read more on NewsOK.com