Sec Form 4 Filing - LeCointe-Cephas Lisa @ Merck & Co., Inc. - 2022-05-01

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person LeCointe-Cephas Lisa 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Merck & Co., Inc. [ MRK] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner X __ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) SVP Chief Ethics & Com Officer (Last) (First) (Middle) MERCK & CO., INC., 2000 GALLOPING HILL ROAD 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 05/01/2022 (Street) KENILWORTH, NJ07033 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 05/01/2022 M 640 A $ 88.69 3,052.781 D Common Stock 05/01/2022 F 220 D $ 88.69 2,832.781( 1 ) D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares Restricted Stock Unit ( 2 ) 05/01/2022 M 640( 3 ) 05/01/2021( 4 ) 05/01/2023 Common Stock 640 $ 0 643( 3 ) D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other LeCointe-Cephas Lisa MERCK & CO., INC. 2000 GALLOPING HILL ROAD KENILWORTH, NJ07033 SVP Chief Ethics & Com Officer Signatures /s/ Kelly E. W. Grez as attorney-in-fact for Lisa LeCointe-Cephas 05/03/2022 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )Holdings include shares acquired in dividend reinvestment transactions. ( 2 )Each restricted stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of Merck & Co., Inc. common stock. ( 3 )Holdings reflect the adjustments that occurred as of June 2, 2021 in connection with the Organon & Co. ("Organon") spin-off as described in the registration statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC by Organon (the "Form 10"). As reported in the Form 10, all Merck restricted stock unit awards outstanding as of immediately prior to the distribution date were converted on the distribution date into adjusted Merck awards for Merck employees to preserve the same intrinsic value and general terms and conditions (including vesting) as were in place immediately prior to the adjustments. ( 4 )These restricted stock units vest and are distributed as shares of Merck & Co., Inc. common stock in three equal installments on 5/1/2021, 5/1/2022 and 5/1/2023.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

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