Sec Form 4 Filing - Karachun Rita A @ Merck & Co., Inc. - 2022-10-28

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 Karachun Rita A 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) Sr. VP Fince-Global Controller (Last) (First) (Middle) MERCK & CO., INC., 126 EAST LINCOLN AVENUE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 10/28/2022 (Street) RAHWAY, NJ07065 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 10/28/2022 M 16,997 A $ 0 58,099.972 D Common Stock 10/28/2022 M 15,000 A $ 0 73,099.972 D Common Stock 10/28/2022 S 31,997 D $ 100.3433( 1 ) 41,102.972( 2 ) 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 Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 53.06 10/28/2022 M 16,997 05/10/2017( 3 ) 05/09/2026 Common Stock 16,997 $ 0 0 D Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 62.07( 4 ) 10/28/2022 M 15,000 05/05/2018( 5 ) 05/04/2027 Common Stock 15,000 $ 0 15,875( 4 ) D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other Karachun Rita A MERCK & CO., INC. 126 EAST LINCOLN AVENUE RAHWAY, NJ07065 Sr. VP Fince-Global Controller Signatures /s/ Kelly E. W. Grez as Attorney-in-Fact for Rita Karachun 11/01/2022 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $100.2800 to $100.4700, inclusive. The reporting person undertakes to provide to Merck & Co., Inc., any security holder of Merck & Co., Inc., or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth above in this footnote. ( 2 )Holdings include shares acquired in dividend reinvestment transactions. ( 3 )The option became exercisable in equal installments on 5/10/2017, 5/10/2018 and 5/10/2019. ( 4 )Exercise price and 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 stock option 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. ( 5 )The option became exercisable in equal installments on 5/5/2018, 5/5/2019 and 5/5/2020.

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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