Merck on Monday said it’s stopping development of both of its COVID-19 vaccine candidates. The candidates in studies “were generally well tolerated, but the immune responses were inferior to those seen following natural infection and those reported for other SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 vaccines,” the New Jersey-based company said in a statement. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. The CCP virus is also known as SARS-CoV-2. Merck’s studies were phase 1, meaning the vaccines were not close to being fully developed. Merck signed a deal with the U.S. government last year to supply up to 100,000 vaccine doses. The company is now focusing on two therapeutic candidates for the new virus. “We are grateful to our collaborators who worked with us on these vaccine candidates and to the volunteers in the trials,” Dr. Dean Li, president of Merck Research Laboratories, said in a statement. “We are resolute in our …