Singapore: The US FDA has cancelled an advisory committee meeting that was scheduled to be held on July 18, 2013, in order to discuss Merck & Co's drug Sugammadex. The drug is designed to reverse the effects of muscle-relaxants used during surgery.

The FDA has declined to comment on the reason for cancellation of the meeting, referring questions to Merck. The pharma giant on the other hand has also not commented on the issue yet.

Sugammadex is the first in a new class of drugs, known as selective relaxant binding agents, that are designed to reverse the effects of the muscle-relaxants rocuronium and vecuronium.

Merck acquired sugammadex when it bought Schering-Plough for $41 billion in 2009.