Merck Expands Production Know-how to Deliver Full End-To-End Solution for Biopharma Industry

• Flexible factory concept allows accelerated drug development and delivery to market
• End-to-end solution available globally to help solve customer challenges

Darmstadt, Germany, May 2, 2016 — Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced the expansion of its state-of-the art single use current good manufacturing process (cGMP) facility with the addition of the Mobius® 2000L single-use bioreactor. With the new upstream suite at its Biodevelopment Center in France, Merck can now offer clients full process line cGMP manufacturing, comprised of Merck’s own instrumentation and products.

“Our aim is to facilitate accelerated drug development and delivery via continued innovation and technical expertise by offering customers a complete end-to-end solution from clone to commercial production,” said Udit Batra, member of the Merck Executive Board and CEO, Life Science. “Our unique offering gives customers the choice to transfer their production at any stage with the confidence that we will ensure the most efficient transition into commercial manufacturing – at either an existing facility or one we help them design.”

With this increase in scale and scope, Merck can advance clients’ recombinant products from cell line development through to late-stage clinical production. At the point of tech transfer out to a contract manufacturing organization or other facility, clients can also leverage Merck’s Provantage® End-to-End Services available worldwide to mitigate the risks traditionally associated with upscaling to commercial production.

Merck’s Provantage® End-to-End solution is a comprehensive suite of products and services that include process development, cGMP manufacturing, facility design, manufacturing equipment and consumables, process and equipment training, technology transfer and set-up for commercialization. The offering aims to minimize the risks for customers progressing from early clinical stages to commercial production helping to accelerate time to market and improve productivity and profitability.

About Merck
Merck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 50,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life – from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2015, Merck generated sales of € 12.85 billion in 66 countries.

Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck, Darmstadt, Germany holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.