Merck Millipore Launches Cellvento™ CHO-200 Chemically Defined Cell Culture Medium for Consistent High Performance in Fed-Batch Mode

• Cellvento™ CHO-200 medium and complementary feeds provide efficient fed-batch culture
• Delivers robust cell growth and high productivity
• Backed by Merck Millipore’s deep regulatory expertise in pharmaceutical raw materials

June 24, 2013, Darmstadt, Germany — Merck Millipore, the Life Science division of Merck, today launched Cellvento™ CHO-200 chemically defined cell culture medium, a product of non-animal origin that delivers robust cell growth and consistent high performance. Accompanied by complementary Cellvento™ Feed products, the new medium is optimized specifically for fed-batch processes using CHO-S cell types expressing monoclonal antibodies.

Cellvento™ CHO-200 medium and its corresponding feeds do not contain hydrolysates or components of unknown composition, resulting in very good lot-to-lot consistency. The formulation supports high cell density growth and extended culture duration as well as long duration of high cell viability. This facilitates the production of high protein titers and results in strong productivity and product quality.

Cellvento™ CHO-200 medium and Cellvento™ Feeds are produced in dry powder form at the company’s cGMP facility, using fully traceable raw materials sourced from qualified suppliers, leading to reliable homogeneity that allows for effective powder dissolution and uniform component distribution. A liquid version of Cellvento™ CHO-200 medium will be introduced in the fall of 2013.

"The new Cellvento™ CHO-200 medium expands our existing CHO medium offerings, allowing us to fully support our customers as they switch to the production mode of operation," said Dr. Antoine Heron, Head of Biopharm Materials & Technologies. "Our profiling and processing technologies for raw materials and cell culture media, which promote scalable and predictable performance, further differentiate Merck Millipore in the raw materials and cell culture media market. Combined with our deep expertise in regulatory requirements for pharmaceutical ingredients, we allow biopharmaceutical manufacturers to improve their process and increase their speed to market."

To learn more about Cellvento™ CHO-200 medium, visit Merck Millipore at booth G7 at ESACT in Lille, France, June 23-26, or visit www.merckmillipore.com/cellvento.

About Merck Millipore
Merck Millipore is the Life Science division of Merck KGaA of Germany and offers a broad range of innovative, performance products, services and business relationships that enable our customers’ success in research, development and production of biotech and pharmaceutical drug therapies. Through dedicated collaboration on new scientific and engineering insights, and as one of the top three R&D investors in the Life Science Tools industry, Merck Millipore serves as a strategic partner to customers and helps advance the promise of life science.

Headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, the division has around 10,000 employees, operations in 66 countries and 2012 revenues of €2.6 billion Merck Millipore operates as EMD Millipore in the U.S. and Canada.

Note: Merck KGaA or Merck shall mean Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany