NANTONG, China, August 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
- Merck Serono is the first and only multinational company in
China to dedicate a large scale
green-field investment to the production of pharmaceuticals on
China's essential drug
list
- First shipment of drugs to patients in 2017
- Facility is designed to comply with the highest
international standards in terms of quality, environment, health
and safety
Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical division of Merck, today
held the groundbreaking ceremony for its new pharmaceutical
manufacturing facility in Nantong, China. The new facility, which will be the
Group's second-largest pharmaceutical manufacturing facility
worldwide, will focus on the bulk production and packaging of
Glucophage®, Concor® and
Euthyrox®, Merck Serono's leading brands for the
treatment of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and thyroid
disorders, respectively. These medicines are referenced in
China's essential drug list,
making Merck Serono the first and only multinational company in
China to dedicate a large scale
green-field investment to the production of drugs on the list,
comprising medicines that address public healthcare needs and must
be available at all times.
(Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140827/703175 )
"We have steadfastly aligned our focus and strategy with the
Chinese government's efforts to increase patient access to quality
care throughout the country," said Belén Garijo, President and
Chief Executive Officer of Merck Serono. "Today, we are focused on
localizing production to better cater to the demands of Chinese
doctors and patients. At the same time, we are localizing research
and development to further build a differentiated portfolio of
medicines in China, aimed at
serving patient needs for general as well as specialized care. We
are also creating alliances and partnerships with local partners in
every part of our operations."
The new pharmaceutical manufacturing plant is located in the
Nantong Economical Technological Development Area (NETDA), in the
Greater Shanghai region (Yangtze
River Delta area). Based in NETDA's BioSpark zone, a high-tech
industrial park designed to accommodate life science enterprises,
the plant represents an investment of € 80 million and will be
Merck's largest manufacturing facility outside of Europe. The new facility will cover an area of
40,000 square meters, with a possible 20,000 square meters
extension. The construction of the site is scheduled to be
completed in 2016, with commercial production starting in 2017. The
site is designed to comply with the highest international standards
in terms of quality, as well as environment, health and safety. The
preservation of the environment is a critical consideration in the
facility's construction, with a maximization of resource efficiency
and minimized waste generation in the course of the manufacturing
process.
"We firmly believe that complying with the highest quality,
environment, health and safety standards is a natural commitment to
the communities where we operate, as well as a prerequisite to
ensuring the availability of high-quality medicines for patients,"
said E. Allan Gabor, President and
Chief Executive Officer of Merck Serono China. "By building our new
facility in the great city of Nantong, we are committing our
resources to the clear objective that our drugs be made more
readily available for hospitals, doctors and patients in
China. This emphasis is part of a
greater goal to promote not just better access to medicines, but
better access to health for every person in this country. This is a
key goal for China, and this is
Merck Serono's commitment."
About Merck Serono China
Headquartered in Beijing, Merck
Serono China currently employs 1,400 people in the country.
Merck Serono China offers a portfolio of medicines addressing
some of the key rising healthcare needs of the Chinese population,
including the division's leading brands serving patients with
cancer (Erbitux®), infertility (Gonal-f®), cardiometabolic diseases
(Concor®), as well as endocrine diseases (Glucophage®, Euthyrox®
and Thyrozol® ).
Merck Serono China also has branch offices in key cities, a
research center in Beijing,
clinical development capabilities across the country, as well as an
extensive network of collaborations with leading academic and
medical institutions, as well as local companies.
About Merck Serono
Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical division of Merck. With
headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, Merck Serono offers leading brands in
150 countries to help patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis,
infertility, endocrine and metabolic disorders as well as
cardiovascular diseases. In the United
States and Canada, EMD
Serono operates as a separately incorporated subsidiary of Merck
Serono.
Merck Serono discovers, develops, manufactures and markets
prescription medicines of both chemical and biological origin in
specialist indications. We have an enduring commitment to deliver
novel therapies in our core focus areas of neurology, oncology,
immuno-oncology and immunology.
For more information, please visit
http://www.merckserono.com.
All Merck Press Releases are distributed by e-mail at the same
time they become available on the Merck Website. Please go to
http://www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your
selection or discontinue this service.
Merck is a leading company for innovative and top-quality
high-tech products in the pharmaceutical and chemical sectors. With
its four divisions Merck Serono, Consumer Health, Performance
Materials and Merck Millipore, Merck generated total revenues of
€ 11.1 billion in 2013. Around 39,000 Merck employees work in
66 countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to
further the success of customers and to help meet global
challenges. Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical
company - since 1668, the company has stood for innovation,
business success and responsible entrepreneurship. Holding an
approximately 70 percent interest, the founding family remains the
majority owner of the company to this day. Merck, Darmstadt,
Germany is holding the global
rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are
Canada and the United States, where the company is known
as EMD.
