Merck, a prominent science and technology company, has successfully completed the second phase of its new Biologics Testing Center in China, involving a €29 million investment. The expansion adds 1,500 square meters to the laboratory in Shanghai, which initially opened last year. This development marks Merck’s introduction of biosafety laboratories to the Chinese market, allowing local access to a wide array of testing services crucial for cell line characterization and lot release throughout the biopharmaceutical development process.
Dirk Lange, Head of Life Science Services at Merck, emphasized the significance of the facility’s opening in deepening the company’s partnership with Chinese clients who play a pivotal role in advancing modern medicine. The Biologics Testing Center in Shanghai now provides essential local services, leveraging Merck’s extensive 75 years of global experience in the testing market.
The first phase of investment focused on viral clearance studies, a critical aspect of drug development. The second phase enhances the facility’s capabilities for cell line characterization, supporting biopharmaceutical customers in ensuring the safety, purity, and identity of their cell banks. The testing center also offers cGMP-compliant lot release testing, meeting requirements for biologics entering preclinical and clinical studies, as well as licensed biologics.
With the completion of the second phase, Merck’s Biologics Testing Center in Shanghai now offers a comprehensive range of biosafety testing services for monoclonal antibodies, recombinant proteins, and cell and gene therapies. This facility is integrated into Merck’s global biosafety testing network, which includes sites in Singapore, the UK, and the USA, ensuring consistent global expertise, standards, and quality systems. Merck’s BioReliance® testing services portfolio, with a focus on innovation, plays a vital role in ensuring the safety and quality of the biopharmaceutical industry’s supply chain, serving over 1,000 clients globally across various modalities such as monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, cell and gene therapies, mRNA, and vaccines.
About Merck
Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. More than 64,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2022, Merck generated sales of € 22.2 billion in 66 countries.
Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck’s technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare, and EMD Electronics in electronics.
