PR97372

Merck Becomes One of the First CDMOs to Provide Full Viral Vector Offering with Launch of VirusExpress(R) 293 Adeno-Associated Virus Production Platform

DARMSTADT, Germany, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

   -- Reduces process development time by an estimated 40 percent

   -- Enables biopharmaceutical companies to increase the speed to clinical

      manufacturing

   -- Adds to company's best-in-class VirusExpress(R) Lentiviral Production

      Platform

Merck, a leading science and technology company, has launched the

VirusExpress(R) 293 Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) Production Platform (

https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3615177-1&h=3615877518&u=http%3A%2F%2Femdmillipore.com%2FUS%2Fen%2F20200814_225427&a=VirusExpress%C2%AE+293+Adeno-Associated+Virus+(AAV)+Production+Platform

), making it one of the first CDMOs and technology-developers to provide a full

viral vector manufacturing offering including AAV, Lentiviral, CDMO, CTO, and

process development. This new platform enables biopharmaceutical companies to

increase the speed to clinical manufacturing while reducing process development

time and costs.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1874155/Merck_VirusExpress.jpg

"Cell and gene therapies offer the potential for curative treatments and can be

commercialized in half the time compared to traditional therapies," said Dirk

Lange, Head of Life Science Services, Life Science business sector at Merck.

"By increasing dose yields and dramatically reducing process development time,

our VirusExpress(R) 293 AAV Production Platform will accelerate manufacturing

of these therapies, ultimately delivering lifesaving treatments to patients

faster."

The new platform is an extension of the company's VirusExpress(R) offering,

which can reduce process development time by up to 40 percent, based on Merck's

experience as a CDMO. The company's VirusExpress(R) Lentiviral Production

Platform has enabled customers to increase the speed to clinical manufacturing,

achieve five times higher titer than the leading competitor, and transition a

legacy process to a templated solution.

Merck's VirusExpress(R) Platforms offer a simplified upstream workflow for the

production of AAV and Lentivirus, making processes easier to manage, adjust and

scale. In addition to accelerating process development, the suspension culture

format allows for larger batch yields to enable more patient doses.

Additionally, suspension culture is amenable to scalable robust manufacturing

processes, while being less labor-intensive. The chemically defined cell

culture media eliminates the safety, regulatory and supply chain concerns

related to animal- and human-derived materials. Flexible licensing allows

companies to manufacture vectors by using Merck's contract manufacturing

capabilities and expertise with access to both the upstream and downstream

templates or by using in-house development or a third-party.

The Life Science business sector of Merck is a leading CDMO and has been

involved in this space since clinical trials for gene therapy began in the

1990s. In October 2021, the company opened its second Carlsbad,

California-based facility, more than doubling its existing production capacity

to support large-scale commercial manufacturing.

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About Merck

Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science,

healthcare and electronics. More than 60,000 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 advancing gene editing technologies and

discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the

intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2021, Merck generated

sales of (Euros) 19.7 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.

SOURCE: Merck

CONTACT: Rachel Bloom Baglin, Phone: +49 6151 72-44461