Merck, a German multinational science and technology company, has expanded its new €29 million Biologics Testing Center in China, completing the second phase and adding 1,500 square meters to the lab, which was inaugurated last year.
These biosafety laboratories mark Merck's initial foray into the Chinese market, providing local access to a comprehensive array of testing services for cell line characterization and lot release across the spectrum from pre-clinical development to commercialization.
“The opening of the facility deepens our partnership with our Chinese clients who are at the forefront of shaping modern medicine,” said Dirk Lange, Head of Life Science Services, Life Science business sector of Merck. “The Biologics Testing Center in Shanghai now provides critical local services backed by our more than 75 years of global experience in the testing market.”
The initial investment's first phase focused on delivering testing services for viral clearance studies, a crucial stage in drug development. The second phase enhances capabilities for cell line characterization, supporting biopharma customers in ensuring the safety, purity, and identity of their cell banks.
Furthermore, the testing center provides cGMP-compliant lot release testing for unprocessed and purified bulk harvest to meet the requirements for biologics entering preclinical and clinical studies, as well as licensed biologics.
Following the completion of the facility's second phase, Merck now offers an extensive range of biosafety testing services encompassing monoclonal antibodies, other recombinant proteins, and cell and gene therapies.
The Shanghai facility integrates with Merck’s global biosafety testing network, which includes sites in Singapore, Stirling, and Glasgow, UK, as well as Rockville, MD, USA, sharing the same global expertise, standards, and quality systems.
Meanwhile, Merck boasts a global clientele of over 1,000 clients, offering an industry-leading portfolio breadth covering major modalities such as monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, cell and gene therapies, mRNA, and vaccines.
