MilliporeSigma Expands Production Know-how to Deliver Full End-To-End Solution for Biopharma Industry

- Flexible factory concept allows accelerated drug development and delivery to market

- End-to-end solution available globally to help solve customer challenges

BILLERICA, Mass., May 2, 2016 /CNW/ -- MilliporeSigma today announced the expansion of its state-of-the art single use current good manufacturing process (cGMP) facility with the addition of the Mobius^® 2000L single-use bioreactor. With the new upstream suite at its Biodevelopment Center in France, MilliporeSigma can now offer clients full process line cGMP manufacturing, comprised of its own instrumentation and products.

"Our aim is to facilitate accelerated drug development and delivery via continued innovation and technical expertise by offering customers a complete end-to-end solution from clone to commercial production," said Udit Batra, Member, Executive Board, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and CEO, MilliporeSigma. "Our unique offering gives customers the choice to transfer their production at any stage with the confidence that we will ensure the most efficient transition into commercial manufacturing – at either an existing facility or one we help them design."

With this increase in scale and scope, MilliporeSigma can advance clients' recombinant products from cell line development through to late-stage clinical production. At the point of tech transfer out to a contract manufacturing organization or other facility, clients can also leverage MilliporeSigma's Provantage^® End-to-End Services available worldwide to mitigate the risks traditionally associated with upscaling to commercial production.

MilliporeSigma's Provantage^® End-to-End solution is a comprehensive suite of products and services that include process development, cGMP manufacturing, facility design, manufacturing equipment and consumables, process and equipment training, technology transfer and set-up for commercialization. The offering aims to minimize the risks for customers progressing from early clinical stages to commercial production helping to accelerate time to market and improve productivity and profitability.

About the Life Science Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

The life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has 19,000 employees and 72 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products enabling scientific discovery. Udit Batra is the global chief executive officer of MilliporeSigma.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany completed its $17 billion acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich in November 2015, creating a leader in the $130 billion global life science industry.

Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in healthcare, life science and performance materials. The company has six businesses – Biopharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, Allergopharma, Biosimilars, Life Science and Performance Materials – and generated sales of € 12.85 billion in 2015. Around 50,000 employees work in 66 countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to foster the success of customers and to help meet global challenges.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany 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 KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.

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SOURCE MilliporeSigma

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