• Merck Group will provide the first-to-market solution for virus detectionBlazar®Rodent-Origin Virus Detection Panel
• The biosafety testing cycle will be shortened by up to80%
• Reducing Animal Testing Through Molecular Techniques
Shanghai, China, November 7, 2022 — Merck Group, a global leading technology company, announced a partnership with Biotheus Inc. (referred to as "Biotheus"), a company dedicated to the research and development of drugs for malignant tumors and autoimmune diseases. By utilizing Merck's BioReliance® Blazar® Rodent Virus Detection Portfolio, the turnaround time (TAT) for cell line characterization at Biotheus can be reduced from approximately 60 days to 14 days.
(From left to right) Ju Hong Tao, Head of Biosafety Operations China for Biopharma Testing Services at Merck Life Science; Su Wang, Commercial Head of Biopharma Testing Services China at Merck Life Science; Hui Chen, Senior Director of Human Resources and Public Relations at Biotheus Inc.; and Ying Da Xu, Vice President of Chemical Manufacturing and Control (CMC) at Biotheus Inc.
Marc Jaffré, Managing Director of Merck Life Science China, stated: "The pressure to shorten delivery times and reduce bioresearch and development costs is driving growth in the biopharmaceutical field. The Merck BioReliance® brand has 75 years of experience in biosafety testing. With this advanced technology, its Blazar® testing platform can help our biopharmaceutical customers in China accelerate their scientific breakthroughs and produce safe, life-saving therapies more quickly."
"Merck's BioReliance® Blazar® detection platform is one of the few rapid testing technologies on the market, which will enable us to accelerate the approval process for Investigational New Drug (IND) applications and Biologics License Applications (BLA) in China and other countries and regions," said Mr. Xu Yingda, Vice President of Chemical Manufacturing and Control (CMC) at Biotheus Inc. "We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Merck, the global leader in biosafety testing and regulatory services, to develop new drugs for cancer and inflammatory diseases and expand our clinical trial activities worldwide."
Compared with traditional polymerase chain reaction methods, Merck BioReliance®'s Blazar® Rodent Origin Virus Detection Portfolio can detect a broader spectrum of exogenous viruses as it targets conserved regions within virus groups. This portfolio allows biopharmaceutical customers to eliminate the use of traditional animal testing for detecting rodent-origin viruses in cell banks used for producing biologics. The Blazar® Rodent Origin Virus Detection Portfolio, launched in the third quarter of 2020, responds to the 4R principles—Replacement, Reduction, Refinement, and Responsibility—by reducing the use of animals.
All Merck press releases will be sent via email simultaneously after being published on its official website. Please visit www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your preferences, or discontinue the service.
About Merck
Merck is a global leading technology company focusing on three major fields: healthcare, life sciences, and electronic technologies. With approximately 58,000 employees worldwide, Merck serves to create a more enjoyable and sustainable lifestyle, positively impacting the lives of millions. From advanced gene-editing technologies and discovering unique methods to treat challenging diseases, to enabling intelligent devices—Merck is everywhere. In 2021, Merck achieved total sales of 19.7 billion euros across 66 countries/regions.
Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have always been the key to Merck's technological progress and the secret to Merck's vitality since 1668. The Merck family, as the founder of the company, still holds the majority of Merck's shares. We are known as "Merck" globally, except in the United States and Canada. Merck's three major fields: healthcare, life science, and electronic technology are respectively referred to as "EMD Serono," "MilliporeSigma," and "EMD Electronics" in these two countries. Merck has a development history of 89 years in China, with more than 4,500 employees currently, and 20 registered companies in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Wuxi, Suzhou, and Nantong.
About Biotheus
Biotheus Inc. was registered and established in 2018. Adhering to the entrepreneurial mission of "igniting the spark of innovation, achieving a healthy life," the company focuses on malignant tumors and autoimmune diseases, and is committed to the research and development and industrialization of China's Class I innovative biopharmaceuticals. Biotheus is advancing over 20 Class I novel biopharmaceutical projects, with several new drug projects currently in clinical research stages. Biotheus has established new drug R&D centers in Zhuhai, Suzhou, and Hong Kong, China, set up clinical research centers in Shanghai and Beijing, and is constructing an industrial production base in Nantong. The core team of Biotheus is one of the few teams in China with experience in high-end biopharmaceutical R&D, product registration, and market launch both domestically and internationally, possessing an average of over 20 years of extensive experience in the development and industrialization of high-end biopharmaceuticals.
