Merck Serono Invests in Shanghai Manufacturing Facility

Merck Serono is investing €80 million in a new pharmaceutical manufacturing facility located in the Nantong Economical Technological Development Area (NETDA), in the Greater Shanghai region. The new facility will focus on the bulk production and packaging of Glucophage, Concor and Euthyrox, Merck’s leading brands for the treatment of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and thyroid disorders respectively. The new facility will cover an area of 40,000 square meters, with the option to expand by 20,000 square meters. Construction of the site is scheduled to be completed in 2016, and begin commercial production in 2017.
 
“This further investment in China reflects Merck’s long-term commitment to the country where our group has been present for 80 years,” said Belén Garijo, president and chief executive officer of Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical division of Merck. “We are proud to be one of the first multinational companies investing in a local site focused on the manufacturing of medicines referenced in China’s essential drug list, and serve the country’s expanding healthcare needs in the areas of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and thyroid disorders, by bringing high-quality medicines made in China to a broader population, in full alignment with the Chinese government’s goal to increase access to quality products.”