• Provides customizable, full end-to-end solutions in process development from early stage to industrial production
• Lab marks five years of continuous operation and 400+ activities, benefitting more than 10,000 customers

The facility is equipped and designed to recreate a manufacturing environment, allowing customers to operate real equipment, evaluate processes and conduct training across the entire process, from upstream to downstream and through final fill.

“Over the past five years, the Tokyo M Lab™ Collaboration Center has supported our Japanese customers by providing customizable, full end-to-end solutions in process development, from early stage to industrial production,” said Isao Hatano, Head of Process Solutions, Life Science, Japan, at Merck. “It was imperative that we continue to provide these services during the pandemic to help ensure life-saving therapies get to the patients who need them most.”

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, travel restrictions and workplace capacity were activated, and on-site visits were paused. Merck quickly implemented new ways to partner with customers in conducting online lab tours, troubleshooting and training activities, as well as performing virtual or 3D demonstrations and experiments.

Since its opening in 2016, the site has held more than 400 customer activities, including MILLI-SCHOOL™ technical education events and hands-on knowledge transfer experiments in the lab, which have helped drug developers solve their toughest problems. Additionally, the M Lab™ Collaboration Center has played an active role in bringing the company’s global SPARK™ volunteer program to local students to spark curiosity in the next generation of scientists and expose them to careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The SPARK™ program in Japan features hands-on interactive science lessons, lab tours, and engagement sessions with scientists.

Merck’s M Lab™ Collaboration Center in Tokyo is among the company’s nine centers worldwide, located in large biotech communities around the world, offering customers opportunities for collaboration, technical guidance, and education provided by Merck scientists and engineers.