• Facility consolidates biosafety testing, analytical development, and cell bank manufacturing services into single building
• New rapid test offering with Blazar^® CHO Animal Origin Free (AOF) delivers results 60% faster 
• Enables Merck to meet increased global demand for biosafety testing 

Merck, a leading science and technology company, has opened its new €290 million biosafety testing facility in Rockville, Maryland, USA. Biosafety testing and analytical development are fundamental components of drug development and commercialization for traditional and novel modalities. Global demand for these services is growing at a double-digit rate.

“This expansion is the largest investment in contract testing in Merck’s history and will allow us to drive automation and technology development in one integrated hub,” said Benjamin Hein, Head of Life Science Services, Life Science business of Merck. “It reflects our commitment to providing our clients with disruptive platforms that shorten biosafety testing timelines, meet the growing global demand, and ensure the safety of the world’s medicines for patients.”

The 23,000-square-meter facility will house biosafety testing, analytical development, and cell banking manufacturing services. It consolidates labs currently spread across four buildings into a single facility. This will increase collaboration between scientists and enable a higher level of automation and digitalization to increase Right First Time (RFT).

Merck has made significant investments over the last five years to expand its biosafety testing capabilities for clients across the globe. The company’s global biosafety testing network includes sites in Shanghai, China; Singapore; Stirling and Glasgow, UK; and Rockville, MD, USA.

The new site will feature advanced testing capabilities, including a rapid methods package, designed to accelerate virus testing of bulk harvest material. This package is the first to include the Blazar^® CHO Animal Origin Free (AOF) panel, a targeted molecular method for detecting virus families. By combining the Blazar^® CHO AOF panel with assays for mycoplasma, sterility, and retrovirus-like particle detection, test results can be obtained in just 14 days, compared to 35 days with traditional assay methods.

Merck offers a broad multi-modality testing portfolio, which features disruptive platforms that reduce biosafety testing timelines and deliver the highest quality standards. The portfolio includes a rapid methods package with the Blazar^® CHO AOF panel, and the recently launched Aptegra™ platform, the first all-in-one, validated genetic stability assay of its kind. These innovations will enable the company to continue delivering high-quality testing services and regulatory expertise to bring life-changing medicines to patients more quickly and safely.