Merck KGaA To Build Biopharmaceutical Plant in Germany

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ePT--the Electronic Newsletter of Pharmaceutical Technology

Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Germany) plans to invest 190 million euros ($245 million) to build a biopharmaceutical plant in Darmstadt, Germany. Production is expected to begin in 2010.

Darmstadt, Germany (Aug. 29)-Merck KGaA (www.merck.de) plans to invest 190 million euros ($245 million) to build a biopharmaceutical plant in Darmstadt, Germany. Production is expected to begin in 2010.

The new plant will mainly produce the monoclonal antibody "Erbitux" (cetuximab). Erbitux is currently manufactured for Merck KGaA by Boehringer Ingelheim (Ingelheim, Germany,

www.boehringer-ingelheim.com

) and ImClone Systems, Inc. (New York, NY,

www.imclone.com

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). Merck KGaA acquired the rights to develop and market Erbitux outside the United States and Canada from ImClone Systems and shares marketing rights for Erbiutx with ImClone. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (New York, NY,

www.bms.com

) and ImClone have rights for the product in the United States and Canada.