Merck Scottish operation relocates to US
research operations in Scotland to its larger biotech research
facility in the United States, withdrawing its DeImmunisation
technology service at the same time.
The Aberdeen site focuses on research to eliminate immunogenic properties from antibodies and other therapeutic proteins. In the future this activity will be performed at Merck's US research centre, EMD Lexigen, located near Boston, US. Financial details of the relocation were not revealed.
Merck's DeImmunisation technology is aimed at developing antibodies and other protein therapeutics with tolerability profiles. The technology will continue to be used in the discovery and development of innovative biological drugs for Merck. Eighteen employees in Scotland are expected to be affected by the consolidation and closure of the Aberdeen site.
A spokeswoman for Merck told DrugResearcher.com: "An internal evaluation showed that synergies can be expected by fully integrating the research activities in Scotland with EMD Lexigen."
"The contract DeImmunisation work for external customers was dropped simply to focus on our own research work. DeImmunisation research has a very close affinity to the research work going on at EMD Lexigen. It made sense to bring them together."
DeImmunisation technology involves the identification and removal of helper T cell epitopes from antibody and protein biopharmaceuticals. Helper T cell epitopes comprise short amino acid sequences within proteins with the capacity to bind to MHC class II molecules.
DeImmunisation technology has been successfully used to generate a range of therapeutic antibodies and proteins at the pre-clinical and clinical stages including the development of an epitope-depleted form of Hirudin. The molecule has been developed for the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism during surgery, for example, hip and knee replacement.
DeImmunisation has also been applied to the development of an epitope-depleted form of human Thrombopoietin. The molecule has been developed for the treatment of patients with reduced platelet counts proving useful in supporting cancer patients undergoing aggressive chemotherapy regimens.
This latest move by Merck does not necessarily signal the company's intention to relocate all, or even any, of its other research operations to the United States. Indeed Merck intends to occupy a significant presence in Europe. In 2003 the company underwent a restructure of its pharmaceutical activities in France, including the closure of its Lacassagne research and development (R&D) and production site in Lyon.
In addition, November 2004 saw Merck restructuring its pharmaceuticals business in Germany. The business with ethicals, which formerly operated as Merck Pharma Germany as a part of Merck KGaA, was transferred into a legally self-standing company. The new Merck Pharma in Darmstadt, a wholly owned affiliate of Merck KGaA, is one of the largest subsidiaries for ethicals within the Merck Group.
Merck acquired the Aberdeen site as part of Biovation in 2000. Former industry scientists founded Biovation in 1994 as a biotech start-up company.
