PR60653

Merck Serono as Pioneer in Assisted Reproductive Treatments Takes Leading Role in Fertility Technologies Signing a Global Collaboration Agreement with Genea Biomedx

DARMSTADT, Germany, May 28 /PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

- Global collaboration to extend the portfolio of Merck Serono, a leading

company in fertility treatment, in the growing market of fertility technologies

to support standardization and improve fertility outcomes  

- Merck receives global marketing and commercialization rights for three key

innovative technologies, as well as pipeline of future products  

- Investing into innovation beyond drugs is currently seen as a key lever for

improving outcomes  

Merck, a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in

healthcare, life science and performance materials, today announced the global

collaboration agreement with the fertility technologies expert Genea Biomedx,

an Australian company, dedicated to advancing fertility science and helping

couples create families. With this partnership, Merck Serono, the

biopharmaceutical business of Merck, and global market leader in drugs for

Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART), receives global marketing and

commercialization rights to Genea Biomedx's product portfolio. This comprises

the innovative Gavi, Geri and Gems product lines which are expected to receive

CE mark in Europe shortly, as well as a joint development pipeline.

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150526/747165-b )

Gavi will be the world's first fully automated vitrification instrument,

focusing on lab processes with the aim of reducing potential errors and

increasing efficiency in cryopreservation of embryos and in the future for

oocytes (eggs). Geri is a benchtop incubator fitted with a time-lapse camera to

capture images of embryos as they develop and individually controlled

incubation chambers per patient to minimize disruptive events to the

early-stage embryo. Gems is the latest generation of Genea's culture media

allowing for high quality embryo cultivation.

The collaboration is part of the company's strategy to provide the best

fertility solutions to its customers to increase success rates. With the global

rights to these three product lines and future developments, Merck Serono is

expanding its market position, offering key potentially outcome improving

technologies to support standardization, automation and objectivity. To further

strengthen this position, Merck Serono will closely collaborate with Genea

Biomedx to jointly develop other innovative technology products and services,

and have formed a development hub to pave the way for further improvements for

the patient.

"As a pioneer in reproductive health, we are continuously seeking to extend our

product portfolio to bring innovative science and services to the fertility

community," explained Belen Garijo, Member of the Executive Board of Merck and

CEO Healthcare. "There is significant need for improved technologies in

fertility treatment, since the majority of issues in ART are beyond drug

therapy. The key priority of our Fertility Technologies unit at Merck Serono is

to advance our fertility portfolio beyond drugs and to enable innovation in

technologies and services. Entering a global partnership with Genea will allow

Merck to introduce innovative technologies in the ART market, further aiming to

improve outcomes throughout the in vitro fertilization process. Merck Serono is

dedicated to help patients realize their dream of creating a family."

"Advancing the science of fertility treatment to improve outcomes and success

rates for patients worldwide is Genea's mission and we are excited that our

agreement with Merck helps us continue to bring that aim to fruition," said

Tomas Stojanov CEO of Genea. "The launch of the three products, Gems, Gavi and

Geri, is just the beginning of a unique collaboration between our two companies

which will deliver innovative, high-technology products and thinking to

fertility clinics around the world."    

The collaboration showcases both companies' commitment to improve fertility

treatment. Both Merck Serono and Genea Biomedx have a strong heritage in

fertility treatment and will build on this expertise to invent and develop

innovative fertility technologies. The collaboration is effective from May 1,

2015. Financial details of the agreement are not being disclosed.

Genea Biomedx  

Genea Biomedx creates and manufactures practical, accessible and precise

fertility technologies that help standardise and automate fertility treatment.

Its unique relationship with Genea Fertility means that Genea Biomedx is a

manufacturer that truly understands the customers' perspective. As a result

Genea Biomedx has developed the world's first automated vitrification

instrument, and has other projects well advanced in the product pipeline.  

Gavi, Geri and Gems  

Gavi - will be the world's first automated vitrification instrument;

Vitrification is a process used in IVF to preserve human egg cells (oocytes) or

embryos by cooling them to deep sub-zero degrees. Approaching the process in an

innovative way, Gavi uses an automated, standardized protocol aiming to provide

consistent results in blastocyst vitrification.

Geri - a benchtop incubator with individually controlled incubation chambers

per patient to minimize disruptive events to the early-stage embryo. It also

incorporates a time-lapse camera to capture images of embryos as they develop.

Gems - the latest generation of Genea's culture media for embryo cultivation.

Merck Serono

Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical business of Merck. With headquarters in

Darmstadt, Germany, Merck Serono offers leading brands in 150 countries to help

patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, infertility, endocrine and metabolic

disorders as well as cardiovascular diseases. In the United States and Canada,

EMD Serono operates as a separately incorporated subsidiary of Merck Serono.

Merck Serono discovers, develops, manufactures and markets prescription

medicines of both chemical and biological origin in specialist indications. We

have an enduring commitment to deliver novel therapies in our core focus areas

of neurology, oncology, immuno-oncology and immunology.

For more information, please visit http://www.merckserono.com.

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Merck is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in

healthcare, life science and performance materials. The company has six

businesses - Merck Serono, Consumer Health, Allergopharma, Biosimilars, Merck

Millipore and Performance Materials - and generated sales of around EUR 11.3

billion in 2014. Around 39,000 Merck employees work in 66 countries to improve

the quality of life for patients, to foster the success of customers and to

help meet global challenges. Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and

chemical company - since 1668, the company has stood for innovation, business

success and responsible entrepreneurship. Holding an approximately 70%

interest, the founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this

day. Merck, Darmstadt, Germany, holds the global rights to the Merck name and

brand. The only exceptions are Canada and the United States, where the company

operates as EMD Serono, EMD Millipore and EMD Performance Materials.

SOURCE: Merck Serono