Merck KGaA Exec On Gearing For mRNA Prime Time, De-Risking Manufacturing

Benoit Opsomer, vice-president and head of bioprocessing, Asia Pacific, Merck Life Science, explains how recent targeted CDMO buyouts put the German group in pole position with services across the mRNA value chain, even as it supports global players such as BioNTech. Striking multi-country expansion of manufacturing footprint, including in China, is also underway amid rising demand for biopharma single-use assemblies.

Merck KGaA Darmstadt — Merck Primes To Offer End-To-End Services For Key New Modalities • Source: Getty Images

Merck KGaA, which has enabled important cost efficiencies and record go-to-market timelines for COVID-19 vaccines globally, is doubling down on plans for its messenger RNA (mRNA) offerings and single-use technologies.

While the German group already collaborates with frontline mRNA players and has long-standing experience in producing lipids - one of...