Changing Lifestyle, Stress Causing Infertility: Survey

MUMBAI | SEP 19, 2013: Changing lifestyle, stress and delayed marriages are leading to a rise in the incidence of infertility in India, a survey has found. The survey ‘Helping Families’ was conducted among 2,562 participants and 100 infertility experts from nine cities.

It said as many as 46 per cent of young couples in the 31-40 year-age group surveyed were found to be infertile.

The survey was supported by Merck Serono, the bio-pharmaceutical division of global drug giant Merck KGaA.

The findings were endorsed by Indian Society for Assisted Reproduction and Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction (ASPIRE), Merck Serono said in a release here today.

Of the surveyed group, 49 per cent have undergone IVF (In-vitro fertilisation) treatment and the rest of them were considering opting for infertility treatment, it said.

When infertility experts were consulted, they shared that 63 per cent of couples seeking infertility treatment are in the age group of 31-40, it said.

“With changing lifestyle, stress and delayed marriages, the incidences of infertility are also on the rise with many other health disorders,” said Lawrence Ganti, General Manager and Country Head, Merck Serono India.

“There is a general lack of awareness among the public regarding infertility as it is a taboo subject. In the quest for conception, many couples opt for alternative therapies and religious rituals thus frittering away crucial age and time,” Dr Jaideep Malhotra was quoted as saying in the survey.
FILED ON: SEP 19, 2013 21:10 IST
http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=810738

 

Merck Serono and Quintiles Announce Innovative Clinical Development Partnership

• Agreement creates unique strategic collaboration for development and clinical trial execution

Darmstadt, May 15, 2013 – Merck and Quintiles, the world’s largest provider of biopharmaceutical development and commercial outsourcing services, today announced a new, five-year clinical development agreement. This strategic collaboration is the first-of-its-kind between a biopharmaceutical company or division and a biopharmaceutical services provider, creating a comprehensive process that integrates the expertise and experience from both organizations into a single, well-aligned clinical development engine.

In a novel approach to clinical development that is founded on a shared commitment to cost-disciplined science, the collaboration is intended to optimize productivity in the design and execution of studies with a focus on quality, speed and efficiency.

Under this agreement, Merck will shape and lead the strategy of its clinical development programs, with Quintiles directing clinical trial planning and execution. Quintiles also will be a key contributor to Merck’s future clinical trial design activities. In this capacity, Quintiles will focus on delivering superior performance based on optimized clinical trial design and execution strategies, using highly efficient processes and proven technologies.

Annalisa Jenkins, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Development and Medical at Merck Serono

To fully leverage the expertise of both organizations, leaders from Quintiles will collaborate in strategic decision-making processes affecting the development of Merck Serono division’s portfolio.

“By combining the strengths of Merck Serono and Quintiles, we are creating a new model in clinical development that will unlock the knowledge and insights of both companies,” says Annalisa Jenkins, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Development and Medical at the Merck Serono division. “This is an innovative and unique collaboration that will help to translate the highest-quality science into efficiency and agility throughout our clinical trials, while enhancing our competitive position in an increasingly challenging environment of clinical drug development.”

Moving forward, Quintiles will be the sole-primary provider of Merck Serono’s outsourced clinical development services for its global clinical programs. The agreement will span the full spectrum of clinical development, from Phase I through to post-marketing approvals. Importantly, it will also allow the Merck Serono division to expand its reach globally by leveraging the broad local expertise of Quintiles to implement development programs around the world.

Tom Pike, CEO, Quintiles

“This agreement is built upon a long-standing commitment to trust and transparency between our two organizations, and I’m confident it will only be enhanced by this innovative relationship,” says Tom Pike, Chief Executive Officer at Quintiles. “We are excited about the opportunities this collaboration provides as we work with Merck in a new and innovative manner that leverages the best of our combined capabilities. We view this as a key step forward not only for our two companies, but for the way the industry approaches the development of new therapies for the patients we ultimately serve.”

The agreement reflects a shared commitment between both organizations to delivering optimal performance in clinical development. The objective is to expedite the delivery of new therapeutic options to patients with high medical need across Merck Serono division’s core research areas of neurology, oncology, immuno-oncology and immunology.

Source: http://news.merck.de/N/0/8D7D4F3A390E5356C1257B6C002BC46F/$File/Quintiles_eng.pdf

About Quintiles
Quintiles (NYSE: Q) is the world’s largest provider of biopharmaceutical development and commercial outsourcing services with a network of more than 27,000 employees conducting business in approximately 100 countries. We have helped develop or commercialize all of the top-50 best-selling drugs on the market. Quintiles applies the breadth and depth of our service offerings along with extensive therapeutic, scientific and analytics expertise to help our customers navigate an increasingly complex healthcare environment as they seek to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of better healthcare outcomes.

About Merck Serono
Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical division 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.

About Merck
Merck is a leading pharmaceutical, chemical and life science company with total revenues of €11.2 billion in 2012, a history that began in 1668, and a future shaped by approx. 39,000 employees in 66 countries. Its success is characterized by innovations from entrepreneurial employees. Merck’s operating activities come under the umbrella of Merck KGaA, in which the Merck family holds an approximately 70% interest and free shareholders own the remaining approximately 30%. In 1917 the U.S. subsidiary Merck & Co. was expropriated and has been an independent company ever since.

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

 

Merck – Living Innovation

Merck presents new slogan and mission statement at its annual general meeting

Darmstadt/Frankfurt, April 26, 2013 – The new slogan “Merck – Living Innovation“ (German: “Merck – Wir leben Innovation”) was presented to the public today at the company’s annual general meeting at the Jahrhunderthalle in Frankfurt, Germany. It replaces the various other slogans previously used by Merck for the Group and the four divisions. The slogan is complemented by a new mission statement: “Our aspiration is to make great things happen. With our research-driven specialty businesses, we help patients, customers, partners and our communities around the world to live a better life. We deliver entrepreneurial success through innovation.”

Both the slogan and the mission statement place innovation at the fore. On the one hand, innovation refers to new products that Merck offers its customers. On the other hand, innovation also focuses on company processes and structures.

“Product and process innovations are both supported by a corporate culture that is never satisfied with what has been achieved, a corporate culture where the better is always the enemy of the good,” said Merck Executive Board Chairman Karl-Ludwig Kley. “This corporate culture characterizes Merck. That is also why our new slogan ‘Merck – Living Innovation’ suits us so well.”

Kley continued: “Change – in the sense of innovative change – has always been our anchor of stability. And “Fit for 2018″ is the current synonym for living innovation.”

After having launched its combined efficiency and growth program well over a year ago, Merck has simplified its organizational structure, created leaner processes and introduced extensive cost-cutting measures. In the Merck Serono division, the research and development organization has been repositioned and growth projects for the key products Erbitux® and Rebif® have been launched.

The Consumer Health division is focusing on strategic brands that offer the greatest growth potential as well as strengthening the business in Asia and Latin America. Apart from defending its market and innovation leadership in liquid crystals, Performance Materials is also working on the further development of new technologies such as OLEDs. And at Merck Millipore, heavy investments are being made in research and development in order to solidify its strong position as a supplier of innovative tools and solutions for the life science industry.

 

To Prevent Colon Cancer, Get Your Butt to the Doctor

Colorectal cancer — cancer of the colon or rectum — is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention.

Yet it’s one of the most treatable cancers there is, even in its later stages.

ABC News’ chief health and medical correspondent Dr. Richard Besser held a tweet chat  Monday to raise awareness on how to prevent and treat colon and rectal cancer.  His special guest was ABC talk show host Katie Couric, whose husband, Jay Monahan, died of the disease in 1998.

CDC director  Dr. Tom Frieden and chief medical and scientific officer of the American Cancer Society Dr. Otis Brawley  tweeted their thoughts, along with experts from the National Institutes of Health; the Colon Cancer Alliance; Mayo Clinic; New York University Langone Medical Center; and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Here are four things our experts say you must know about keeping your colon happy and healthy:

1. Get Screened
Most colon cancers begin as polyps, lumps growing on the lining of the colon wall that can develop into cancer. Regular screening after the age of 50 is essential for detecting and removing these polyps before they become cancerous.

“Roughly six of 10 deaths from colon cancer could be prevented if everyone age 50+ got screened routinely,” Frieden tweeted.

If your test comes back clean, you won’t need another one for 10 years. However, if your test shows abnormalities, you should be screened more often.

“Certain types of family history dictate screening at a younger age,” Brawley tweeted.

“We think it takes 10 years for a polyp to form and turn into cancer.  If we find polyps, we look every three to five  years,” tweeted Dr. John Kisiel, a gerontologist at the Mayo Clinic.

And colonoscopy isn’t the only screening test, according to Besser. You can opt for a sigmoidoscopy, which only examines the bottom of the colon, or a test for blood hidden in the stool instead.

2. Colonoscopies Aren’t That Bad
During a colonoscopy, a doctor gently inserts a long, flexible tube with a light and camera on the end into your rectum to scope out signs of cancer. The test itself is no big deal. You’re under anesthetic and won’t feel a thing.

Prep is another matter. Before the test you need to clean out your colon by drinking copious amounts of a vile-tasting liquid, then retiring to the bathroom for the better part of a day.

Some people find the ordeal daunting, but our chatters said to get over it. And if  friends or loved ones resist the idea, Couric said to tell them to do it for the people who love and depend on them.

“Also, if your partner doesn’t want to get screened, join them and suggest his and hers colonoscopies!” she tweeted.

Katie Couric Tweeted, “Get Your Butt to the Doctor!” Credit: Katie Couric.

3. Don’t Die of Embarrassment
“There may be blood in stool, a change in bowel habits, diarrhea or a change in weight,” experts from the NIH noted.

Experts from Dana Farber added, “A month or more narrowing of the stools, straining, change in stool shape are all symptoms of bowel problems.”

As many of our tweeters noted, people often ignore these symptoms or are too embarrassed to talk to the doctor about them.  Here again, our chatters said to get over it.

“Get your butt to the doctor,” Couric tweeted  — this comment was retweeted more than a dozen times.

As Besser pointed out, however, other than polyps there may be no other symptoms in the early stages of the disease. That’s why it’s so important to have regular check-ups and get screened on a schedule set by you and your doctor.

4. Know the Risks
Age is an important risk factor. Colon and rectal cancers most often strike people over the age of 50, but the disease can strike at any age. Although anyone can get colorectal cancer, it’s deadliest for minorities, because they’re less likely to get tested or seek treatment, the experts from the Colon Cancer Alliance said. If someone in your family has had colon cancer, this increases your risk too.

As several tweeters noted, Lynch syndrome — an inherited condition — puts someone at increased risk of colon cancer and other cancers. Doctors estimate that about three  out of every 100 colon cancers stem from Lynch syndrome, and the disease often occurs at an earlier age. Lynch syndrome, which is confirmed by a simple blood test,  may be a possible diagnosis when there are multiple cases of colorectal cancer on the same side of the family.

The main thing all our tweeters emphasized was that living a colon-healthy lifestyle goes a long way toward prevention of colorectal cancer. Our experts said that a diet high in red meat and low in fiber, smoking, alcohol consumption, a lack of exercise and being overweight or obese add to the risk, although being an exercising vegetarian doesn’t completely eliminate your chances of getting the disease.

 

Awareness on colorectal cancer is low

Despite being the fourth most common form of cancer across the world, public awareness on colorectal cancer is much lower when compared to lung or tobacco-related cancers.

With the objective of bringing about a change in public perception and detecting such cases early so as to increase the chances of curing it, the Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Oncology and Research here on Monday launched a free screening programme for colorectal cancer to mark the World Cancer Day.

C. Soundararaj, managing trustee of SNR and Sons Trust, releases a book on ‘colorectal cancer’ during a function in the city on Monday to mark World Cancer Day. Amutha Arun, permanent trustee of Arunagiri Colorectal Cancer Trust, receives the first copy. P. Guhan (left), Director, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Oncology and Research, is in the picture. Photo: S. Siva Saravanan

A book on colorectal cancer was also released on the occasion to create public awareness.

Institute Director R. Guhan said that through this campaign, patients would be provided not only screening but also the subsequent investigations and consultations free of cost.

Family History
Prevalent mostly among elders, he said that symptoms of this include, among others, highly altered bowel habits, chronic abdominal discomfort and those with a family history of colorectal cancer.

This month’s screening was being done in collaboration with Arunagiri Colorectal Cancer Trust, formed in memory of the late industrialist S. Arunagiri, himself a victim of this cancer, by his family and class mates from Annamalai University. It provided financial help for treating patients between 25 and 60 years from economically weaker sections.

The World Cancer Day was observed on February 4 every year by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to raise awareness of cancer and encourage its prevention, detection and treatment.

Addressing the inaugural function, Dr. Guhan said, “cancer is not a death sentence as if detected early, it could be cured and the patient could return to normal life.

A case in the point is the Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh who has returned to the team after treatment for lung cancer.” Dr. Guhan estimated that at least 30 new cases of this cancer were being reported every month in the Coimbatore region. C. Soundararaj, managing trustee, SNR and Sons, Amutha Arun, permanent trustee, Arunagiri Colorectal Cancer Trust, K. Karthikesh, interventional oncologist, took part in the function.

Colorectal cancer causes uncontrolled cell growth in the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine) or in the appendix.

Source: The Hindu

 

Merck Advances to Eighth Place in the 2012 Access to Medicine Index

Merck moves up nine places from previous rank 17 (out of 20), thanks to scaled-up efforts in its praziquantel donation program, and ongoing activities to promote better health solutions to populations in need

Darmstadt, Germany, November 28, 2012 – Merck announced today that it now ranks eighth in the Access to Medicine Index published today by the Access to Medicine Foundation. Merck has moved up nine places compared to the 2010 ranking. Every two years, the Access to Medicine Index benchmarks twenty pharmaceutical companies on the different activities and initiatives in promoting access to medicines in low- and middle-income countries.

“Merck has moved up to eighth place in this year’s Index largely because it has provided more information about its tiered pricing, management strategy and single-drug donation programs,” the Access to Medicine Foundation cited as reason why Merck has moved up nine places.

“Today, our efforts have been well recognized by the Index and serve as a measuring tool to monitor Merck’s overall progress in the access to medicine field. We are committed to pursuing and further developing our Access to Health activities in the future to achieve sustainable health solutions to all,” said Stefan Oschmann, Executive Board Member of Merck and Head of the Merck Serono division.

The Access to Health initiative at Merck was launched in February 2011 and has identified access gaps and opportunities to better meet the needs of underserved patients. Merck’s Access to Health initiative aims at bringing added value to the community at large, and is becoming an integral part of how Merck conducts business in a responsible, sustainable manner. Merck recognizes the complexity of bringing health solutions to the poor and understands that Access to Medicines Index objectives cannot be reached by the pharmaceutical industry alone. Complementarity, synergy and partnership among the different actors in health are needed to achieve a long-term impact and sustainable results.

Compared to 2010, Merck has today been recognized by the Access to Medicines Foundation in particular for several topics such as:

• Innovative research and development for a pediatric version of praziquantel to treat schistosomiasis, and adapting this drug and anti-diabetic medication. Glucophage; five collaborations for relevant diseases and two instances of intellectual property sharing.
• Introduced access to medicine charter with board-level responsibility, stakeholder engagement reflects initiatives for product donation and research and development targeting neglected tropical diseases, and provides detailed information about access strategy and policies.
• Transparent about lobbying and public policy positions, monitored and enforced codes of conduct for ethical marketing for employees and third parties.

Access to Medicine Foundation
The Access to Medicine Foundation is an international not for profit organization stimulating pharmaceutical companies to improve access to medicine to societies in need. Based in Haarlem, the Netherlands, the Foundation publishes the Access to Medicine Index, the first Index of its kind to rank pharmaceutical companies with respect to their efforts to enhance global access to medicine. The Foundation aims to advance access to medicine in developing countries by encouraging the pharmaceutical industry to accept a greater role towards improving access to medicine in less developed countries. Please find more information here: http://www.accesstomedicineindex.org

Access to Medicine Index
Access to medicines remains a very serious concern for billions of people suffering from disease and is still a primary challenge for the global health system. Reflecting the key role of the pharmaceutical industry in addressing the challenges of access, it is essential that the Access to Medicine Index’s approach to monitoring and evaluating the performance of the industry in this work is robust, balanced and comprehensive. The foundation every two years ranks 20 medium to large-size pharmaceutical companies with respect to their efforts to enhance global access to medicine. You can see the latest ranking as well as rankings from the past here.

Click here to download the Press Release

 

A Cancer You Can Prevent

Colon cancer is one of the most common worldwide, and is strongly linked to lifestyle choices

A 42-year-old Delhi-based MCD official ignored rectal bleeding for almost a year. He also overlooked unexplained weight loss, and the fact that he was fatigued all the time. Finally, he was referred by his doctor for a colonoscopy. The test revealed a tumour, which was found to be cancerous.

“My patient couldn’t believe that he has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC), commonly known as colon cancer or bowel cancer. He kept asking, ‘Why me? I have always been very fit and healthy’,” says Shyam Aggarwal, senior consultant and chairman, department of medical oncology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi. “But he was a smoker and consumed alcohol almost every evening. Both clear risk factors for CRC,” Dr Aggarwal says.

Here’s the good news and the bad news: CRC is a form of cancer that is heavily dependent on your lifestyle—your physical activity levels, your diet, how much you drink, and whether you smoke or not. Which means preventing it is largely in your hands.

“Yet its numbers are rising rapidly worldwide, and unfortunately in India too,” Dr Aggarwal says. The World Health Organization GLOBOCAN 2008 report, the latest study on this, says the estimated incidence level in India in 2008 was 36,476, and is expected to rise to 49,122 by 2013.

“CRC develops due to uncontrolled cell growth in the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine) and the reasons that lead to it are rather straightforward,” explains Ashok Vaid, chairman, division of medical and paediatric oncology, haematology and bone marrow/stem cell transplant, Medanta–The Medicity, Gurgaon. “While there is some genetic component, close relatives like parents, brothers, sisters, or children of a person with a history of colon cancer are somewhat more likely to develop this disease themselves, especially if the relative had the cancer at a young age. But it’s mainly related to changing lifestyles and eating habits.”

A diet low in fibre and vegetables is one of the leading culprits.

According to Rajinder Kaur Saggu, consultant surgical oncologist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, CRC was the third most common cancer worldwide in men (663,904 cases, 10% of the total cancers) and the second in women (571,204 cases, 9.4% of the total cases) in 2008.

“The original Indian meal, which is naturally high on fibre, ensured people didn’t get colon cancer,” says Dr Saggu. “Deviating from the Indian cereal-based diet and adopting a Western diet that is more focused on preservatives-laden, low-fibre junk is proving disastrous for our health,” she says. The average Indian diet is heavy in vegetables, pulses and wholegrain like atta.

In India, CRC ranks as the sixth most common cancer across age groups. “This is probably because of the traditionally vegetarian diet that we consume,” says Dr Vaid. “But in recent years this has undergone a massive change, and now we see many more cases of CRC coming up. As per WHO GLOBOCAN, in India, 42,000 cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2012.”

Diet demons
Diets high in vegetables, fruits and wholegrains are a clear safeguard, and linked to a decreased risk of colorectal cancer. According to the study, Fruit, Vegetables, Dietary Fiber, And Risk of Colorectal Cancer by Paul Terry, et al, published in the Journal of National Cancer Institute in 2001, some clinical trials show that cereals, especially wheat bran, contain substances such as fibre, phytic acid, various phenolic compounds, lignins, and flavonoids that might lower the risk for colorectal cancer.

On the other hand, diets that contain a lot of animal fat and red meat, especially processed meats like ham, sausages or bacon, can increase the risk of developing bowel cancer.

“The greatest increase in risk seems to be for people eating two or more portions of red or processed meat a day,” says Dr Saggu. “No link has been found between eating poultry such as turkey and chicken, and an increased risk of this cancer.”

A study published in the February 2007 edition of the International Journal of Cancer states that there is a 15% increase in risk of colon or rectal cancer with an increase of 100g of alcohol intake per week. The study adds that high alcohol intake was significantly associated with increased risk of colon and rectal cancer.

“The more you drink, the more the risk increases,” says Dr Aggarwal. “This may be due to the fact that heavy alcohol users tend to have low levels of folic acid in the body.”

Radheshyam Naik, head, medical oncology and stem cell transplantation at the HCG Bangalore Institute of Oncology Speciality Centre, Bangalore, explains further, “The carcinogenic effects of alcohol include immunodepression, activation of liver procarcinogens, and changes in bile composition, as well as increased tissue nitrosamine levels (due to nitrosamine content of alcoholic beverages).”

Other factors
The cancer is also more common in people who have smoked cigarettes for a long time (20 years or more, says Dr Saggu). “Smoking is a well-known cause of lung cancer, but some of the carcinogens in smoke dissolve in saliva and if swallowed, can cause digestive system cancers like colorectal cancer,” says Dr Saggu.
Being overweight and inactive also seems to be a risk factor for this cancer, and raises the probability of developing the disease in both men and women, though the link is stronger in men.

“People who have had ulcerative colitis disease (disease of the lining of the bowel) for a long time also have an increased risk of developing bowel cancer,” says Dr Saggu. “Individuals with a history of diabetes or frequent constipation are also at an increased risk for this cancer.”

Easy detection
Despite its high incidence, colon cancer is one of the most easily detectable and, if found early enough, also one of the most treatable forms of cancer.

“This is one cancer that awareness alone can help beat. The problem is that its symptoms are often confused with haemorrhoids, piles or even irritable bowel syndrome, leading to late detection,” says Dr Aggarwal. “That is why screening can save lives. It can find precancerous polyp (abnormal growths in the colon or rectum) so that they can be removed before turning into cancer, and also help catch the cancer at an early stage, when treatment usually leads to a cure.”

The probability of a cure decreases from 90% in the first stage to 30% in the terminal stage (stage 4), according to the experts interviewed. They recommend that people over 40 years be screened regularly for this.

“Colorectal cancer initially starts in the lining of the bowel and if left untreated, can grow into the muscle layers underneath, and then through the bowel wall,” says Dr Saggu, adding, “Cancers that are confined within the wall of the colon are often curable with surgery.”

Modern technology ensures that less than 5% of all colorectal cancer patients require a colostomy, the surgical construction of an artificial excretory opening from the colon, according to Dr Aggarwal.

Stay alert
While some of these symptoms seem like commonplace ailments, see a doctor if they recur often, in combination, or are persistent problems.

• Diarrhoea or constipation lasting more than two weeks, blood or mucous in stool
• Pencil stools (thinner than usual) or feeling as if you cannot empty your bowels completely
• Anaemia
• Abdominal swelling or persistent abdominal pain or discomfort
• Unexplained weight loss
• Extreme tiredness, or a dizzy feeling
• Flatulence
• Vomiting

The tests
The high-sensitivity faecal occult blood test (FOBT), which checks for hidden blood in three consecutive stool samples, should be done every year.

Flexible sigmoidoscopy, where doctors use a flexible, lighted tube (sigmoidoscope) to look at the interior walls of the rectum and part of the colon, should be done every five years.

Colonoscopy, where physicians use a flexible, lighted tube (colonoscope) to look at the interior walls of the rectum and the entire colon (during this procedure, samples of tissue may be collected for closer examination, or polyps may be removed), should be done every 10 years.

Source: LiveMint

 

Merck Serono spin-off creates biomarker specialist Quartz Bio

Jérôme Wojcik
CEO and Founder, Quartz Bio
Geneva, Switzerland

Quartz Bio, a new company offering biomarker data management and exploratory biomarker analysis services to the pharmaceutical industry, has emerged as the second offshoot of Merck Serono’s Entrepreneur Partnership Program, set up to take the sting out of the company’s withdrawal from its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Quartz Bio will be led by its founder and chief executive officer Jérôme Wojcik, former director of bioinformatics at Merck Serono. He will take on four scientists with in-depth understanding of biology and bioinformatics as well as extensive experience in drug-development processes.

The new company will be based at the Blue Box offices of FONGIT, a start-up accelerator in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, and will be supported by the Geneva authorities. Merck Serono intends to use Quartz Bio’s services, with plans for orders worth around €2 million in total over the next two or three years, it noted.

Merck Serono unveils Parkinson’s spin-off from Geneva site Quintiles offers haven for Merck Serono staff in Geneva Merck Serono and Compugen set up biomarkers venture Merck Serono confirms Geneva closure, creates start-up fund.

Stratified approach
As Wojcik pointed out, a growing number of pharmaceutical companies are integrating a stratified medicine approach into their drug development processes.

Biomarker analyses “are at the heart of stratified medicine and we believe that Quartz Bio’s flexible and highly specialised services will bring added value to pharmaceutical companies for the development of new drugs”, he commented.

Launched in April 2012, the entrepreneur Partnership Program was part of a € 30 million commitment made by Merck Serono to support the creation of spin-off and start-up companies that could leverage activities, capabilities and compounds originated at the Geneva site.

Geneva closure
Merck Serono confirmed its intention to close the Geneva site, with the loss of some 500 jobs, last June.

The plan was part of a restructuring programme announced by parent company Merck KGaA earlier this year,

Francois Naef
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Merck Serono

whereby all headquarters functions would be consolidated at a single campus in Darmstadt, Germany, while key research and development positions would migrate from Geneva to Darmstadt, Boston (US) and Beijing (China).

Since then, the Entrepreneur Partnership Program has already produced one spin-off: Prexton Therapeutics, a new company formed around Merck Serono’s R&D portfolio in the field of Parkinson’s disease.

In addition, US-based biopharmaceutical services company Quintiles is offering jobs to around one fifth of the Merck Serono employees affected by the Geneva closure.

Essential actors
Welcoming the launch of Quartz Bio, François Naef, board chairman of Merck Serono, said: “Highly specialised service companies are essential actors of the drug-development process, and they are very complementary to the activities and structures of large pharmaceutical companies”.

The Quartz Bio spin-off “also illustrates the dynamism of Merck Serono employees, and I am convinced that the Geneva regional economic fabric will benefit from it”, Naef added.

 

Merck Expands EGFR Targeted Portfolio – Acquiring Exclusive Worldwide License of Phase II Oncology Drug Candidate Sym004 From Symphogen

DARMSTADT, Germany—Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical division of German company Merck KGaA, recently announced that it had inked an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Copenhagen, Denmark-based Symphogen A/S for Sym004, an investigational antibody mixture targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

Under the terms of the deal, Merck Serono will gain exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize Sym004, while Symphogen will receive from Merck an upfront payment of some $28.5 million as well as payments for clinical development, regulatory and sales performance milestones. Symphogen will also be eligible for potential royalties on net worldwide sales.

This current clinical program for Sym004 for patients with advanced metastatic colorectal cancer and in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck “builds upon the long history of scientific and clinical success with Erbitux and complements Merck’s existing EGFR franchise,” Merck Serono notes in a news release about the deal.

Dr. Susan J Herbert, Executive Vice President, Global Business Development and Strategy, Merck Serono

Specifically, Sym004 is under evaluation in a Phase I/II trial for the treatment of patients with advanced KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer who have previously progressed on treatment with standard chemotherapy and a marketed anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody. In addition, there is an ongoing single-arm, open-label Phase II trial in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who have failed anti-EGFR-based therapy.

“Sym004 further strengthens our early development pipeline by adding a product that is thought to act via a proposed synergistic mechanism of action not previously studied, but more specifically, it has the potential to become a key asset complementing our already highly successful Erbitux franchise,” said Dr. Susan Jane Herbert, head of global business development and strategy for Merck Serono. “This collaboration once again reflects our strong commitment to fighting cancer and to providing new treatment options to patients.”

As the companies describe the investigational compound, it is made up of a pair of antibodies that not only block ligand binding, receptor activation and downstream signaling “but are also thought to elicit removal of the EGFR receptors from the cancer cell surface by inducing EGFR internalization and degradation,” according to Merck Serono.

“We believe that Merck is uniquely well positioned to develop Sym004 based on its deep knowledge of the EGFR area,” said Kirsten Drejer, CEO of Symphogen. “This transaction further validates the antibody mixture approach as a highly attractive option.”

 

Merck Serono Announces the Creation of Asceneuron, the Third Spin-Off Company From Its Entrepreneur Partnership Program

Merck Serono has announced the launch of a new spin-off company called Asceneuron, which will develop therapies for Alzheimer’s disease and Tau protein-related pathologies.

Francois Naef, chairman of the board of directors of Merck Serono

The new company will receive five million euros (4.02 million pounds) in seed funding from Merck Serono and will work to advancing its parent company’s preclinical programmes in this field towards clinical testing as rapidly as possible.

Its business leaders will be Dirk Beher, Christoph Wiessner and Frank Armstrong, with eight current Merck Serono employees to transfer across in order to spearhead the research efforts.

Francois Naef, chairman of the board of directors of Merck Serono, said: “This new company creation around Merck Serono’s valuable assets in neurodegenerative diseases represents a unique opportunity to continue developing highly-needed therapies in an area that is outside the company’s current focus.”

This is the third spin-off organisation to be created through Merck Serono’s Entrepreneur Partnership Program, which was launched in April 2012.

The first was the Parkinson’s disease-focused Prexton Therapeutics, which debuted in July, followed by the introduction of biomarker research business Quartz Bio last month.

 

Patients in dark over personalised treatments

Only half of bowel cancer patients know that they can receive a biomarker test for their disease, according to new research.

Merck Serono spin-off creates biomarker specialist Quartz Bio Merck pulls Erbitux NSCLC filing, Threshold drug setback UK cancer patients “missing out on most appropriate treatments”

The multinational survey of 811 patients revealed that 52% of patients with metastatic bowel cancer were unaware of the KRAS biomarker test, which identifies they type of genetic mutation responsible for their cancer.

Almost a third (32%) was also unaware that these types of tests exist, and can help to determine which treatment could be most suitable for them.

The survey, sponsored by Merck Serono and undertaken by Ipsos MORI, was presented at the ESMO cancer congress this week.

Merck funds a biomarker test for the KRAS wild-type gene in a number of countries – including the UK – which can help determine if patients can benefit from using the firm’s drug Erbitux (cetuximab), which has licences to treat certain bowel cancers and head and neck cancers.

In patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), the survey found that almost half remain unaware that a KRAS biomarker test can determine whether a targeted therapy – such as Erbitux – could be effective for them.

In addition, 73% of mCRC patients would be willing to delay initiation of treatment by two weeks or more (the average turnaround time for KRAS test results) to be prescribed a therapy that is targeted and effective, with around a third (31%) stating they would be prepared to wait ‘as long as it takes’.

The survey also shows that nearly three quarters (73%) of mCRC patients would be willing to undergo a re-biopsy if necessary. Patients also said they would be willing to delay the start of their treatment to benefit from a targeted therapy, even if that meant undergoing a tumour re-biopsy.

 

 

 

 

Women in Asia largely ignorant, fatalistic, about fertility

HONG KONG (Reuters) Wed, Sep 5, 2012 – Women in Asia are largely ignorant about fertility problems and tend to blame their failure to conceive on “God’s will” and bad luck, a survey has found.

The survey, which covered 1,000 women in 10 countries who had been trying to conceive for at least six months, found that 62 percent of them did not suspect they may have a fertility problem.

Photo By AHMAD MASOOD/Reuters

They were even less likely to point the finger at their husbands, with 80 percent of them not suspecting that their partners may have a problem with fertility. Infertility is defined by the World Health Organisation as the inability to conceive after a year of regular, unprotected sex. But only 43 percent of the women surveyed knew that. Only 30 percent of the women, all aged 25-40, recognised that obesity could reduce fertility and only 36 percent knew that chances of getting pregnant declined with age. Forty-three percent did not know a man may be infertile even if he could achieve an erection and 73 percent were unaware that men who had mumps after puberty could be infertile later on.

Instead of getting treatment, 46 percent of respondents blamed their inability to conceive on “God’s will” and 45 percent put it down to bad luck.

Lead researcher P C Wong at the National University Hospital Women’s Centre in Singapore said, “Such a lack of understanding could result in couples waiting too long – only to realise when they finally decided to seek help that it may be too late.”

“That’s a lost opportunity because even if they come for treatment, our success of treatment is higher with younger women,” said Wong, who heads the reproductive endocrinology and infertility division at the hospital.

Chances of success with in-vitro fertilisation – the best known fertility treatment – is 40-50 percent when a woman is under 30 years old but that drops to 10 percent once the woman is over 40. By 44-45, the chance of success is one percent.

“The reason is because eggs in the ovaries decline in quality and quantity … as we go along and age, the chances of conceiving is much lower,” Wong said by telephone.

The survey, commissioned by Merck KGaA unit Merck Serono, covered China, India, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia.

Wong said his team hoped to work on a similar survey targeting men in Asia.

(Reporting by Tan Ee Lyn; Editing by Robert Birsel).

 

Indian Biotech industry growing at 15% annually, abundant job opportunities – Lawrence Ganti

With the Indian Biotechnology segment growing at 15% per year, career opportunities in fields such as bio-pharmacy, bio-service, bio-agriculture, bio-industrial and bio-informatics is burgeoning that the most jobs are currently available in the private sector and for research & development, marketing, sales/business development and customer support profiles.

The demand at the entry level in the biotechnology industry may not be encouraging. The reason being, the industry is still at a nascent stage in India.

“Many pharmaceutical companies have established R&D centers in India and are considering tapping India’s talent. Graduates with good academic results, relevant experience and strong soft skills can look forward to a range of positions in the field”, remarked Lawrence Ganti, Director – Head, Merck Serono India in the TimesJobs.com Recruitment Trend Report (RecruiteX January-March 2012).

According to industry experts, analytical and communication skills are very crucial together with right qualification to have a successful career in the biotechnology industry.

7 Aug, 2012, 06.47PM IST

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/jobs/indian-biotech-industry-growing-at-15-annually-abundant-job-opportunities/articleshow/15390536.cms

 

Kew Professor’s IVF breakthrough: The 1st non-European scientists recognised in the Annual Merck Serono’s Grant for Fertility Innovation (GFI) awards

IVF research conducted by Kew scientist Professor Lois Salamonsen has received international recognition.

Professor Salamonsen heads a team of scientists at Prince Henry’s Institute (PHI), Australia’s leading centres for reproductive health and endocrine research, who have been researching ways to improve successful pregnancy rates for IVF.

The team were the first non-European scientists to be recognised in the recent annual Merck Serono’s Grant for Fertility Innovation (GFI) awards presented in Istanbul.

“This award is a tremendous honour and I am extremely proud to receive this on behalf of all the researchers from Prince Henry’s Institute and Monash IVF who are contributing to this innovative and crucial fertility research,” Professor Salamonsen said.

The research was seeking to understand how and when the lining of the uterus was receptive to the implantation of an embryo.

“We know that receptivity occurs for only a very short time in each cycle; understanding the underlying factors that contribute to this, may enable us to test patients and determine the optimal time to re-implant their embryos during IVF,” Professor Salamonsen said.

“It may also lead to advancements in fertility treatments and contraceptives.”

Professor Salamonsen said the award would help fund the group’s collaborative investigation to identify endometrial receptivity markers.

Source Link < http://progress-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/kew-professors-ivf-breakthrough-1/ >

 

Merck Serono and MDxHealth to develop cancer diagnostic test

Merck Serono is expanding its collaboration with MDxHealth to create a new diagnostic test for cancer.

The deal will involve the development of MDxHealth’s MGMT diagnostic test as a means of identifying glioblastoma patients who might be more likely to benefit from cilengitide-based therapies in combination with temozolomide and radiotherapy.

This compound is currently undergoing phase III clinical testing against the aggressive brain cancer and has also shown promise as a potential non-small-cell lung cancer treatment.

Under the terms of the expanded alliance, Merck Serono will also be supporting MDxHealth’s development and regulatory activities for the MGMT test, before coordinating its launch together with that of cilengitide.

Dr Annalisa Jenkins, head of global drug development and medical for Merck Serono, said: “We are hoping that this will help to improve the future treatment of patients with glioblastoma, a disease which today has high unmet medical needs.”

Last month, Merck Serono and Compugen announced the launch of a new start-up company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel biomarkers.

Source: http://www.zenopa.com/news/801402022/Merck_Serono_and_MDxHealth_to_develop_cancer_diagnostic_test

 

Merck Serono Increases Commitment to the Grant for Fertility Innovation (GFI) Program to 4 Million Euros

Geneva, Switzerland, 3 July 2012

Merck Serono, a division of Merck, Darmstadt, Germany, announced during the 28th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), that the company will expand its program fund named Grant for Fertility Innovation (GFI) to €4 million for 2012/2013.

Announced for the first time in 2009, the GFI is dedicated to transforming innovative translational fertility research projects at academic centers into concrete health solutions to improve the outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies (ART). In the last three years, around 400 applications to GFI were received from over 40 countries around the world.

“We welcome Merck Serono’s commitment which contributes to fuel innovation in the field of fertility. Since the 1950s, great discoveries have been made leading to the development of treatments and the birth of millions of babies thanks to cutting edge techniques such as in vitro fertilization,” said Dr. Anna Veiga, Chaiman of ESHRE. “While tremendous progress has been made over the years, research must continue to allow further advances.”

“Our GFI program has already enabled previous winners to publish important research, which may lead to new medical approaches in fertility, a key therapeutic area for Research and Development at Merck Serono,” said Dr. Annalisa Jenkins, Executive Vice President Global Development and Medical at Merck Serono. “We firmly believe that scientific collaboration that brings together researchers from across the academic and industry continuum will be the leading driver for the next wave of research and medical innovation.”

Every year, the GFI awardees are announced during a ceremony at ESHRE’s annual meeting. This year’s ceremony was presided by Dr. Annalisa Jenkins, joined by Timur Gürgan, Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee of ESHRE 2012, Dr. Anna Veiga, Chairman of ESHRE, and Prof. Nick Macklon, Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology, at the University of Southampton, and past GFI winner.

This year, nine winning projects were announced during the ceremony:

• Edson Borges Jr. (Brazil): Non-invasive prediction of embryo implantation potential and culture media
• Angelika Daser (Germany): Direct counting of chromatids in polar bodies
• Ellen Greenblatt (Canada): Validation of endometrial receptivity biomarkers predictive of success
• Marcos Horton (Argentina): Fourier -Transform Infrared spectroscopy for  metabolomics in IVF
• Giovanni Ruvolo (Italy): A new strategy in selecting oocytes with high implantation potentiality
• Lois A. Salamonsen (Australia): Uterine receptivity: the final hurdle in IVF
• Rossana Sapiro (Uruguay): Increase sperm quality by improvement of mitochondrial activity
• François Vialard (France): PIF-Biomarker of successful pregnancy
• Dagan Wells (UK): Non-invasive detection of chromosome abnormality in human oocytes

Notes to editors:
Photos of the award ceremony are available on the GFI website: www.grantforfertilityinnovation.com.

About the Grant for Fertility Innovation (GFI)

Merck Serono announced the initiation of the GFI program in 2009 to support the advancement of science and innovative technologies in the fertility field. This grant is awarded every year to translational research projects that can potentially improve baby birth rate for the benefit of the patients. Each project is blinded and evaluated by a jury of experts according to five criteria: support to increase baby birth rate; innovative research; scientific rationale; feasibility and practical utility.

For further information about the GFI and how to apply for next year’s grants, please visit: www.grantforfertilityinnovation.com

About Merck Serono

Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA. With headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, 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 neurodegenerative diseases, oncology and rheumatology.

About Merck

Merck is a global pharmaceutical and chemical company with total revenues of €10.3 billion in 2011, a history that began in 1668, and a future shaped by more than 40,000 employees in 67 countries. Its success is characterized by innovations from entrepreneurial employees. Merck’s operating activities come under the umbrella of Merck KGaA, in which the Merck family holds an approximately 70% interest and free shareholders own the remaining approximately 30%. In 1917 the U.S. subsidiary Merck & Co. was expropriated and has been an independent company ever since.

For more information, please visit www.merckserono.com or www.merckgroup.com

 

Merck Serono Celebrates the 50-Year Anniversary of Neurobion

GENEVA, June 21, 2012

• Merck Serono is a pioneer[1] in vitamin-B combination supplements with Neurobion® indicated in the treatment of vitamin B1, B6 and B12 deficiencies.
• The company reiterates its commitment to treat vitamin B deficiencies and the associated clinical manifestations.

Merck Serono, a division of Merck in Darmstadt, Germany, today announces that the company is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Neurobion®, one of the first Vitamin B combinations worldwide. On this occasion, the company and its affiliates worldwide will organize educational activities and information sessions for healthcare professionals to draw attention to the main symptoms and side effects of a lack of B vitamins.

Vitamin-B deficiencies may have various degrees of severity. They may be due to several conditions including among others a vegetarian diet or pathologies like diabetes or alcoholism [2,3,4,5]. Lack of these vitamins can remain undetected for many years. The diagnosis is often made accidentally from associated complications. Early detection aims at preventing the effects of the deficiency and its long-term complications.

The role of a B-vitamin combination for the treatment of the various clinical manifestations of the deficiency, including neuropathies, is supported by several research papers[6,7,8].

Neurobion® is indicated in vitamin deficiencies involving Vitamin B1, B6 or B12 depending upon the combination approved in each country. Some of the Neurobion® brands available in certain countries include diclofenac (Dolo-Neurobion®), dexamethasone (Dexa-Neurobion®) or gabapentin (Gavindol®) in addition to the Vitamin B combinations, and are also indicated for neuropathic pain. The company intends to seek registration in additional countries for such pain-related vitamin-B supplemental treatments.

Neurobion® is a complex of three essential neurotropic B vitamins that was first approved in Austria in 1962 and has been commercialized in various European and international markets with various dosages, compositions and indications. Today, it is marketed in more than 70 countries worldwide. In 2011, over 1.3 billions units of Merck Serono Vitamin B combinations were injected or swallowed worldwide[9].

“Vitamin B 1, 6 and 12 deficiencies and associated clinical manifestations can greatly affect patients’ quality of life,” said Belén Garijo, Head of Global Operations at Merck Serono. “Over 50 years we have continuously worked on developing the Neurobion® family with a variety of innovative formulations and line extensions that meet the individual needs of our patients, including those in emerging countries.”

For example, Merck Serono has developed a dual chamber syringe that allows a better conservation and product resistance to extreme temperatures that can occur in some regions. The dual chamber syringe will be launched in the course of 2012 following the granting of the national marketing authorizations.

All products are not available in all countries and approved indications vary between countries. Please refer to the relevant nationally approved prescribing information.

References:

[1]Registration document of 1962 on file at Merck KGaA.

[2]Stabler SP et al. Vitamin B12 deficiency as a worldwide Problem. Annu. Rev. Nutr. 2004; 24: 299-326.

[3] Hokin BD et al. Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B-12) status in Seventh-day Adventist ministers in Australia. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1999; 70: 576S- 578S.

[4] Cook CCH. Alcohol & Alcoholism 1998; 33 (4): 317-336.

[5] Adaikalakoteswari A et al. Disturbance of B-vitamin status in people with type 2 diabetes in Indonesia – Link to renal status, glycemic control and vascular inflammation. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice 2012; 95 (3): 415-424.

[6]Lahoda and al., Therapeutic possibilities in polyneuropathies, Einhorn-Presse Verlag, Reinbeck, 1985: 57-64.

[7]Eckert and al., Therapy of neuropathies with a vitamin B combination. Symptomatic treatment of painful diseases of the peripheral nervous system with a combination preparation of thiamine, pyridoxine and cyanocobalamin, Fortschr. Med. 1992; 110(29): 544-548.

[8]Janka et al., The influence of Neurobion on temperature sensibility in patients with diabetic polyneuropathy, Int. Rietbrock N, ed. Pharmakologie und klinische Anwendung hochdosierter B-vitamine. Darmstadt: Steinkopff Verlag, 1991:87-97.

[9] IMS data, 2011.

About The Role of Vitamins

Thiamine, or vitamin B1, is necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in most organisms (Stryer, 1988)[1]. The active form of thiamine, thiamine-diphosphate, works as a co-factor for more than 24 enzymes and it required at several stages of anabolic and catabolic intermediary metabolism, such as intracellular glucose metabolism (Frank et al.,2007). Thiamine-diphosphate is essential for ATP production through the Krebs cycle within each cell and is also a modulator of neuronal and neuro-muscular transmission, (Bender, 1999, Beltramo et al. 2008). The best known manifestation of thiamine deficiency is beriberi, a neurological and cardiovascular disease. Absence or severe lack of thiamine in the diet can cause the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, (also known as cerebral beriberi), a striking neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by the paralysis of eye movements, horizontal nytagmus, fever, ataxia, abnormal stance and gait, and finally markedly deranged mental function (Harper, 1979; Stryer 1988)[1]. Natural sources of thiamine are meats (particularly lean pork), liver, poultry, eggs, fish, beans, peas, nuts, and whole grains, whereas little thiamine is present in fruit, vegetables and dairy products (Flodin, 1988)[1].

Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin which is involved in many metabolic processes. Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) is the most active B6-vitamer and acts as a coenzyme in more than 180 enzymatic reactions, related to amino acid metabolism and sugar and fatty acid metabolism (Percudani and Peracchi, 2009; Hellmann and Mooney, 2010). Historically vitamin B6 deficiency has been related to pellagra and anemia, which occur in severe vitamin B6 deficiency. Important sources of vitamin B6 are meat, whole-grain products and vegetables[1]. 

Vitamin B 12 is a ubiquitous enzyme involved in important intracellular enzyme reactions. In the blood, transcobalamin transport vitamin B12 to cells of the body[1]. At the cellular membrane, the complex is internalized (Quadros, 2009) and after enzymatic cleavage the vitamin is finally modified to methylcobalamin (Chanarin, 1990)1. Methylcobalamin together with folate plays a role as a coenzyme for methionine synthase which catalyses the conversion of homocysteine to methionine, which is required for the formation of S-adenosylmethionine, a universal donor for almost 100 different substrates, including DNA, RNA, hormones, proteins and lipids1. Clinical symptoms of B12 deficiency include neurological and hematological signs. Neurological symptoms are considered a manifestation of the disease; they are often presented without significant hematological signs. Vitamin B12 is abundant in meat, diary, products, seafood and in liver, but absent from vegetables and legumes[1].

[1] Vitamin in the prevention of human disease. Edited by W. Hermann and Rima Obeid. 2011

About Neurobion®

Neurobion is a combination of three B vitamins (B1, 6 and B 12) in coated tablets or injectable formulation.

It is a prescription only medicine indicated in the treatment of deficiencies in vitamin B1, B6 and/ or B12. In some countries it is also indicated in the treatment of neuritis and neuralgia (neuropathies), e.g.: Trigeminal neuralgia, intercostal neuralgia, ischialgia, lumbar syndrome, cervical syndrome, shoulder-arm syndrome, radicular neuritis due to degenerative diseases of the vertebral column, facial paresis.

Contra-indications:

Hypersensitivity to any of the active ingredients or excipients of the product, Treatment of children due to the high content of active ingredients. As Neurobion contains benzyl alcohol, it must not be given to premature infants or neonates.

Special warnings and precautions:

In literature neuropathies are described under long term (6-12 months) of more than 50mg daily of vitamin B6.  Therefore, under long-term treatment regular monitoring is recommended.

Undesirable effects:

Hypersensitivity reactions, such as sweating, tachycardia, and skin reactions with itching and urticaria.  Gastrointestinal complaints, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.

For injectable formulation : Injection site reactions. Individual cases of acne or eczema have been reported after high parenteral doses of vitamin B12. Very rarely:  anaphylactic shock.

For detailed information on Dolo-Neurobion®, Dexa-Neurobion® and Gavindol®,please refer to the relevant nationally approved prescribing information.

About Merck Serono

Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA. With headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, 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 neurodegenerative diseases, oncology and rheumatology.

About Merck

Merck is a global pharmaceutical and chemical company with total revenues of € 10.3 billion in 2011, a history that began in 1668, and a future shaped by more than 40,000 employees in 67 countries. Its success is characterized by innovations from entrepreneurial employees. Merck’s operating activities come under the umbrella of Merck KGaA, in which the Merck family holds an approximately 70% interest and shareholders own the remaining approximately 30%. In 1917 the U.S. subsidiary Merck & Co. was expropriated and has been an independent company ever since.

For more information, please visit http://www.merckserono.com or http://www.merckgroup.com or https://www.facebook.com/MerckSeronoIND/app_221460014534454

 

 

Merck Serono and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Announce Collaboration to Develop and Commercialize Biosimilars

Combined Biologics expertise of Merck Serono and Dr. Reddy’s to deliver on promise of biosimilars

Geneva, Switzerland, June 6, 2012 – Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd., Hyderabad, India, announced today a partnership to co-develop a portfolio of biosimilar compounds in oncology, primarily focused on monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). The partnership covers co-development, manufacturing and commercialization of the compounds around the globe, with some specific country exceptions.

The Merck Serono and Dr. Reddy’s partnership marks the first step by Merck Serono to enter the biosimilar space. Merck began exploring the opportunity last year to assess how it could capitalize on its expertise in biopharmaceuticals and its growing presence in key markets including select Emerging Markets. Earlier this year, it set up a dedicated biosimilars unit that will be based in the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland, where the main biologics manufacturing facilities of Merck Serono are located. The investment required for this initiative is fully reflected in the guidance provided for Merck Serono’s 2012 and mid-term financial performance, which was provided to the Capital Markets on May 15, 2012.

“Our expertise in developing, manufacturing and commercializing biopharmaceuticals gives us a clear advantage in the biosimilars field and the partnership with Dr. Reddy’s will bring their first-in-market experience in biosimilars, as well as their expertise in generics and Emerging Markets, to the table,” said Stefan Oschmann, Merck Executive Board Member and Chief Executive Officer of Merck Serono. “Sharing know-how, risks and rewards is the right approach to enter the emergent biosimilars market and will be a win-win for both parties. It further strengthens Merck Serono’s promise to live science and transform lives, by increasing access to quality medicines for patients and physicians, while also broadening the value offered to payers.”

G. V. Prasad, Vice-Chairman and CEO at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, commented: “We strongly believe that biosimilars is an important area of future growth and these products give us the opportunity to provide affordable and innovative medicines to patients across the globe. With the recent EMA and FDA guidance on biosimilars, it is clear that any significant player in the field will need strong biologics development, manufacturing and commercialization capabilities. Merck Serono’s and Dr. Reddy’s joint expertise in these fields makes for a powerful global partnership.”

The deal structure calls for Merck Serono and Dr. Reddy’s to co-develop the molecules included in the agreement. Dr. Reddy’s will lead early product development and complete Phase I development. Upon completion of Phase I, Merck Serono will take over manufacturing of the compounds and will lead Phase III development. The agreement is based on full R&D cost sharing.

Merck Serono will undertake commercialization globally, outside the US and with the exception of select emerging markets which will be co-exclusive or where Dr. Reddy’s maintains exclusive rights. At the time of commercialization, Dr. Reddy’s will receive royalty payments from Merck Serono. In the US, the parties will co-commercialize the products on a profit-sharing basis. Additional terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The move into biosimilars by Merck Serono is a part of the Merck Group’s transformation program, focused on delivering long-term value and growth opportunities.

About biosimilars
Merck Serono has established a dedicated biosimilars unit to develop, manufacture and commercialize biosimilar medicines. The unit is a part of the pharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA, Merck Serono, and will be based in the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland, where the main biologics manufacturing facilities of Merck Serono are located and will be leveraged, along with support from other EU biologic manufacturing facilities. The unit is focused on developing molecules through its in-house research and development expertise in biologics as well as in partnerships with other biosimilar players in key therapeutic areas including oncology and inflammatory disorders.

About Dr. Reddy’s
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. (NYSE: RDY) is an integrated global pharmaceutical company, committed to providing affordable and innovative medicines for healthier lives. Through its three businesses – Pharmaceutical Services and Active Ingredients, Global Generics and Proprietary Products – Dr. Reddy’s offers a portfolio of products and services including APIs, custom pharmaceutical services, generics, biosimilars, differentiated formulations and NCEs. Therapeutic focus is on gastro-intestinal, cardiovascular, diabetology, oncology, pain management, anti-infective and pediatrics. Major markets include India, USA, Russia and CIS, Germany, UK, Venezuela, S. Africa, Romania, and New Zealand.
For more information, log on to: http://www.drreddys.com

About Merck Serono
Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA. With headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, 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 neurodegenerative diseases, oncology and rheumatology.

About Merck
Merck is a global pharmaceutical and chemical company with total revenues of € 10.3 billion in 2011, a history that began in 1668, and a future shaped by approximately 40,000 (including Merck Millipore) employees in 68 countries. Its success is characterized by innovations from entrepreneurial employees. Merck’s operating activities come under the umbrella of Merck KGaA, in which the Merck family holds an approximately 70% interest and free shareholders own the remaining approximately 30%. In 1917 the U.S. subsidiary Merck & Co. was expropriated and has been an independent company ever since.

For more information, please visit www.merckserono.com  or www.merckgroup.com 

Contact:
Rimmi Harindran
Associate Director
Head of Business Communication and Stakeholder Management
Tel.: +91 (0)22 6660 9146
Mobile No. 9987045538
Email: rimmi.harindran@merckgroup.com

 

Merck Serono Unveils Global Design Competition Prototype

“Sports Walker” highlights innovative spirit of multiple sclerosis community

Geneva, Switzerland, May 30, 2012 – In honor of World MS Day, Merck Serono, a division of Merck, Darmstadt, Germany, and Brian Light, a person living with multiple sclerosis (MS), today unveiled the prototype of the “Sports Walker,” a state-of-the-art concept designed to provide support for someone with limited mobility, while keeping their hands free to play the sports they love.

Light was selected by the MS community as the overall winner of the “Real MS: Your Innovation” campaign, a global design competition sponsored by Merck Serono that challenged the MS community to submit unique and innovative ideas to help people overcome MS-related challenges. For Light, his main challenge was limited mobility, which made his 30-year-long hobby of playing volleyball nearly impossible, until the Sports Walker allowed him to get back on the court.

As the competition winner, Light traveled to the design studios of IDEO, an award-winning global design and innovation firm, where he worked hand-in-hand with IDEO designers to evolve and refine his idea.

“We spent a lot of time with Brian talking about how we could make the Sports Walker more portable, compact and applicable to daily life,” said Florian Altmann, senior designer and project lead at IDEO. “The final prototype is a compelling example of the potential that exists when patients innovate to solve everyday challenges.”

Your Innovation marks the second and final phase of the Real MS campaign, launched by Merck Serono in 2010 to build a greater understanding of MS and stimulate a hopeful message around navigating life with MS. The first competition, Your Story, featured a global script-writing competition that resulted in a short film about life with MS.

“The MS community inspires us every day, and Real MS was truly a celebration of this inspiration and positive spirit,” said Belén Garijo, Chief Operating Officer at Merck Serono. “As Real MS comes to a close, our work is by no means done. Merck Serono has always been committed to supporting the needs of people living with MS.”

Merck Serono’s commitment to patient support will continue in the form of UniteMS.net, an international social network designed specifically for people living with and impacted by multiple sclerosis. For more information about UniteMS, Brian Light, or the Sports Walker, visit www.UniteMS.net. This site is not intended for use by residents of the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland. United States residents should visit us.realmsvoices.com.

About Merck Serono India – check this out:

https://www.facebook.com/MerckSeronoIND#!/MerckSeronoIND/app_212097992149339

 

6 MILLION MUMBAIKARS CONSUME TOBACCO, 2 MILLION ARE EXPECTED TO DIE PREMATURELY

Observing ‘World No Tobacco Day’ Tata Memorial Hospital and AMC conduct a seminar on the ill-effects of tobacco consumption that is threatening millions of lives

Mumbai, May 27: Despite interventional strategies to dissuade youth and others from falling prey to tobacco, school-going children and kids in India’s financial capital are taking to smoking in droves, according Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, Associate Professor, Surgical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital.

Addressing a seminar on ‘Tobacco addiction and its implications’ organised by Tata Memorial Hospital and Association of Medical Consultants on the eve of ‘World No Tobacco Day’ here today, he said a whopping 6 million people in Mumbai consume tobacco and 2 million, mostly in their productive age, are expected to die due to ailments associated directly to tobacco consumption, mainly smoking. This scientific seminar was supported by an education grant provided by Merck Serono – the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA, Germany, a global pharmaceutical and chemical company.

Said Dr. Chaturvedi, “Stress, Bollywood, fads and peer pressure all encourage people to take to smoking and this habit then continues due to its addictive nature. Even affluence is associated with smoking and drinking habits. Moreover, the interference posed by Tobacco industry in the form of pictorial warning, sale near schools, surrogate advertising, point of sale advertising and ministry decisions must be tackled effectively. Kids should not be exposed to such things as they are vulnerable and hence can easily fall prey to this habit.”

“Apart from 27 different diseases that are caused by tobacco, second hand smokers also are at increased risk for similar diseases,” he added.

The day-long seminar revealed some more shocking facts. Non-communicable diseases have outpaced the infectious diseases in wrecking the health of millions of Mumbaikars. The greatest cause of most of these diseases is preventable — tobacco consumption. Tobacco alone is the leading cause of 90% of the diseases affecting the mouth, 80% of the COPD, 60% of heart diseases, 50% of cancers and 20% of all deaths. According to the National Cancer Institute, tobacco use is linked to 85% of head and neck cancer cases. 

More and more individuals are working in night shifts. This has made them resort to the most easily available sources of adrenaline, smoking and coffee. Even women take to smoking as they climb the corporate ladder as it seems to be the only outlet for stress. Tobacco consumption is not only high among the general public who may be uneducated or unaware of the ill-effects of tobacco consumption but even the medical community, who is very well versed with the harm it can do to one’s life, is falling prey to this deleterious habit.

It is difficult though not impossible to de-addict onself from this life-threatening habit. Dr. Chaturvedi said: “Those trying to quit smoking or consuming tobacco in any other form have to deal with a temporary difficult phase of withdrawal, but there are advantages in the long run like increase in longevity. With a strong will power and determination along with a two-minute advice rendered by a physician are the strongest cessation tools available to quit tobacco consumption. However, one must guard against alternatives like e-cigs which are highly unsafe. They contain pure nicotine in vapour form. Nicotine alone is a poisonous and addictive substance, capable of causing cancer. Also, there are currently no good drugs available though marketed aggressively by pharma companies.”

World No Tobacco Day observed on May 31 is a good opportunity to remind everyone what they are doing to their health when they blow those few puffs to get a momentary relief from their day -to -day tensions. This year’s theme of the WHO is `tobacco industry interference.’

About Tata Memorial Hospital: The Tata Memorial Centre is the national comprehensive cancer centre for the prevention, treatment, education and research in Cancer and is recognised as one of the leading cancer centres in this part of the world. In 1952 the Indian Cancer Research Centre was established as a pioneer research institute for basic research – later called the Cancer Research Institute (CRI). In 1957 the Ministry of Health took over the Tata Memorial Hospital. The Tata Memorial Hospital and Cancer Research Institute merged as the two arms of the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) in 1966 as a classic example of private philanthropy augmented by Government support with a mandate for Service, Education & Research in Cancer.

About AMC: AMC or Association of Medical Consultants was established in 1972 by a small group of energetic active and concerned medical consultants from distant suburbs who often assembled and animatedly discussed their common problems. It is now one of the fastest growing Associations of Specialist Doctors in Mumbai and boasts of a membership strength of 7000 Medical consultants. AMC represents Consultants practicing at corporate and non corporate Tertiary care referral Hospitals (both Government and Private) and individual Consultants practicing through their own consulting rooms, Clinics & Nursing Homes spread across Greater Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane districts.

About Merck Serono: Merck Serono, a global biopharmaceutical business, is the largest division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany which markets innovative prescription drugs of chemical and biotechnological origin. Our enduring commitment and focus in specialist indications enables us to deliver targeted medicines and innovative drug delivery systems to patients all over the world.

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