The BioReliance® Services business of Merck KGaA is primarily a Contract Testing Organisation, providing biosafety testing services for a wide range of global, biopharmaceutical companies.
The Glasgow facility also has a biomanufacturing facility. No products are manufactured for direct sale - only contract manufacturing for others. Typical products produced are (i) Cell Banks, (ii) Virus Seed Stocks and (iii) Viral Vectors.
Of relevance to this declaration, the facility produces the active viral ingredient for a vaccine program on behalf of a US-based pharmaceutical company, for use in the US. This is an Adenovirus vaccine (Type 4 and Type 7) and is used to vaccinate against Adenovirus Disease and Febrile Respiratory Illness. The site is licensed and operates under a Manufacturing Authorisation granted by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
The product is sent to the client as a frozen liquid formulation, for further processing and tabletting. The US-based pharmaceutical company holds marketing authorisation from the FDA for use of the vaccine in the United States.