German pharmaceutical giant Merck KGaA (ETR: MRK) has announced a collaboration with Biotheus, a China-based biotech company focused on developing treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases. The partnership aims to streamline Biotheus’ development process by utilizing Merck’s Blazar Rodent Panel, which significantly reduces the turn-around-time (TAT) of cell line characterization from around 60 days to just 14 days.
Blazar Rodent Panel Profile
Launched in the third quarter of 2020, the Blazar Rodent Panel is a cutting-edge technology that detects a much broader range of adventitious viruses compared to traditional Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) methods. By targeting conserved regions within virus families, the panel allows the biopharma industry to move away from traditional animal experiments for detecting rodent-origin viruses in cell banks used in the production of biologics.
Impact on Biotheus’ Development
“The Blazar Rodent Panel from Merck is one of the few technologies available on the market that will empower us in expediting approvals for IND and BLA in China and beyond,” said Xu Yingda, Vice President of Chemical Manufacturing and Control at Biotheus Inc. This collaboration underscores Merck KGaA’s commitment to supporting innovative biotech companies and accelerating the development of critical therapies.-Fineline Info & Tech
