Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical division of Merck, announced today a 80 million investment in a new pharmaceutical manufacturing facility, to be located in the Nantong Economical Technological Development Area (NETDA), in the Greater Shanghai region (Yangtze River Delta area).

The new facility will focus on the bulk production and packaging of Glucophage, Concor and Euthyrox, Merck's leading brands for the treatment of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and thyroid disorders respectively. Located in NETDA's BioSpark, a high-tech industrial park designed to accommodate all aspects of the life science industry, the new facility will cover an area of 40,000 square meters, with a possible 20,000 square meters extension. The construction of the site is scheduled to start in 2014 and to be completed in 2016, and start commercial production in 2017. The site will be designed to comply with the highest international quality standards. The preservation of the environment will also be a critical consideration in the facility's construction, with a maximization of resource efficiency and minimized waste generation during the manufacturing process.