Merck Serono Focuses On China For Expansion
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
Merck Group's Chairman of the Executive Board Karl-Ludwig Kley declared that the company will expand its investment in China and other Asian countries in the near future. China has been one of Merck's top 10 markets for antitumor drug Erbitux (cetuximab), with sales growing over 70 percent this year. However, the company thinks there is still potential for greater performance. Merck's pharmaceutical business in 2007 hit €4.88 billion, of which Serono's prescription drugs contributed €4.46 billion. Serono concentrates on oncology, neurodegenerative disease, autoimmune and inflammatory disease, as well as infertility and endocrine disease. Merck hopes that Serono will become one of the top 15 pharmaceutical companies in China before 2012. (Click here for more - Chinese Language)