The existing agreement between the two companies was signed in 2003. The new expanded agreement, extended till 2010, offers additional opportunities for collaboration, and substantially increases the number of full-time WuXi scientists assisting Merck. A broader range of functional WuXi services including synthesis, process research, and medicinal chemistry, will also be utilized. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“Our partnership with Merck helps us gain world class experience, and at the same time helps Merck better deploy their R&D resources. This agreement, the result of WuXi’s sustained high performance on Merck projects, contributes greatly to our strategic target of becoming a first-class fully integrated R&D service company,” said Dr Ge Li, chairman and CEO of WuXi PharmaTech.