The fund will support biotech start-up companies that have the potential to provide innovative products in Merck Serono’s core therapeutic areas, in particular in neurodegenerative diseases, oncology and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Merck Serono Ventures also will target companies developing innovative technologies that could enable the discovery and development of new products in Merck Serono’s core therapeutic areas.
Bernhard Kirschbaum, executive vice president of R&D at Merck Serono, said: “Merck Serono’s venture capital fund will provide the opportunity to support scientific excellence in our core fields of interest and provide start-up companies with the opportunity to interact early on with our organization.”