EMD Millipore, the Billerica, Mass.-based life science division of Merck, has opened its advanced GMP bioproduction facility in Martillac, France, offering a full, single-use process train to speed a molecule’s journey to the clinic.

The site will serve users of EMD Millipore’s provantage biodevelopment and clinical supply solutions, an “open source” manufacturing option that incorporates the latest technologies for upstream and downstream processes.

The open source approach provides customers with greater control over production. With a traditional outsourcing model, the customer’s process must fit the facility and the contract manufacturer controls the process. With ProVantage Solutions, EMD Millipore develops the process for further use by the customer.  

At the new facility, EMD Millipore provides access to proven technologies, process development expertise and validation services, offering a robust template that makes it possible to go from clone selection to GMP product in only 12 months. The facility offers GMP production of mammalian proteins for pre-clinical to phase II production at the 50L to 1,250L scale. For phase III and commercial production, customers can transfer manufacturing to any location, at any scale. This freedom brings enhanced flexibility to the molecule development and the manufacturing process.

“EMD Millipore leverages more than 25 years of biomanufacturing experience with 150 molecules in our new facility in France,” said Christophe Couturier, vice president of services and solutions, EMD Millipore. “As the basis for Provantage Solutions, our experts complement customers’ internal capabilities in a way that combines the best of in-house production and conventional outsourcing. The end result is increased productivity and an accelerated time to market.”