• Reduces minute virus of mice contamination risk

• Enhances viral safety while maintaining cell line productivity, protein quality

Darmstadt, Germany — Merck, a leading science and technology company, today launched a first-of-its-kind gene editing technology to modify CHO cell lines to be resistant to minute virus of mice (MVM), a common contamination threat that remains despite the shift to chemically defined, animal component-free manufacturing processes. CHO cells are commonly used in the manufacture of biologics.

Merck’s new Centinel™ technology targets genes which play a role in MVM susceptibility. Viral contaminations like MVM can have major consequences for biopharmaceutical manufacturers, costing hundreds of millions of dollars, according to industry reports. The greatest impact of such contamination is on patients, as access to therapies can be put in jeopardy. Centinel™ technology provides manufacturers with an additional path for mitigating the risk of MVM contamination