Merck and Promega Collaborate on 3D Cell Technology for Drug Discovery
The strategic partnership combines Merck's expertise in organoids with Promega's assay technologies.
Merck has entered into a strategic partnership with US-based Promega. Together with the world's leading solution and service provider for life sciences, the Darmstadt, Germany-based life sciences company, operating under the EMD brand name in North America, intends to develop innovative technologies to improve the screening and discovery of new active ingredients.
As part of the agreement, the two partners are pooling their strengths: Merck will contribute its expertise in the fields of organoids and synthetic chemistry and Promega its market-leading assay and reporter technologies. The aim is the joint development of assays with which cell activity in three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures can be monitored in real time using a novel reporter system. These 3D cell cultures, also known as organoids, mimic biological processes in the human body and enable investigations that are physiologically more meaningful than with conventional 2D models.
"The partnership with Promega demonstrates the potential of two science-based companies working together," said Anand Nambiar, Head of Science & Lab Solutions at Merck's Life Science business sector. "By combining our organoid expertise with Promega's advanced reporter technology, we aim to enable high-throughput screening that will help researchers find safer and more effective drug candidates for complex diseases faster than ever before."
"The collaboration with Merck enables us to push the boundaries of drug discovery," said Tom Livelli, VP, Life Sciences Products & Services at Promega. "By combining our technological strengths, we will help provide more relevant and accessible models for drug discovery - leading to new insights that will ultimately benefit patients."
In addition to this development agreement, Merck and Promega have signed another agreement to explore opportunities to integrate Merck's Duolink technology with Promega's HiBiT technology. The objective is to develop new workflows to study protein interactions within cells. This will enable researchers to gain deeper insights into cellular signaling and support applications in both biological and small molecule (chemically synthesized) drug discovery.
The partnership with Promega further strengthens Merck's leadership in the field of next-generation biology tools and solutions. Merck aims to combine complementary expertise to pave the way for breakthroughs in drug discovery. To this end, Merck acquired HUB Organoids, a pioneer in organoid technology, in December 2024. This enabled Merck to expand its expertise in the field of 3D cell culture. The acquisition also strengthened the portfolio through the basic patents and HUB's service offering for advanced modeling and high-throughput screening. Strategic acquisitions and partnerships such as this solidify Merck's position as a leading provider of essential research tools that bridge the gap in the process chain from discovery in the lab to successful treatment of patients.
