EMD Millipore, the life science division of Merck KGaA, has expanded its upstream services into North America for its Provantage Biodevelopment and Clinical Supply services. The facilities in Billerica, MA will now offer media and feed screening, small-scale material production, and optimization for scale-up and technology transfer. The company provides these services in Europe from its GMP biodevelopment center in Martillac, France.
   
“Some of the largest gains in process productivity, consistency, scalability and efficiency can be achieved during the clone to media and feed steps,” said Oliver Klaeffling, head of Integrated Pharm Solutions. “It is essential to identify the optimal upstream process at an early stage as once in the clinic, these parameters often prove difficult to alter from a regulatory and economic standpoint. Our team works with clients to review their upstream strategies and identify opportunities for improvement while maintaining the desired quality characteristics.”