Merck KGaA announces nanotechnology solutions alliance

Merck KGaA has announced that it has formed a nanotechnology solutions alliance with privately held research and development firm Nano Terra. The agreement aims to bring novel nanotechnology-based solutions to the market.

According to the terms of the agreement, Merck will collaborate with Nano Terra to create new properties in speciality chemicals produced by Merck through the use of nano-scale molecular fabrication methods.

These methods, pioneered by Nano Terra and Professor Geroge M Whitesides, its co-founder, will be used to enable Merck’s products to be used with enhanced precision while facilitating new applications at lower cost.

Dr Thomas Geelhaar, vice-president of liquid crystals research and development and business development chemicals at Merck, said: “We have long been fascinated by the sciences originally developed by Professor George Whitesides of Harvard and, through his association with Nano Terra, we look forward to being the first to commercialise these innovations with them.”

Carmichael Roberts, vice chairman of Nano Terra, added that the company was proud to have been selected by Merck as a result of its scientific abilities.

Last month, Merck announced that it had signed a multi-target collaboration agreement with Archemix for the development of aptamer-based cancer therapeutics.