Merck Makes Pioneering Technologies Gavi, Geri and Gems Available to Fertility Clinics

DARMSTADT, Germany, April 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Not intended for U.S. based media 

• Merck obtains CE mark certification for consumables of Gavi^™ and Geri^™ as well as for the embryo culture media suite Gems^™
• Geri™ now incorporating innovative software module Geri™
  Connect + Assess, allowing fertility labs enhanced control and consistency in embryo assessment 
• All three product families demonstrate Merck's commitment to addressing the need for high consistency and quality standards in fertility treatment 

Merck, a leading science and technology company today announced that the three ground-breaking fertility technologies Gavi^™, Geri^™ and Gems^™ are now available for clinical use in Europe with additional regions to follow in 2016. Having received CE mark certification for the embryo culture media suite Gems^™ as well as for the consumables of Gavi^™ and Geri^™, Merck can now enable customers to fully apply these pioneering technologies and enhance control and consistency in their assisted reproductive treatment (ART) processes. For best support within the clinic and enhanced connectivity, Geri™ will be available with the additional software module Geri™ Connect + Assess which provides clinicians with further help in evaluating the embryo development potential.

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"Being able to bring Gavi^™, Geri^™ and Gems^™ to market so quickly shows how Merck is examining every angle of how fertility treatment outcomes can be improved - from recognizing new technologies to increasing access for patients. Through our work with clinics, we know that fertility laboratories aim to increase the success rate in ART through improved control during embryo development," said Rehan Verjee, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer at Merck's biopharma business. "With these needs of physicians and embryologists in mind, we have aligned our key priorities and are happy to see Gavi^™, Geri^™ and Gems^™ in full clinical use. These innovative technologies are just the start of our commitment to further expand our portfolio of practical solutions to support women and couples in achieving their dream of having a baby."

All three fertility technologies products were developed to help clinics improve and facilitate treatment decisions using standardized, automated protocols and objective information. In particular, the software module Geri^™ Connect + Assess represents another step towards a suite of software solutions that Merck will soon provide with the goal to further drive innovation in the IVF lab.

Gavi^™, Geri^™ and Gems^™ are commercialized as part of the partnership between Merck and Genea Biomedx Propriety Limited, Sydney, Australia. Through Merck's customer and market expertise, the Genea Group's premium fertility clinics and the world-leading research facility ARTinnovations, the three technologies benefit from both a deep understanding of the patient experience and scientific excellence. "We call the convergence of our expertise in fertility treatment, world leading research and innovation and vigorous in-house testing, our virtuous circle. This unique combination has led us to focus on fertility technologies as the real, game-changing solutions to the challenging issues fertility clinics and people with infertility face," said Genea CEO Dr Tomas Stojanov.

About Gavi^™, Geri^™ and Gems^™  

• Gavi^™ - the world's first fully automated vitrification instrument, developed with the aim to achieve a consistent and standardized vitrification process; vitrification is a process used in IVF to preserve human egg cells (oocytes) or embryos by cooling them to deep sub-zero degrees. Approaching the process in an innovative way, Gavi^™ uses an automated, standardized protocol aiming to provide consistent results in blastocyst vitrification.
• Geri^™ - a benchtop incubator with individually controlled incubation chambers per patient to minimize disruptive events to the early-stage embryo. It also incorporates a time-lapse camera to capture images of embryos as they develop.
• Gems^™ - the latest generation of Genea Biomedx's culture media suite for high-quality embryo cultivation.

Gavi^™, Geri^™ and Gems^™ received the CE mark clearance in Europe, and also the consumables for Gavi^™ and Geri^™ are certified. The three devices are not yet cleared for use in the USA.

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About Merck 

Merck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 50,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life - from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2015, Merck generated sales of € 12.85 billion in 66 countries.

Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck, Darmstadt, Germany holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.

Contact: Bettina Frank, +49-6151-72-4660