Merck strengthens its Make in India initiative with Heavy Water Board partnership for chemistry applications in biopharma

Tuesday, July 25, 2023,

Merck India's partnership with Heavy Water Board, part of Department of Atomic Energy, will allow the company to manufacture deuterated compounds for advanced chemistry applications in pharma and biotechnology. The company said that this would make it a significant player in the global pharmaceutical landscape while strengthening its Make in India initiative.

It is reported that deuterated compounds are extensively studied in nonclinical settings and known for its application as metabolic or pharmacokinetic.

According to Dhananjay Singh, Head - Science and Lab Solutions, India, Merck Life Science, “What's exciting about deuterium substitution is that it can alter a drug candidate's properties and improve its therapeutic efficacy. Scientists can strategically incorporate deuterium atoms to enhance stability; slow clearance rates, and improves pharmacokinetic properties, among others”.

The benefits of deuterated compounds go beyond improved drug efficacy.  Deuterium substitution also helps drug safety by reducing toxic metabolites or interactions with off-target sites. It provides valuable information about the structure, conformation, and dynamics of compounds, allowing researchers to study protein folding, elucidate molecular interactions, and determine the three-dimensional structures of biomolecules. These benefits are critical pieces of the puzzle in advanced chemistry applications, he added

Overall, Merck's reliable supply of heavy water in partnership with HWB reinforces India's innovation ecosystem, leading to sustainable growth in the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. By enabling local manufacturing capabilities of deuterated compounds, Merck can contribute to producing more effective and targeted therapies, a significant step towards improving people's lives, Singh told Pharmabiz.

Following this partnership Merck India plans to expand its heavy water processing capabilities and establish local manufacturing facilities for deuterated compounds. With a reliable supply of heavy water, the company aims to unlock possibilities in manufacturing pharmaceutical drugs, semiconductors, and electronics, contributing to the growth of India's chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and technology sectors. By serving niche markets worldwide, such as Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, Merck India aims to become a top-ranked producer of deuterated products globally.

The critical feature of forming a long-term partnership with HWB is to ensure a steady supply of heavy water. Prior to the partnership, Merck primarily coped with manufacturing its deuterated compounds or D-labelled products by sourcing them from the existing global supply chain. The deuterated precursors and heavy water were sourced globally from Canada and Europe. The production, distribution, and sales of these are regulated by restrictions, permits, and licensing that require global trade documentation and end-use certification. However, this HWB partnership will strengthen local manufacturing capabilities, enabling India to become a key player in producing deuterated products globally, he stated.

Our investments at Jigani in Bengaluru indicate manufacturing expansion for deuterated compounds. The Jigani site has been operational since 2003. It is known for its best-in-class custom synthesis and catalogue production yields, occupying a massive 40,388 square metre facility. Further investments in the site have been planned, which are expected to boost India’s self-reliance in producing deuterated products. Overall, the investments at Jigani allow the company to establish its local presence, serve niche markets worldwide, and make effective drugs and electronics more accessible globally, said Singh.

Going forward, this partnership can help Merck India to address the growing demand for effective niche products making it a top-ranked producer of deuterated products globally and promote the growth of the indigenous chemical and pharmaceutical industries, he said.

PHARMBIZ.com