Aesica Acquires Chemical Manufacturing Facility From Merck Sharp & Dohme

10-10-2006: Aesica, supplier of active pharmaceutical ingredients to the global pharmaceutical industry, announced it has acquired the chemical manufacturing facility at Ponders End, UK, from Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited (MSD), the UK subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. In addition to acquiring the site, Aesica has also entered into an agreement to supply intermediates and active ingredients to Merck over a number of years. The supply agreement has a potential revenue stream of $150 million up to $300 million.

The Ponders End site is a high-tech manufacturing facility located in Enfield, North London. It has potent compound and bulk manufacturing facilities producing a number of MSD's products. The plant has a capacity to produce 300 tons of products per year. Under the agreement, 74 employees currently working at the site will transfer their employment from MSD to Aesica immediately.

The sale of the site is part of Merck's global restructuring of its manufacturing operations to create a global manufacturing network that is better aligned to Merck's current and anticipated future product demand.