Merck Serono to establish production of Rebif in Russia

Merck Serono, the biotech unit of Germany’s Merck KGaA (MRK: DE), plans to establish production of its multiple sclerosis drug Rebif (interferon beta-1a) in Russia, at the manufacturing facilities of local drugmaker Pharmstandard.

This has already been confirmed by Irina Bakhturina, an adviser to Pharmstandard’s chief executive, according to whom the agreement will be signed in the coming days.

According to Merck Serono, localization of production will help to include the drug in the list of drugs which are annually purchased by the Russian government as part of the state program, known as "7 Nosologies " and the total value of which is estimated at 44.2 billion roubles ($1.3 billion).