BRIEF—Merck KGaA becomes first to use acoustic technology for cell therapy manufacturing

Germany’s Merck KGaA has acquired FloDesign Sonics, a US developer of an acoustic cell processing platform for the industrialization of cell and gene therapy manufacturing, for an undisclosed sum.

Merck is the first company make acoustic technology, which allows for the manipulation of cells with ultrasonic waves, available for cell therapy manufacturing.

Udit Batra, member of the Merck executive board and chief executive of Life Science, said: “Chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies, or CAR-T for short, employs the body’s own immune systems to fight cancer by turning T cells into targeted therapeutics. This revolutionary cancer treatment is challenging and complex, with the process often taking up to a month.

“Our acquisition of FloDesign Sonics will industrialize the manufacturing of autologous cell therapy, allowing these types of potentially life-saving treatments to reach more patients, faster.”