The successful closing of the Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) and the resolutions passed during the extraordinary general meeting of Serono S A, Merck KGaA has announced the official launch of Merck Serono S A.

"With the combined innovative power of two strong companies, we have the unique opportunity to create a superb union of pharmaceutical chemistry and biotechnology," said Elmar Schnee, new CEO of Merck Serono S A "We want to utilize the best of both companies. A total of 28 projects in clinical development, a combined R&D budget of approximately EUR 1 billion and the two key growth drivers Erbitux for oncology and Rebif for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, give us the best foundations for a successful future."

With the closing of the SPA, the integration process will now move forward. Following the conclusion of the planning phase, 25 integration teams consisting of about 170 integration managers will rapidly implement the integration processes throughout the company.