Merck Serono: First Innovation Cup Program Ended Successfully

GENEVA, August 12, 2011 -

Merck Serono announces today the completion and winners of the Innovation Cup, a one-week initiative launched earlier this year. This program offered an opportunity to 25 selected international students in life sciences and business administration programs, to learn about Research and Development (R&D) in the pharmaceutical industry, develop entrepreneurial skills and advance a novel idea into a convincing business plan.

“The Innovation Cup was a great success and brought out many innovative ideas, driven largely by the diversity of approaches and thought of processes between experienced professionals and young talented students,” said Dietmar Eidens, Global Head of Human Resources. “We are pleased to have committed to such an opportunity to foster innovation and to build on today’s talents for tomorrow’s business.”

The most convincing business plan relates to an innovative project idea in the area of protein engineering and has the potential to benefit R&D in all of Merck Serono’s core therapeutic areas.

The winning team ‘Chemo-Bioengineering’ was awarded with a prize of € 10,000 and the Innovation Award trophy , which was granted by the grand jury, composed of Merck Serono’s senior management from R&D and Portfolio Development, as well as external experts.

Additional information can be found under:

www.merckserono.com/en/careers/job_search_and_apply/innovation_cup_2011/innovation_cup_2011.html

About Merck Serono

Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a global pharmaceutical and chemical company. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, Merck Serono discovers, develops, manufactures and markets prescription medicines of both chemical and biological origin in specialist indications. In the United States and Canada, EMD Serono operates as a separately incorporated affiliate of Merck Serono.

Merck Serono has leading brands serving patients with cancer (Erbitux®, cetuximab), multiple sclerosis (Rebif®, interferon beta-1a), infertility (Gonal-f®, follitropin alfa), endocrine and metabolic disorders (Saizen® and Serostim®, somatropin), (Kuvan®, sapropterin dihydrochloride), (Egrifta®, tesamorelin), as well as cardiometabolic diseases (Glucophage®, metformin), (Concor®, bisoprolol), (Euthyrox®, levothyroxine). Not all products are available in all markets.

With an annual R&D expenditure of over € 1bn, Merck Serono is committed to growing its business in specialist-focused therapeutic areas including neurodegenerative diseases, oncology, fertility and endocrinology, as well as new areas potentially arising out of research and development in rheumatology.

About Merck

Merck is a global pharmaceutical and chemical company with total revenues of € 9.3 billion in 2010, a history that began in 1668, and a future shaped by more than 40,000 employees in 67 countries. Its success is characterized by innovations from entrepreneurial employees. Merck’s operating activities come under the umbrella of Merck KGaA, in which the Merck family holds an approximately 70% interest and free shareholders own the remaining approximately 30%. In 1917 the U.S. subsidiary Merck & Co. was expropriated and has been an independent company ever since.

For more information, please visit www.merckserono.com or www.merck.de

Merck Serono S.A. - Geneva, 9 Chemin des Mines, 1202 Genève, Suisse, Media relations, Tel: +41-22-414-36-00