Merck's Udit Batra Receives 'CEO of the Year' Award from CPhI Pharma

- Company also wins two awards for excellence in innovation for Parteck® SRP 80 and Emprove® program

DARMSTADT, Germany, Oct. 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced that the CEO of its life science business, Udit Batra, was named "CEO of the Year" for 2016 by CPhI Pharma for his commitment to furthering life science innovation globally.

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The company also won two CPhI Pharma Awards—one for excellence in excipients and formulation development and another for regulatory procedures and compliance. CPhI announced the awards at the organization's annual awards gala on Oct. 4 in Barcelona, Spain.

"As advances in drug discovery yield more complex therapies, drug development and manufacturing must innovate at even a faster pace," said Udit Batra, member of the Merck Executive Board and CEO, Life Science. "At Merck, we will continue to empower researchers and scientists with solutions that improve drug development quality and efficiency, helping them solve their toughest problems. On behalf of Merck, I am honored to receive this award."

Recognition from this prestigious organization showcases some of the company's world-class technologies and solutions for researchers, drug developers and clinical lab customers working to treat disease.

The CPhI Pharma Awards acknowledged Merck's groundbreaking innovations in technology, formulation, regulatory procedures and product development. Merck received the following technology awards:

• Parteck® SRP 80 won for "Excipients and Formulation Development." Parteck^® SRP 80 is a functional direct compressable excipient designed for oral sustained-release formulations. It is fully synthetic for batch-to-batch and performance consistency and enhances the bioavailability of actives.
• The Emprove® program won for "Regulatory Procedures and Compliance." The program provides documentation and regulatory information on materials used in the manufacture of drug products. This information enhances transparency, facilitates manufacturers' risk assessment workflows and supplier qualification.

CPhI is a global organization that connects people within the pharmaceutical sector and creates opportunities for pharma companies to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products, promote brands and expand into new markets. The CPhI Pharma Awards recognize life science firms that turn inspiration into innovation and celebrate thinkers and creators that are breaking new ground in formulation, process development, packaging and technology.

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About Merck

Merck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 50,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life – from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2015, Merck generated sales of € 12.85 billion in 66 countries.

Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.