The MAST platform provides real-time process information, reduces the process development time by half, and lowers costs
Merck visitors entrance in Darmstadt, Germany. (Credit: Armin Kübelbeck/Wikimedia Commons.)
Science and technology firm Merck has acquired the MAST (Modular Automated Sampling Technology) platform from Lonza to advance its bioprocessing portfolio.
Lonza is a Switzerland-based manufacturing services provider that serves organisations in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and nutrition sectors.
Its MAST platform is an automated, aseptic bioreactor sampling system designed to collect more frequent bioreactor samples, along with real-time data.
It provides real-time process information, reduces the process development time by half, enhances reactor effectiveness, and lowers costs.
The platform is said to save more than 80 hours for a typical cell culture process, primarily with sample collection, handling, and analysis.
A single MAST system unit is capable of collecting samples from up to 10 bioreactors and connecting them to four primary analysers, said Merck.
In addition, the platform provides product attributes in hours, instead of weeks with manual sampling.
Lonza biologics and cell & gene president Jean-Christophe Hyvert said: “Merck’s established experience implementing real-world data into its projects will enable it to further unlock the potential of the MAST platform that Lonza has worked diligently to develop.
“With this divestment, we remain focused on our broad Bioscience offering, providing our customers with the tools to develop, manufacture and test therapeutics from basic research to the final product release.”
Upon closing the deal, the MAST platform will be part of Merck’s BioContinuum Platform, which includes the Bio4C Software Suite.
Bio4C Suite is an advanced ecosystem that combines process control, analytics, and plant-level automation for GMP manufacturing.
The transaction follows the company’s acquisition of complex injectable formulations CDMO Exelead and PCR-based mRNA technology company AmpTec last year.
Merck life science business sector process solutions head Andrew Bulpin said: “The acquisition of the MAST platform adds fully automated sampling to our bioprocessing portfolio.
“This technology, coupled with the software to analyse and manage data, allows us to offer unique and integrated solutions to help customers optimize their bioprocesses.
“The MAST platform moves us closer toward our vision of connected and continuous bioprocessing to increase speed and lower costs.”