INNOVATING FOR THE GREATER GOOD, INVENTING FOR A HEALTHIER HUMANITY Harnessing the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world, Merck ANZ is helping humanity meet the challenges of today and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow.
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ith more than 60,000 employees across 66 countries worldwide, German multinational science and technology company, Merck Group, is divided into three streams: Healthcare, Life Sciences and Electronics. Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest operating chemical and pharmaceutical company. For more than three and a half centuries, Merck’s unwavering commitment to ongoing scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company’s long list of achievements in technological and scientific advancement, providing a solid ethical foundation from which it has consistently been able to innovate, invent, expand, and evolve. Locally, Merck ANZ employs over 250 people within Australia and New Zealand, Merck Life Science provides over 100,000 different products to all of the leading universities, research institutes and biotechnology companies in Australia, while the company’s Healthcare division provides oncology, neurology and fertility treatments to patients around the country. In 2021, Merck strengthened and expanded its commitment to diversity. While Merck has always been a diverse organisation – it recognises that the success of the organisation depends on an ability to foster an environment that promotes equity and cultivates inclusion. This approach is demonstrated by more than 36% of leadership roles globally held by women and at a local level with Josie Downey at the helm as General Manager and Managing Director, Merck Healthcare ANZ and Rebecca Lee, Head of Science
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and Laboratory Solutions and Managing Director of Merck Life Science ANZ. Mobilising Merck's Might To Fight The Pandemic Merck's commitment to supporting and strengthening human progress was clearly demonstrated in the organisation's response to COVID-19. “During these difficult times, Merck stepped up and was fully dedicated to actively contributing its substantial resources and significant expertise to fight what has become the biggest health crisis of the last 100 years, drawing upon its global scale and breadth of experience and talent to help humanity battle the disease”, says Josie. Merck’s contribution to the pandemic’s response includes product and service support for 80 Vaccine manufacturers, the use of Merck’s raw materials and services for over 35 COVID-19 test systems, while more than 50 Monoclonal antibodies, plasma products and antiviral drugs rely on resources and intellectual property provided by Merck. In October 2020, the Australian Government announced it had contracted CSL Behring Australia to manufacture approximately 50 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Australia for supply to the country, the first doses of which were rolled out in March 2021. In Australia, Merck’s teams collaborated intensely with CSL to ensure the vaccine, developed in partnership with the Oxford University’s Jenner Institute, was produced within the critical timelines required. Merck teams worked around the clock successfully enabling supply of all the necessary components to support
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