Rockland, MA, October 8, 2010 – EMD Serono, Inc., an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, today announced it has been named one of the top 10 employers in the biotechnology industry by Science magazine, a leading peer-reviewed international scientific publication. EMD Serono ranked number 9 among biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies worldwide. This is the third consecutive year that EMD Serono has ranked in the top 10.
“It’s an honor to earn recognition from the readers of Science magazine as one of the top employers in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries,” said Fereydoun Firouz, President and CEO, EMD Serono, Inc. “These individuals have recognized our company three years in a row for our proven track record and leadership. This continued success is a true testament to our talented and committed employees.”
“Merck Serono is proud of the environment we foster within our Research and Development teams where our associates are intellectually curious and thrive on new opportunities,” said Dr. Bernhard Kirschbaum, Executive Vice President Research and Development, Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “Our dedication to innovation demonstrates a key component to our success, and we are committed to developing therapies that make a difference in people’s lives.”
The survey yielded responses from 2,444 individuals and ranked companies based on 23 defining characteristics, including corporate image, leadership and direction, work culture/environment and intellectual challenge, among others. Participants came from North America (72%), Europe (22%), and the Pacific Rim (5%). EMD Serono received high scores in the areas of having loyal employees, is socially responsible and doing important, quality research.
EMD Serono appears on the list as follows: Merck KGaA/Merck Serono/EMD Serono (Darmstadt, Germany).
Science and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) commissioned Cell Associated and The Brighton Consulting Group to conduct the survey to determine which employers in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries had the best reputations.
Email questionnaires were sent to AAAS members, Science Career registrants, Science website visitors registered with AAAS, and past survey takers, as well as human resources contacts from the Science Careers database.
Science Magazine’s ninth annual Top Employer feature became available in print and online October 8, 2010 and includes detailed survey results for the top 20 companies overall.
About EMD Serono, Inc.
EMD Serono, Inc., an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is a leader in the US biopharmaceutical arena, integrating cutting-edge science with unparalleled patient support systems to improve people’s lives. The company has strong market positions in neurodegenerative diseases, with Rebif® (interferon beta-1a), as well as in endocrinology, with Saizen® (somatropin (rDNA origin) for injection) and Serostim® (somatropin (rDNA origin) for injection). EMD Serono is a leader in reproductive health, with Gonal-f® (follitropin alfa for injection), Luveris® (lutropin alfa for injection) and Ovidrel® Prefilled Syringe (choriogonadotropin alfa injection). With a clear focus on the patient and a leadership presence in the biopharmaceutical industry, EMD Serono’s US footprint continues to grow, with more than 1100 employees around the country and fully integrated commercial, clinical and research operations in the company’s home state of Massachusetts.
For more information, please visit www.emdserono.com
About Merck KGaA
Merck is a global pharmaceutical and chemical company with total revenues of € 7.7 billion in 2009, a history that began in 1668, and a future shaped by approximately 40,000 (including Merck Millipore) employees in 64 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
