History

Merck is one of the oldest, still operating chemical and pharmaceutical companies in the world. Its roots go back to the year 1668, when F.J. Merck purchased the Engel-Apotheke in Darmstadt. In 1827, E. Merck started with the large-scale production of alkaloids and later with plant extracts and many other chemicals. The products were manufactured with a standardized quality. The sales increased very fast, products were exported to countries all over the world and subsidiaries were formed in strategic locations.

In 1894, E. Merck introduced one of the first thyroid preparations in the world (Thyreoidinum siccatum). Since 1894, E. Merck has played a substantial role in thyroid research (see The Thyroid History of Merck KGaA).

In 1889, George Merck, a grandson of E. Merck, established an office in New York and formed Merck & Co. Ten years later he started with the local production of chemicals in the United States. After World War I, Merck lost many of its affiliates, among them Merck & Co. in the US. They became an independent American firm and went on to become the largest pharmaceutical company in the world. In 1932, both companies made an agreement that the name "Merck" can be used exclusively by Merck & Co. in the US and Canada and by E. Merck in the rest of the world.

In 1991, E. Merck (since 1995: Merck KGaA) acquired the Lipha Group of France. Lipha is the originator of Glucophage (metformin). One of the divisions owned by Lipha is Dey Laboratories, a highly successful company specializing in products for respiratory care. Since Dey is located in the United States it has become the center point for Merck KGaA to form and diversify into other categories of the US pharmaceutical market. The objective of EM Pharma, as a division of Dey Laboratories, is to market high quality, cost-effective products for endocrinology.

Merck KGaA now has over 28,000 employees all over the world. The sales in 1996 were about 4.1 billion dollars, of which 600 million was generated in the United States. Merck KGaA operates in the pharmaceutical, laboratory and specialty chemicals business sector. Basic research fields in the pharmaceutical sector are the cardiovascular, central nervous system and endocrinology areas as well as immunology/oncology.

The thyroid products of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, are marketed all over the world, from France to Vietnam, from Russia to Chile. The products range from T4, T4/T3 combinations, iodine, T4/iodine combinations and Methimazole, as well as thyroid diagnostics, such as a TRH test and thyroid enzyme immonoassays. The Merck KGaA group is one of the largest suppliers of levothyroxine raw material in the world (5).

Merck KGaA conducts thyroid research and supports thyroid researchers worldwide:

• Exploring new concepts of pharmacokinetic studies.
• Developing a rapid urinary iodine test for developing countries.
• Organizing large epidemiological investigations.
• Conducting clinical trials on their own thyroid products.
• Supporting clinical trials of third parties in the thyroid field.
• Granting thyroid research monies.
• Sponsoring scientific meetings and associations.

Merck KGaA is also deeply involved in the development of patient information programs and physician postgraduate services.