MILLIPORESIGMA TO EXPAND BIOSAFETY TESTING IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD
November 16, 2022
CONTACT
Michael Mitchell
MCEDC, VP, Marketing & Communications
240-641-6725
michael@thinkmoco.com
Company Plans to Add 500 Jobs in the Rapidly Growing Life Sciences Sector
Rockville, Md. — MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is growing its presence in Montgomery County with a $286 million investment to expand its biosafety testing capacity. This is the largest investment in contract testing in the history of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. The company, which has been known locally as BioReliance Corporation, currently has five locations in Rockville and is planning to consolidate in a new 250,000-square-foot facility at 9820 Darnestown Road on the Alexandria Center® at Traville Gateway campus. It is being developed and operated by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. MilliporeSigma will retain one additional facility at 9630 Medical Center Drive.
MilliporeSigma will retain at least 600 full-time employees during the expansion and create 500 new jobs over the next four years. The growth will significantly increase the company’s capacity to conduct biosafety testing and analytical services for drug development to ensure the safety of medicines as demand for these services is growing at double-digit rates.
MilliporeSigma has held a presence in Maryland for more than 75 years and is expanding its Mid-Atlantic footprint due to Montgomery County’s ideal east coast location and accessibility to the state’s highly trained and technical workforce. Biosafety testing and analytical development are critical and fundamental requirements of the drug development and commercialization process to ensure the safety of medicines.
“Our full contract testing services facility in Rockville will continue to serve as a hub for innovation to address current challenges and meet tomorrow’s demands,” said Benoit Gourdier, Head of Contract Testing Services at MilliporeSigma. “We look forward to continuing to grow here and to giving back to the Montgomery County community as we transform patients’ lives by ensuring the safety of the world’s medicine.”
To assist with the expansion, MilliporeSigma is eligible for a $1 million conditional loan through the Maryland Department of Commerce’s Advantage Maryland (MEDAAF) program. Montgomery County is providing a $100,000 incentive package via its Economic Development Fund. MilliporeSigma is also eligible for various state and local tax credits.
“We welcome the expansion of MilliporeSigma in Rockville and are proud the company recognizes that its business can continue to significantly grow here in Montgomery County,” said Montgomery County Executive, Marc Elrich. ‘Their work helps ensure the safety of medicines developed in the county and around the world.”
“MilliporeSigma is part of the ever-expanding ecosystem of life sciences companies in Montgomery County, and we are delighted that they have chosen to expand their presence here,” said Bill Tompkins, President & CEO of Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation. “With the FDA, NIH, and dozens of federal labs close by, MilliporeSigma will continue to benefit from excellent local resources and partnership opportunities.”
“We appreciate the enormous investment by MilliporeSigma here in our County,” said Gabe Albornoz, Montgomery County Council President. “It is a testament to the strong partnership with our biotechnology sector and our continued commitment to their success. We are proud that the work they do here will benefit patients worldwide.”
“Maryland has built one of the nation’s strongest life sciences industries, and having MilliporeSigma reinvest in its Maryland biosafety facility will bring hundreds of more jobs to the Montgomery County community and continue to grow the region’s innovative workforce,” said Governor Hogan. “Our administration has made expanding the state’s life sciences and biotechnology research workforce a priority, and the progress our life sciences industry has made in the last eight years is another sign that Maryland is open for business.”
ABOUT MCEDC
The Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) is the official public-private economic development organization representing Montgomery County, Maryland. Created in 2016, MCEDC is led by a Board of Directors of business executives. Its mission is to help businesses start, grow and relocate in Montgomery County by helping them gain access to top talent, business and market intelligence and prime locations. For more information, visit our website. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
