Editing Merck Group (section)

== Healthcare ==
After Wilhelm Adam Sertürner's isolation of [[morphine]] from [[opium]] in 1805, Merck pioneered (from 1827) the commercial manufacture of morphine for an expanding global market. From 1884 onwards, Merck also played role in the production and marketing of [[cocaine]]. [[Sigmund Freud]], author of ''Über Coca'' (1884), was an enthusiastic collaborator in Merck's cocaine research, though the methodological sophistication of his [[self-experimentation]] studies has been challenged.
Attention was directed at [[vitamins]] as a new [[product (business)|product]] category, and [[Vigantol]] was introduced in 1927, followed by Cebion in 1934.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

Following the defeat of Germany in [[World War II]], Merck was granted permission by the military government to produce drugs, pesticides, food preservatives, reagents, and fine chemicals for laboratory use. Soon afterward the boom that is commonly known as the "[[Wirtschaftswunder]]" (economic miracle) set in. For Merck, this meant two-digit sales-growth figures for many years. Products of this time included [[corticoid]] preparations — for example [[Dexamethasone|Fortecortin]], which is still used today — the cold remedy Nasivin or the hormone preparations Gestafortin and Mantova.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

Merck currently employs over 2,500 people in its 4 R&D hubs via. [[Boston]], [[Darmstadt]], Beijing and Tokyo.<ref name="merckkgaa,darmstadt,germany">{{cite web|url=http://www.merckgroup.com/en/innovation/innovation_key_facts/innovation_key_facts.html|title=Innovation – R&D overview – EMD Group|author=Merck KGaA Darmstadt Germany|date=14 October 2015|work=merckgroup.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Merck completes acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich|url=https://www.manufacturingchemist.com/news/article_page/Merck_completes_acquisition_of_Sigma-Aldrich/113702|access-date=30 July 2021|website=www.manufacturingchemist.com}}</ref> In the year 2018, Merck invested over €1,6 billion in its R&D operations.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Merck's Annual Report 2019 {{!}} Research and Development|url=https://www.merckgroup.com/en/annualreport/2019/combined-management-report/fundamental-information-about-the-group/research-and-development.html}}</ref>
The focus of Merck's current pharmaceutical R&D is on [[oncology]], neurology and immunology. In oncology, its first marketed product is ''Erbitux'' ([[cetuximab]]), for which it has marketing rights worldwide, apart from North America.<ref>{{Cite web|date=14 August 2017|title=NICE expands Merck KGaA's Erbitux reach|url=http://www.pmlive.com/pharma_news/nice_expands_merck_kgaas_erbitux_reach_1201950|access-date=30 July 2021|website=PMLive|language=en}}</ref> (Cetuximab was discovered by [[Imclone Systems]], and is marketed in North America by [[Bristol-Myers Squibb]].) Other areas of Expertise from Merck Healthcare include Fertility, Endocrinology and General Medicine, the later focusing on treatments for Diabetes, Thyroid disease and Cardiovascular diseases. Some products from Merck include [[Metformin]], [[Bisoprolol]], [[Levothyroxine]] and [[Digitoxin]]. Merck's [[clinical research]] strategy consists of a partnership with [[Quintiles]] in which the latter helps the former in the clinical development of all its compounds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.outsourcing-pharma.com/Clinical-Development/Quintiles-is-the-arms-legs-and-brain-in-Merck-Serono-s-monogamous-relationship|title=Merck Serono discusses its strategic partnership with Quintiles at PCT|work=Outsourcing-Pharma.com}}</ref> In February 2019, Merck also announced a partnership with GSK to develop and commercialize M7824 (bintrafusp alfa*), a new Immunotherapy with potential in various difficult-to-treat cancers.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hargreaves|first=Ben|date=5 February 2019|title=GSK indicates oncology intent with €3.7bn Merck deal|work=biopharma-reporter.com|url=https://www.biopharma-reporter.com/Article/2019/02/05/GSK-agrees-3.7bn-partnership-deal-with-Merck}}</ref> In 2020, Merck launched partnership with [[Pechoin]] in China to develop "high-tech herbal" [[skincare products]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lim |first=Amanda |date=28 July 2020 |title=Herbal technology: Safety and efficacy concerns driving demand for 'high-tech herbals' in China's beauty market |url=https://www.cosmeticsdesign-asia.com/Article/2020/07/28/Safety-and-efficacy-concerns-driving-demand-for-high-tech-herbals-in-China-s-beauty-market |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927004705/https://www.cosmeticsdesign-asia.com/Article/2020/07/28/Safety-and-efficacy-concerns-driving-demand-for-high-tech-herbals-in-China-s-beauty-market |archive-date=27 September 2022 |access-date= |website=Cosmetics Design Asia |language=en-GB}}</ref>