MilliporeSigma Introduces IsoBag™ for Faster and Easier Transfer of Contact and Settle Plates

• Prepacked gamma-irradiated plates streamline environmental monitoring workflows
• Save time, reduce costs by eliminating need to decontaminate plate bags
• Mount to Alpha port of isolators, keeping plates readily available
• Designed for environmental monitoring in isolators and critical cleanrooms

Billerica, Massachusetts, March 21, 2016 — The life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the United States and Canada, today introduced the IsoBag™ for faster, easier and more convenient transfer of contact and settle plates to production isolators.

The new IsoBag™ offers a more streamlined alternative for environmental monitoring, and helps make workflows more efficient, productive and flexible. In traditional environmental monitoring workflows, single-bagged plates are decontaminated and stored in the isolator. Limited space in the isolator allows storage of only a small supply of ready-to-use plates. When this supply runs out, workflows are interrupted for additional decontamination cycles. The new IsoBag™ increases operation up-time by eliminating these decontamination cycles and allowing for an uninterrupted workflow.

“An uninterrupted workflow means improved productivity for our environmental monitoring customers,” said Theresa S. Creasey, head of Applied Solutions Strategic Marketing and Innovation at MilliporeSigma. “We understand how precious time and lab space are to our customers. Our new IsoBag™ is a great example of our continued focus on the development of high-impact innovations.”

The complete product is gamma-irradiated for immediate use and includes sterile bags for safe transport of used plates.

The IsoBag™ extends MilliporeSigma’s comprehensive portfolio of products specifically designed for environmental monitoring in isolators and critical cleanrooms. All plates are produced in cleanrooms and are available with four neutralizers for inactivation of a wide range of disinfectants and inhibiting residues. The plates are designed for long shelf life and room temperature stability and meet European and U.S. pharmacopeia recommendations.

About the Life Science Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
The life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has 19,000 employees and 72 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products enabling scientific discovery.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany completed its $17 billion acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich in November 2015, creating a leader in the $130 billion global life science industry.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in healthcare, life science and performance materials. The company has six businesses – Biopharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, Allergopharma, Biosimilars, Life Science and Performance Materials – and generated sales of € 12.5 billion in 2015. Around 50,000 employees work in 66 countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to foster the success of customers and to help meet global challenges.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company – since 1668, the company has stood for innovation, business success and responsible entrepreneurship. Holding an approximately 70 percent interest, the founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this day. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials in the U.S. and Canada.