Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company
developing drugs to treat serious diseases associated with abnormal auto-immune
responses and inflammation, has selected the Merck BioManufacturing Network in
the UK,
to manufacture the large scale GMP clinical and pre-commercial supplies of
A-623, an investigational novel peptibody in development for a number of
autoimmune diseases.

“Establishing a rapid and high quality supply of A-623
for our current and future clinical programs is a critical element of our
strategic plan and provides a number of potential development options,”
stated Paul F. Truex, President and Chief Executive Officer of Anthera.
“The selection of the Merck BioManufacturing Network provides world-class,
large molecule manufacturing capabilities at all stages of production with the
necessary expertise to accelerate the development of A-623 in Systemic Lupus
Erythematosus and other autoimmune diseases.”

Steve Bagshaw, Site General Manager of the Merck
BioManufacturing Network, said, “We are delighted that Anthera has chosen
to work with us, recognizing our many years of development experience in
microbial biologics and our capacity that offers appropriate scales for their
manufacturing needs.”   A-623 will be manufactured in the Billingham,
UK
facility of the Network.