Merck to expand online business 'dramatically'

A top executive of chemicals, pharmaceuticals and life sciences multinational Merck Group said that its life science customers in China now order twice the levels ordered by customers globally, and it was poised to harness the Chinese e-commerce fever to boost that performance to even greater levels.

Udit Batra, CEO of the life science business of Merck, also said the way was open for life science industry players in China to tap into global resources, which would eventually improve the development of the health sector in China.

Batra said that the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company was poised to expand its online business in the country, where it has been active since 1933.