Merck And Company has transferred ownership of its entire Natural Products Library to the Institute for Hepatitis and Virus Research in Doylestown. Institute President Timothy Block says his organization was chosen for several reasons, but one stands out.

“We made a proposal that they liked, and the proposal was to make this library available to all qualified scientists, so it’s not going to be just for our use or for Merck’s use.  Other scientists can come in and mine it, and they liked the idea that the library would have considerable use.”

Doctor Block says the Merck library has more than 100,000 plant extracts representing about 65 percent of all the plants in the world, as well as many kinds of bacteria.  It will be moved to the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center in Doylestown within about three months, traveling in secure freezer trucks.  Bucks County State Senator Chuck McIlhinney says the center keeps growing.

“Every year we add thousands of square feet of space, but we attract new businesses with clients coming in to do the research and then spin off companies that are out there finding these solutions and cures for all of the diseases in the world.”

McIlhinney says the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center has about 240 well-paid family-sustaining jobs.