Merck has launched a new, high-purity synthetic cholesterol product, nine months ahead of schedule. This neutral lipid, used in commercially marketed products, is more than 99% pure; offers high batch-to-batch consistency and is scalable under commercial GMP. Merck is one of a few companies in the world able to produce the quantities needed for lipid nanoparticle manufacturing and meet the quality requirements for mRNA therapeutics. The launch of this new product follows the company's acquisition of AmpTec, a Hamburg, Germany, based mRNA contract development and manufacturing organization. By combining AmpTec's PCR-based mRNA technology with Merck's extensive expertise in lipids manufacturing, Merck can provide a truly integrated offering across the mRNA value chain. The company provides regulatory support through all phases of clinical development and commercialization, as well as deep analytical expertise. The lipids will be used for the production of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.