Aromatase inhibitors
Aromatase inhibitors block estrogen formation in muscle and fatty tissue and are used to treat hormone-sensitive breast cancer.
ASCO
American Society of Clinical Oncology – the world’s most important professional organization of physicians who treat cancer patients. Each year, an Annual Meeting of all members is held.
Beta-blockers
A collective term for similarly acting drug substances which act as inverse agonists on the body’s beta receptors and so inhibit the action of stress hormones (notably, norepinephrine and epinephrine). They lower the heart rate and blood pressure, make the heart beat less strongly, and reduce the heart’s excitability.
BH4
BH4 is a co-enzyme (tetrahydrobiopterin). The effects of BH4 deficiency include reduced levels of dopamine and serotonin.
Biomarkers
The term refers both to substances in the body and cell properties. Biomarkers help doctors to identify a patient’s disease. Certain genes tend to play a role in the treatment of cancers, in terms of whether they are “normal” (wild type) or have undergone transformation (mutant). A relatively simple test is usually done.
CEFIC
European Chemical Industry Council.
Credit facility
The financial scope up to which a bank has agreed to grant a loan to a borrower is referred to as a credit line or credit facility. A credit line is a revolving credit, meaning that the borrower can continuously draw funds and make payments until the term expires or the credit line is terminated.
DAX®
Abbreviation for Deutscher Aktienindex (German Stock Index). Its value is based on the stock prices of the 30 largest German companies by market capitalization.
EBIT
Earnings before interest and taxes. Equals the operating result plus exceptional items.
EBITDA
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Equals the earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) minus write-downs for depreciation and amortization.
EGFR
Abbreviation for Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor. It is upregulated in various tumor types and/or present in mutated form, resulting in uncontrolled growth and replication of tumor cells. Novel cancer therapies are aimed at blocking EGFR’s oncogenic signal and hence stopping tumor growth.
Equity ratio
Indicator that shows equity capital in proportion to total capital. It serves to evaluate the financial stability and independence of a company.
FDA
Food and Drug Administration: U.S. government agency responsible for protecting and advancing public health, especially as concerns food and drugs.
First, second and third line therapy
First and second line therapies are curative in nature. First and second line treatments take precedence for that reason. Some patients derive little or no benefit from first and second line treatment. Patients who have not responded to the first two lines move on to a third line of treatment, which is palliative (i.e. it aims to relieve suffering).
Free cash flow
Free cash flow is defined as the net cash flows from operating activities minus investments in intangible assets, property, plant and equipment, acquisitions as well as investments in other financial assets, plus proceeds from the disposal of assets and changes in securities.
GDP
Gross domestic product – total value of all goods (products and services) intended for final consumption that are produced within a country’s borders in a given year
Gearing
Ratio of net debt including pension provisions to net equity.
GHS
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. An international standard system to classify chemicals, including labels and safety data sheets.
GPHF
The Global Pharma Health Fund e.V. (GPHF) is a non-profit initiative created by Merck. The objective of the organization is to promote health care within the scope of development assistance, especially with respect to the fight against counterfeit drugs through the use of the GPHF-Minilab®.
GPHF-Minilab®
With the GPHF-Minilab®, the Global Pharma Health Fund e.V. (GPHF) offers a unique mobile compact laboratory that is capable of testing the quality of drugs.
Greenhouse Gas Protocol
The most widely used accounting and reporting system for greenhouse gas emissions.
ICCA
International Council of Chemical Associations.
IMF
The International Monetary Fund, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., is a United Nations organization.
Investment ratio
Investments as a proportion of total revenues.
Irinotecan
An antineoplastic (chemotherapy) drug used to treat cancer.
ISO 14001
This international environmental management standard specifies globally recognized requirements for an environmental management system.
KRAS
A recently identified biomarker that can show whether a patient with metastatic colorectal carcinoma is likely to respond to EGFR antibody therapy. This is done by testing the status of the KRAS gene in the tumor to see if it is normal (wild type) or abnormal (mutant). The KRAS acronym stands for Kirsten Rat Sarcoma.
Liquid Crystals (LC)
These specialty chemicals are used in LC displays (LCD), for example, in flat-panel televisions, notebooks, mobile telephones and cameras. This is also the name of the Merck division that researches and markets liquid crystals.
Lupus erythematosus (LE)
An autoimmune disease linked to inflammatory rheumatic disease and classified as a collagen disease. There are two main types: lupus of the skin, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It may affect other organ systems apart from the skin and joints.
Marketing and selling ratio
Marketing and selling expenses as a percentage of total revenues.
Metafolin®
Biologically active form of folate occurs naturally in the human body and is utilized better by the body than folic acid. Folic acid and Metafolin® are important for cell division and blood formation and therefore the development and growth of new life.
Monoclonal antibodies
Highly specialized targeted antibodies synthesized using biotechnological methods. What makes them special is their ability to activate the body’s natural mechanisms to fight disease. Monoclonal antibodies have mainly been used for cancer treatment and to suppress adverse immune responses.
MUC1
Also known as PEM (polymorphic epithelial mucin), MUC1 is a glycoprotein group mucin embedded in cell membranes and occurring in all human organs. The MUC1 mucin is an established tumor marker.
OECD
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, with headquarters in Paris, is a forum of 30 countries, almost all of them industrialized.
OLED
Organic Light-Emitting Diodes. New technology for displays and lighting used, for example, in mobile telephones, MP3 players, and recently also in televisions for the first time. A further possible use is in lamps.
OTC
Over-the-counter drugs is the term used for drugs that are available at stores and pharmacies without a prescription.
Praziquantel
A vermifuge used to fight flatworms, tapeworms and distoma including the schistosoma, the pathogen that causes the tropical disease schistosomiasis.
Rating
Rating is an assessment of a borrower’s ability to pay. Borrowers are classified according to a bank’s own criteria (internal rating) or the criteria of international rating agencies such as Moody‘s or Standard & Poor‘s (external rating).
REACH
REACH stands for the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals. This is an EU regulation that entered into force in mid 2007.
Research ratio
Research spending as a proportion of the total revenues of the company or division.
Return on sales (ROS)
Ratio of operating result to total revenues.
Schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharziosis, is a parasitic disease that is spread in warm lakes and ponds by snails that serve as intermediate hosts.
Somatotropin
A proteohormone occurring as a growth hormone in the human and animal organism. Somatotropin is essential to the achievement of normal height.
Total revenues
Sum of sales and royalties. Royalties are earned primarily through patents held by the Pharmaceuticals business sector.
Touch panels
Screens that are sensitive to touch, allowing users to perform operations at the touch of a finger, such as at kiosks.
VCI
The Verband der Chemischen Industrie (German Chemical Industry Association) represents the economic-political interests of 1,600 German chemical companies.
