Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has announced the start of construction for a $1 billion, 470,000-square-foot state-of-the-art biologics centre of excellence in Wilmington, Delaware, US.
A cornerstone of Merck’s continued commitment to investing in American innovation and infrastructure, Merck Wilmington Biotech will comprise laboratory, manufacturing and warehouse capabilities to enable the launch and commercial production of next-generation biologics and therapies including potent antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), reinforcing Merck’s focus on expanding and diversifying its pipeline.
The site will also have the capability to manufacture KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), and our intent is to establish it as the future US home for producing KEYTRUDA for US patients. This is part of a significant investment to not only bring the world’s best-selling medicine closer to the American patients who rely on it, but to also establish a home for our biologics portfolio of products serving US patients. Merck is planning further expansion beyond the initial investment at the site to continue to serve our growing biologics pipeline.
The new facility, located at Chestnut Run Innovation & Science Park (CRISP), will help foster growth in Wilmington’s biotechnology sector, creating more than 500 full-time roles and roughly 4,000 construction jobs. The laboratory component is expected to be fully operational by 2028, with production of investigational compounds anticipated to start by 2030. Potential further expansion of the site would create an additional 1,500 full-time roles and 26,000 construction jobs.
The company plans to invest $3.5 billion in biologics and small molecule manufacturing sites and capabilities in the U.S., creating an anticipated 650 additional full-time roles.
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