Merck & Co (MSD) has begun construction on a $1bn biologics centre of excellence, Merck Wilmington Biotech, in Delaware, US.
The 470,000ft² facility is set to bolster the company’s biologics and therapy production, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), featuring manufacturing, laboratory, and warehouse offerings.
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This move aims to diversify the company’s product pipeline and bring critical medicines, such as Keytruda (pembrolizumab), closer to American patients.
It is strategically positioned to become the future US production hub for the therapy.
The investment in Delaware is part of the company’s strategy to enhance its biologics portfolio and meet the growing demand for its pipeline products in the country.
This centre is expected to generate more than 500 full-time positions and nearly 4,000 employment opportunities in construction.
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By GlobalDataThe lab component is anticipated to be completely operational by 2028, and the investigational compound production is expected to commence by 2030.
MSD also plans potential site expansions, which could introduce an extra 1,500 full-time positions and 26,000 jobs in construction.
Merck Wilmington Biotech’s location at Chestnut Run Innovation & Science Park (CRISP) is said to not only contribute to the city’s biotech sector growth but also leverage the talent pool from nearby universities in Delaware and Pennsylvania.
The proximity to MSD’s current facilities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey is also expected to offer opportunities for both current and prospective employees.
MSD CEO and chairman Robert Davis said: “The Merck Wilmington Biotech site represents our continued commitment to growing our investments in US manufacturing and has the potential to create thousands of high-paying American jobs while ensuring that we can produce and distribute products close to patients right here in the US.”
MSD noted that following the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, it has channelled over $12bn into enhancing US manufacturing and research capabilities.
This includes the recent completion of a $1bn vaccine production facility in Durham, North Carolina, and a planned $3.5bn investment in biologics and small-molecule manufacturing sites, which will create an estimated 650 additional full-time positions.
These efforts are projected to create over 37,600 construction-related jobs by 2028.
