Merck & Co. breaks ground on $1B future US home of Keytruda

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Merck & Co. Breaks Ground on $1B Wilmington Biologics Center—Future U.S. Home of Keytruda

Merck & Co. has begun construction of a $1 billion, 470,000-square-foot biologics center of excellence in Wilmington, Delaware, at the Chestnut Run Innovation & Science Park (CRISP)1 2 5.
The facility, named Merck Wilmington Biotech, will serve as a launch and commercial production site for next-generation biologics—including the popular cancer immunotherapy drug Keytruda (pembrolizumab)—and potent antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs)1 4 5.
This center is intended to become the future U.S. home for Keytruda, ensuring domestic supply as part of Merck’s commitment to bringing its best-selling medicine closer to American patients1 2 4.
The initiative underscores Merck’s strategy to expand and diversify its biologics pipeline and to reinforce U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure1 4.
The project will generate over 500 full-time jobs upon opening and approximately 4,000 construction jobs; further expansion could increase these numbers significantly2 4 5.
The site is expected to be operational by 2028, with production of investigational compounds slated to begin by 20303 5.
The investment comes as the U.S. faces possible pharmaceutical tariffs on imported medicines and ingredients, highlighting the importance of domestic production capacity2 4.
Beyond immediate manufacturing, the center will also include laboratories and warehouse capabilities, positioning Wilmington as a growing biotech hub1 5.