The basics:

• Merck begins work on $1B biologics center in Wilmington, Del.
• Facility to support production of cancer drug Keytruda and other therapies
• Site to create over 500 full-time roles, 4,000 construction jobs

Merck broke ground on a $1 billion, 470,000-square-foot state-of-the-art biologics center of excellence in Wilmington, Del., the Rahway-based company announced April 29. 

The Merck Wilmington Biotech facility will house laboratory, manufacturing and warehouse capabilities for the launch and commercial production of biologics and therapies, including antibody-drug conjugates, according to Merck. 

Additionally, the site will have the capability to manufacture Keytruda (pembrolizumab). The company aims to establish the location as the future U.S. home for producing the immunotherapy cancer treatment. 

“The Merck Wilmington Biotech site represents our continued commitment to growing our investments in U.S. 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 U.S.,” Merck Chairman and CEO Robert Davis said in a statement. 

Job creation 

The new facility will create more than 500 full-time roles and roughly 4,000 construction jobs, Merck said. The laboratory portion of the site is expected to be fully operational by 2028. Merck anticipates production of investigational compounds will start by 2030.

Potential expansion of the Wilmington facility would create an additional 1,500 full-time roles and 26,000 construction jobs, Merck forecast. 

Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer described the new site as “on the cutting edge of innovation, helping lead the way as we transform medicine and technology.” 

Today, we officially break ground on our new biologics commercialization and launch facility in Wilmington, Delaware. This $1 billion, 470,000 square-foot facility will feature advanced laboratory, manufacturing and warehouse capabilities. Learn more: https://t.co/zHvjf0P2G7 pic.twitter.com/dtiOwXzPCt

— Merck (@Merck) April 29, 2025

The start of construction of the Wilmington facility immediately follows the opening of Merck’s new $1 billion, 225,000-square-foot facility in Durham, N.C. That site is dedicated to expanding vaccine manufacturing. 

The North Carolina location created nearly 400 full-time roles and about 4,000 construction jobs. 

Since the passing of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Merck noted it has committed more than $12 billion to enhance its domestic manufacturing and research capabilities.

Additionally, the company plans to invest $3.5 billion in biologics and small molecule manufacturing sites and capabilities in the U.S. over the next four years. The work will create an anticipated 650 additional full-time roles.

Merck continually ranked on lists such as Newsweek’s Most Responsible as well as Most Trustworthy Companies in the nation, Merck added that it has invested approximately $3 billion in New Jersey and Pennsylvania alone since 2018.