Merck Expands U.S. Biologics Manufacturing with New $1B Wilmington Facility for KEYTRUDA

Merck has launched construction of a $1 billion biologics facility in Wilmington, Delaware, set to become the U.S. production hub for KEYTRUDA and next-generation therapies such as ADCs. The 470,000-square-foot biologics center of excellence will create thousands of jobs and strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity. It reflects Merck’s strategic focus on expanding biologics production and ensuring faster, more secure access to cancer treatments.

KEYTRUDA’s New Home—and More

The new Wilmington Biotech site will serve as a launchpad for Merck’s next-generation biologics, including complex modalities like antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and will be the intended U.S. manufacturing home of KEYTRUDA, the company’s blockbuster PD-1 inhibitor. As the backbone of Merck’s oncology portfolio and the world’s top-selling cancer immunotherapy, bringing KEYTRUDA production stateside is as much about operational security and agility as it is about national infrastructure investment.

Merck’s decision comes at a critical juncture. With biologics dominating the drug development pipeline, manufacturing capacity—especially for intricate molecules like ADCs—is becoming a strategic differentiator. The new Wilmington facility, located within the Chestnut Run Innovation & Science Park (CRISP), is designed to meet those demands. Laboratory operations are expected to come online by 2028, with commercial-scale production of investigational compounds beginning by 2030.

The Wilmington site also strategically capitalizes on its geographic location—close to major universities and Merck’s own facilities in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. This talent corridor strengthens the company’s recruitment pipeline and reinforces the region’s growing reputation as a life sciences cluster.

“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.,” said Robert M. Davis, Chairman and CEO, Merck.

Reinforcing American Manufacturing

Merck’s new plant is the latest in a broader series of domestic investments catalyzed in part by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which incentivized onshore manufacturing. Since then, the company has spent over $12 billion to expand its U.S.-based operations, with another $9 billion earmarked for future projects. Recent highlights include a $1 billion vaccine production facility in Durham, North Carolina, and an additional $3.5 billion planned for biologics and small molecule capabilities nationwide.

Implications for the Future of Biologics

Merck’s Wilmington facility represents more than a logistical upgrade. It signals Merck’s commitment to long-haul leadership in oncology. As the company diversifies its immuno-oncology assets and embraces emerging technologies like ADCs, proximity to manufacturing will be critical in maintaining clinical momentum.

A Hub of Innovation and Employment

This investment isn’t just about pipelines and patents. Merck estimates the project will generate over 500 permanent roles in areas such as bioprocessing, analytical sciences, and quality assurance. An additional 4,000 construction jobs will support the buildout, with future expansion potentially creating up to 1,500 full-time jobs and 26,000 more in construction.