Merck & Co. has officially launched construction on a $1 billion, 470,000-square-foot biologics manufacturing facility in Wilmington, Delaware, marking a significant investment in the company’s U.S. production capabilities. The site, referred to by the company as “Merck Wilmington Biotech” in its announcement, is set to support the development and commercialization of next-generation biologics, including antibody-drug conjugates, and will eventually serve as the company’s U.S. manufacturing hub for Keytruda (pembrolizumab).
The facility will include laboratory, manufacturing, and warehouse components. The lab operations are expected to come online by 2028, with full-scale production of investigational compounds projected to begin in 2030. Merck emphasized that this is just the beginning, as the company eyes additional investments to expand the site over time.
“Merck Wilmington Biotech project underscores our continued commitment to growing our investments in U.S. manufacturing,” said Merck CEO Robert Davis in a statement. “It has the potential to create thousands of high-paying American jobs while ensuring we can produce and distribute critical medicines close to patients.”
Initial plans call for more than 500 permanent jobs at the Wilmington site, while construction is expected to generate over 4,000 temporary roles. Future expansion could bring an additional 1,500 full-time positions and support up to 26,000 construction jobs, according to company estimates.
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Merck Wilmington Biotech Facility: Project Factsheet
Project Overview
Investment: $1 billion
Facility Size: 470,000 square feet
Location: Chestnut Run Innovation & Science Park (CRISP), Wilmington, Delaware
Purpose: U.S. manufacturing hub for biologics including antibody-drug conjugates and Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
Merck Wilmington Biotech Center Timeline
Laboratory Operations: Expected online by 2028
Full-scale Production: Projected to begin in 2030
Future Plans: Additional investments planned for site expansion
Economic Impact
Permanent Jobs: 500+ initial positions
Construction Jobs: 4,000+ temporary roles
Future Expansion: Potential for 1,500 additional full-time positions and up to 26,000 construction jobs
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Merck Wilmington Biotech: Facility Components
Research laboratories
Manufacturing facilities
Warehouse operations
Government Support
$30.2 million state grant approved by Delaware investment board (February 2025)
Building on Recent Momentum
Merck’s move comes shortly after the opening of a separate $1 billion vaccine facility in North Carolina, reinforcing a broader strategy to strengthen domestic production capacity. The Delaware project was further bolstered by a $30.2 million state grant approved by the Delaware investment board in February, contingent on Merck’s decision to build at the Chestnut Run Innovation & Science Park (CRISP), just west of downtown Wilmington.
Merck Wilmington biotech announcement also adds to a growing wave of investment in U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturing. Amgen recently unveiled a $900 million expansion of its Ohio operations, adding 350 jobs, while other industry giants like Novartis, Eli Lilly, Roche, Johnson & Johnson, and AbbVie have collectively committed over $165 billion toward U.S. manufacturing over the next decade.
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