Merck & Co., which beefed up its biologics operations in Ireland last year, said it will do so again, investing more than $310 million to expand two sites with plans to add 330 jobs in the process. One of the sites does some of the work on its runaway immuno-oncology success Keytruda.
Merck, known as MSD outside of the U.S. and Canada, announced today that it would invest €280 million over the next three years at its biologics operation in Brinny, County Cork, and also at its vaccines and biologics facilities at Carlow.
The Kenilworth, New Jersey-based company said it will add about 120 or so jobs to its biologics and vaccine site in Carlow. The facility also does some of the work on Keytruda, which has won three FDA approvals this month alone.
The drugmaker also will add more than 200 jobs at its fermentation and sterile filling operation in Cork where it does work on a number of if products including for lung cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and for its hepatitis C program.
“Our existing portfolio and future pipeline ensure current and future employees can operate at the cutting edge of science and technology,” Ger Brennan, managing director of MSD human health in Ireland, said in a statement. “Today, our Irish sites are involved in the production of over 50% of MSD’s global top 20 products…”
Just last year, Merck unveiled plans to add to add 110 jobs at its plant in Carlow and another 50 positions to its operations in Cork.
By Eric Palmer
Source: Fierce Pharma
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