Merck has invested $1 billion to open a new vaccine manufacturing facility in North Carolina, US, as part of its broader $12 billion investment plan since 2018. The new 225,000-square-foot plant will enhance the company’s vaccine production capacity and support domestic R&D and recruitment, with an additional $8 billion in U.S. investments anticipated by 2028.

The facility incorporates advanced digital technologies including data analytics, generative AI, and 3D printing. It also features a virtual ‘digital twin’ of the manufacturing floor to streamline training and simulate process changes. This expansion complements MSD’s recent acquisition of a CD3xCD19 bispecific antibody from Curon Biopharmaceutical for $700 million, aimed at treating malignant and autoimmune B-cell diseases.