Corrected: Merck opens billion-dollar US facility to make Gardasil

Merck Opens $1 Billion Gardasil Manufacturing Plant in North Carolina

Merck has officially opened a new $1 billion vaccine manufacturing facility in Durham, North Carolina, dedicated to producing its HPV vaccines Gardasil and Gardasil 93 4 5.

Key Details:

The 225,000-square-foot facility will boost Merck's U.S. manufacturing capacity for vaccines4.
It is part of Merck's over $12 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing since 2018, with plans to invest another $8 billion by 20282 4.
The plant incorporates advanced technologies like data analytics, generative AI, and 3D printing8.
In addition to Gardasil, the Durham site will continue producing other vaccines against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox6.

Significance:

Enhances Merck's domestic production capabilities amid trade tensions and push for U.S. manufacturing4.
Supports growing demand for Gardasil, which generated nearly $8.6 billion in sales in 20242.
Demonstrates Merck's continued investment in vaccine manufacturing despite recent challenges in the Chinese market2.

Context:

This facility opening comes as Merck recently won a major legal victory, with a federal judge dismissing over 200 lawsuits alleging the company downplayed Gardasil's safety risks7. The judge ruled there was insufficient evidence for Merck to have added warnings about certain conditions to Gardasil's label7.

The expansion reinforces Merck's commitment to Gardasil production even as the vaccine faces patent expiration in 2028 and potential policy challenges from newly appointed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a noted vaccine skeptic2 4.