Merck opens $1B Gardasil manufacturing facility in North Carolina

Merck has opened a new $1 billion vaccine manufacturing facility in Durham, North Carolina, dedicated to increasing production capacity for its HPV vaccine Gardasil1 2 3.

Key details about the new facility:

It is a 225,000-square-foot plant located at Merck's existing site in Durham3 5
The facility will manufacture Gardasil and Gardasil 9 vaccines, which protect against HPV7 8
Construction began in 2019 and the plant is now open, with manufacturing to start this year and ramp up in 20263
It's part of over $12 billion Merck has invested in U.S. manufacturing and R&D since 2018, with another $8 billion planned by 20283 5

The expansion highlights Merck's efforts to strengthen its U.S. manufacturing capabilities:

It will create new jobs, with Merck currently employing about 1,000 people at the Durham site3
The company chose Durham due to the strong local workforce3
The facility incorporates advanced technologies like data analytics, generative AI, and 3D printing5

This investment comes as Gardasil remains a key product for Merck, generating $8.6 billion in revenue last year3. However, the vaccine faces challenges including reduced shipments to China and upcoming patent expirations in 20286.