Announced in January 2020, Merck's new state-of-the-art biotech development center will ensure that the German pharmaceutical giant has the necessary capacity and flexibility to produce experimental drugs for clinical studies, accelerate development times and cope with the increasing complexity of producing future generations of biotech drugs.
"The Biotech Development Center reflects our determination to accelerate the availability of new medicines for patients with diseases that have unmet medical needs, such as cancer," said Peter Guenter, member of Merck's Board of Directors and CEO of Merck. "This investment also confirms Switzerland's leading position in the development and production of our biotechnology-based medicines for patients around the world."
Located near Merck’s current biotech commercial manufacturing site in Corsier-sur-Vevey (canton of Vaud), the Biotech Development Center will bridge together research and manufacturing.
The facility will consist of a building providing a total of 15,700 square meters of development space bringing together a cross-functional team of approximately 250 employees spread across different sites today.
Western Switzerland, a key region for the production and development of biotech drugs
The next key steps in the construction of the Biotech Development Center will be the finalization of the building's interior and the installation of the equipment. The Biotech Development Center is expected to be fully operational by 2023.
With the existing production sites in Corsier-sur-Vevey and Aubonne as well as the future Biotech Development Center, Western Switzerland confirms its leading position for the production and development of Merck's biotech drugs. This latest investment of CHF 270 million reflects the strategic importance of Switzerland for Merck, where the company employs more than 2,500 people across eight sites.
