Merck invests more than € 300 million into a new bioprocessing production center in Daejeon, South Korea. The new site is the largest investment by Merck’s Life Science business sector in Asia-Pacific to date and demonstrates the company’s commitment to expanding its capacities in the fast-growing region.
“The Asia-Pacific region is home to a large number of institutions that conduct leading-edge and innovative research, manufacturing and services in areas such as biotechnology, mRNA and gene therapy,” said Matthias Heinzel, Member of the Executive Board of Merck and CEO Life Science. Heinzel added, “Expanding our presence in the region will bring us even closer to our customers in this evolving and dynamic market. Our goal is to foster deep collaboration to increase the speed in bringing new therapies to patients”.
The facility will support biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in process development, clinical research and commercial manufacturing of biologics. Biologics are derived from large and complex biological compounds and include products like vaccines, cell and gene therapies, or protein-based therapies, such as monoclonal antibodies. They are one of the fastest-growing class of drugs.
Merck’s Bioprocessing Production Center will provide essential biotech products such as dry powder cell culture media, process liquids, pre-GMP small-scale manufacturing and sterile sampling systems. Covering an area of 43,000 square meters, the facility will include advanced production capacities, a distribution center and an automated warehouse.
As per the press release, Merck’s new site in South Korea is part of a multi-year investment program. It aims to increase the capacity and capabilities of Merck’s Life Science business sector to support the growing global demand for critical drugs and to make significant contributions to public health. Since 2020, Merck has announced industrial capacity and capabilities expansion projects in Life Science throughout Europe, China, and the United States, of more than €2 billion.
