The Merck Wilmington Biotech facility, being developed by Merck and Co (MSD), in Delaware, US, will be dedicated to the development and production of the company’s next-generation biologics and therapies.
Construction of the $1bn facility commenced in April 2025. The laboratory component of the facility is expected to open by 2028, and production of investigational compounds is expected to commence by 2030.
Recommended White Papers
Recommended Buyers Guides
The project is anticipated to create more than 500 full-time jobs and 4,000 construction jobs. The site’s future expansion plans could generate 1,500 additional permanent positions and 26,000 construction jobs.
Location
The Merck Wilmington Biotech facility will be situated in the 163-acre Chestnut Run Innovation and Science Park (CRISP) in the Greenville area of Wilmington. It will leverage its proximity to academic institutions and MSD’s existing facilities in New Jersey and Pennsylvania to enhance research and product pipelines.
MSD signed a long-term lease with MRA Group, a real estate company and the developer of CRISP, to develop the facility.
With over 1.3 million ft² (120,774m²) of redevelopment either approved, planned, or completed, CRISP features incubator laboratories, advanced manufacturing and research and development facilities, alongside Class A offices and co‑working areas.
Merck Wilmington Biotech facility details
The Merck Wilmington Biotech facility will encompass a comprehensive site area of 470,000ft² (43,664m²) featuring a well-planned floor area dedicated to laboratory, manufacturing and warehouse capabilities.
The design emphasises efficiency and innovation, with a layout that supports the production of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and other biologics, in line with MSD’s plans to expand and diversify its product portfolio.
The facility aims to achieve a manufacturing capacity that meets the growing demand for advanced therapies, including the production of KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), a leading immunotherapy for cancer treatment.
Currently, there are more than 1,600 trials investigating KEYTRUDA® across a diverse range of cancers and treatment contexts.
It will also support the production of investigational therapies designed for specific cancer types.
MSD’s antibody-drug conjugates pipeline
MSD’s research on ADCs focuses on proteins linked to poor prognoses in both solid tumours and blood cancers, aiming to enhance the efficacy of ADC therapies and meet the needs of a larger patient population.
The company also integrates ADCs with other innovative treatments to create new and meaningful therapeutic options for patients.
The company’s ADC pipeline includes patritumab deruxtecan, ifinatamab deruxtecan, raludotatug deruxtecan, MK-3120, sacituzumab tirumotecan and zilovertamab vedotin.
Patritumab deruxtecan is a first-in-class HER3-directed DXd ADC, while Ifinatamab deruxtecan is a specifically engineered B7-H3-directed DXd ADC, and raludotatug deruxtecan is being investigated for various types of cancer. All three ADCs were discovered and developed in partnership with Daiichi Sankyo.
MK-3120 is being investigated for the treatment of bladder cancer, while sacituzumab tirumotecan is being investigated for various types of cancers in collaboration with Sichuan Kelun-Biotech.
Zilovertamab vedotin is MSD’s investigational ADC being assessed for the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
Financing
In March 2025, the Delaware State Investment Board approved a $30.2m taxpayer-funded grant to MSD. The company is expected to receive $4.7m in job performance grants, along with a capital expenditure grant of up to $25m.
Contractors involved
JLL Capital Markets arranged construction financing for the Merck Wilmington Biotech facility.
JLL Securities secured the loan on behalf of MRA Group by exploring financing options such as credit tenant lease financing, bank construction financing, and potential joint venture partnerships.