Merck Expands Manufacturing Facility in Elkton, Virginia

Merck has expanded its vaccines manufacturing facility located in Elkton, Va. to increase its supply of HPV vaccines, as well as enable broader equitable access to the vaccine. The facility is 120,000 square feet and has added 150 new jobs.

In 2019, Merck committed more than $1 billion to expanding its production capacity at existing manufacturing facilities and building new facilities to address the global demand for HPV vaccines. The company successfully doubled its HPV vaccine supply from 2017–2020 and anticipates doubling it again between 2020–2023.

“As we continue to increase production of our HPV vaccines, we are prioritizing access in countries with a high burden of disease, including countries eligible for support from Gavi and UNICEF,” said Dr. Priya Agrawal, global lead for HPV Vaccines at Merck, in a press release. “Through our long-term agreement with UNICEF, we plan to provide 91.5 million doses of our HPV vaccines for use in Gavi-supported countries from 2021–2025, and we have offered additional doses beyond that agreement as needed to help meet growing demand.”

“Increasing supply of our HPV vaccines is a top priority, and over the last several years we have steadily increased our manufacturing capacity in response to growing global demand,” said Jacks Lee, senior vice president, Merck Manufacturing, in a press release. “Despite the pandemic, our teams have completed the building infrastructure expansion at our Elkton site ahead of schedule and we are excited to reach this important milestone.”

Source: Merck