Merck & Co., Inc. has revealed plans to invest in excess of USD 70 billion in the United States as part of a sweeping expansion of its manufacturing, research and development footprint.

A central component of this investment is the construction of a USD 3 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Elkton, Virginia, which is expected to generate around 500 permanent jobs and several thousand construction roles. This project forms part of the broader USD 70 billion-plus investment announced by Merck this year — aimed at bolstering domestic capabilities in manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients, small-molecule drugs, biologics and vaccine production.

Merck also plans additional capital expenditures, including USD 3 billion for biologics and small-molecule manufacturing capabilities and over USD 3.5 billion at its headquarters in Rahway, New Jersey. Previous investments this year include a USD 1 billion facility in North Carolina and a USD 1 billion biologics plant in Delaware.

The expansion comes amid a global trend of pharmaceutical companies increasing U.S. investment to reduce supply-chain vulnerability, support domestic production and comply with policy incentives favouring on-shore manufacturing. Merck’s investment highlights its long-term commitment to strengthening the United States as a centre of biopharmaceutical innovation.