“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. “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 new facility in Daejeon will support biotech and pharmaceutical companies in developing and manufacturing biologics, a rapidly growing class of drugs including vaccines and protein-based therapies. The 43,000 square meter facility will provide essential biotech products and services, from dry powder cell culture media to pre-GMP small-scale manufacturing, and house advanced production capacities, a distribution center, and an automated warehouse.

Since its establishment in 1989, Merck Korea has been a key player in the science and technology sectors, with over 1,700 employees and 13 production and R&D sites, including the M Lab Collaboration Center in Songdo. The new South Korean site is part of a multi-year investment program aimed at enhancing Merck’s Life Science sector to meet global drug demand. Since 2020, Merck has announced expansions in Life Science across Europe, China, and the U.S., totaling over €2 billion.