Area Development
Pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. Inc. will invest approximately $300 million to expand its vaccine manufacturing facility in Durham, North Carolina. Between 150 and 180 new jobs will be created as a result of the expansion. As part of what is considered "Phase III" of work at the Durham facility, the company will build a new bulk vaccine manufacturing plant and expand utility, warehouse, and administrative infrastructures. Merck has received a grant from a local government economic development agency as part of the expansion deal. The company expects to begin supplying several of its key vaccines, including the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil, from Durham upon full licensing of the facility in 2009; the first phase of construction was completed earlier this year.