Merck KgAa is set to invest €35m to expand its manufacturing site in the town of Modugno, Bari in Italy, to add a new production line for aseptic filing of biologics.
Expected to be fully operational by 2022, the new production line will support the growth of the company’s biotech medicines portfolio.
Stefan Oschmann, chairman of the executive board and CEO of Merck, said: “This investment underpins the importance of the Modugno-Bari production site for our growing healthcare business.”
Modugno is one of 15 manufacturing sites in operation by Merck and the facility currently employs around 225 people.
Oschmann added: “It will help us to secure the supply of medicines that improve people’s lives around the world.”
The new production line – which is expected to pump out 14 million units per year – will be used for biologic medicines for several disease areas including multiple sclerosis, fertility and endocrinology.
The move builds on a 2014 investment made by the pharma firm that saw it inject €50m into the site for a fully automated production line using isolator technology, as well as an automated warehouse.