Friday's Good News, In Rural Virginia -- 150 High-Paying New Jobs At Merck's Elkton Vaccine Manufacturing Facility...

Since we did report the Cherokee layoff news in late March, it is only fair that we mention this. Earlier this week, Merck completed the more than $1 billion cap ex program at its Elkton, Virginia vaccine manufacturing plant. This, in turn will now allow it to once again double the US deliveries of the Gardasil^® HPV vaccine. Equally important, it brings 150 new high-paying manufacturing line jobs to the community there. [That HPV jab has been in short supply since late 2017 -- experiencing occasionally acute stock-outs, in 2018 in particular.]

Now, Merck will no longer be forgoing revenue (on vaccines it might otherwise sell, but had no finished inventory to fill the orders). And US teens won't have to wait multiple weeks -- to get this early-prevent vaccine. If the company sees excess capacity in coming years, it will almost certainly be able to sell those extra jabs in the UK or EU (albeit at a lower net selling price, in all likelihood). Here's the latest, from FiercePharma:

. . .After running into HPV vaccine supply shortfalls throughout 2018 and 2019, Merck & Co. is now reaping the rewards of a more than $1 billion manufacturing investment.

The Gardasil maker has expanded human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine capacity at its facility in Elkton, Virginia, to the tune of 120,000 square feet and 150 new jobs, Merck said Monday.

The update comes after Merck in 2019 threw down more than $1 billion to tackle “unprecedented global demand for [its] HPV vaccines." At the time, Merck pledged to bolster capacity at existing facilities and build new ones.

Alongside the Elkton upgrade plans in Virginia, Merck said it would spend more than $680 million over five years to build a 225,000-square-foot API plant at its site in Durham, North Carolina, and expand packaging facilities in nearby Wilson. . . .

Now you know. . . good news, to be sure (even with the now very rare kidney-related adverse event reports, associated with the vaccine).

In truth, I am still grinning, ear to ear, about yesterday's history making Senate confirmation. Onward, to a great weekend, and a milestone birthday party, for an old Chicago friend of mine. . . .

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