07:32 AM EDT, 10/20/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Merck ( MRK ) said Monday it has started construction on a $3 billion, 400,000-square-foot pharmaceutical manufacturing facility at its Elkton, Virginia, site.

The drugmaker said the project is part of a broader plan to invest over $70 billion starting in 2025 to expand domestic manufacturing and R&D capabilities.

The company said the new facility will focus on small molecule manufacturing and testing, including both active pharmaceutical ingredient and drug product production.

The expansion is expected to create more than 500 full-time jobs and support around 8,000 construction roles, it added.