Merck is setting up a new BCG factory in North Carolina
The pharma giant aims to triple its production of the bladder cancer drug.

Merck (NYSE: MRK) announced plans to build a new manufacturing facility in North Carolina to expand manufacturing capacity of TICE®BCG, a drug used to treat bladder cancer. For years the company was the main producer of the elusive oncological drug, but its limited capacity hampered its efforts to get the drug to patients. This made it necessary to expand its capacity to meet the high global demand that exceeded its production capacities. Upon completion of construction of the new facility, the company will be able to triple its production capacity to meet the demand for TICE® BCG in the foreseeable future. The investment reinforces the company's longstanding commitment to making this drug for patients who need it. Merck said the new facility will create around 100 local jobs and will be completed in six years. After completion and after regulatory approvals and inspections, TICE®BCG deliveries will increase significantly. BCG is difficult to make, and Merck became the world's top manufacturer of the drug in 2012 after Sanofi stopped manufacturing due to manufacturing issues. The drug has a complicated manufacturing process that can take up to three months, so it was a major challenge for manufacturers. Of the three months, one month is reserved for the growth of the bacterial culture used in the manufacture of the drug. Manufacturers continue to face this challenge, even if the demand for TICE® BCG continues to grow worldwide and puts more strain on Merck's supply chain. Julie Gerberding, Executive VP and Chief Patient Officer of Merck, said that while the facility will take years to build, the company looks forward to the day that demand for patients requiring TICE® BCG will be met becomes. Last March, the company limited BCG shipments around the world based on past average order quantities. By 2019, the company had nearly doubled BCG production and reduced manufacturing time by 40%.

