Merck Sharp & Dohme Expands Singapore Facility with S$100 Million Investment

07-31-2006: MSD Technology Singapore Pte Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck & Co. dedicated an expansion of its production facilities in Singapore. The expanded facilities are scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2006. Now in the final stages of construction, the expansion consists of manufacturing formulation facilities and support infrastructure, and will bring increased capacity and production capability to the 49-acre site in Tuas Biomedical Park. The new S$100 million project brings Merck's overall investment in Singapore to over S$1 billion.

The expansion is located on the same Tuas Biomedical Park site as are a bulk pharmaceutical plant, which MSD opened in September 2001, and a formulation facility, with more than 15,000 square meters of floor space, which opened in October 2003.

"Almost five years have passed since we dedicated our first manufacturing facility here -- a modern chemical plant that manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients for some of our most important products, and three years ago we dedicated a sophisticated formulation plant that manufactures VYTORIN, a medicine for reducing elevated cholesterol levels," said Mr. Willie Deese, president, Merck Manufacturing Division.

He added: "The new expansion we are now dedicating is intended for the manufacture of new medicines that are currently in late stage development, including medicines under development for the treatment of elevated cholesterol levels."