MERCK will build a new production facility to triple the production of BCG

3 years 5 months ago #60053 by joea73
MERCK has announced that it will build a new manufacturing facility in North Caloriana, in the US for the Onco-Tice strain of BCG for treatment for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. This new facility will triple the production of the BCG. With a timeline of roughly five to six years. Though Canada has escaped the catastrophic BCG shortage, I have been noticing the shortage has been impacting the treatment such as forcing early radical cystectomy for many Americans and giving the patients and their families anxiety for the last couple of years. Australia has been allowing importing other strains of BCG from other countries to deal with the shortage. In the US, the clinical trial for TOKYO-172 strain has been going to secure the second source of BCG and it should complete its Phase 3 clinical trial within a year or two. I would like to say to MERCK that it’s about time to build the new facility as MERCK has been making billions of profit over the last few years selling their immunotherapy drug Keytruda for advanced cancers for many cancers including bladder cancer. Nevertheless, it is great news for future bladder cancer patients who would need BCG treatment. Big thanks to all doctors and patients who participated in Tokyo-172 BCG clinical trials, and those voiced the concerns about BCG shortage. I am sure those voices have affected the decision for the MERCK's decision.

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