MSD Celebrates 50 Years of Its Globally Significant Manufacturing and Innovation Site in Schachen (Lucerne)
09.07.2026 08:00 CEST
MSD Celebrates 50 Years of Its Globally Significant Manufacturing and Innovation Site in Schachen (Lucerne)
MSD Schachen site. Image source: MSD
Lucerne, July 9, 2026 – MSD Merck Sharp & Dohme, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, today announced the 50th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone for its Schachen site in the canton of Lucerne. Since July 9, 1976, the site has evolved from a small operation into an important part of MSD’s global network and makes a significant contribution to the development and supply of innovative medicines.
Over the past 20 years alone, more than CHF 230 million has been invested in the site. More than 300 employees work on the development, manufacturing, and analysis of biotechnological active ingredients, conduct stability studies, and support clinical trials worldwide. Schachen therefore makes an important contribution to MSD’s global mission of saving and improving lives through leading-edge science.
“The Schachen site is an important part of our global network and exemplifies MSD’s innovative strength. The work of the local teams plays a key role in advancing innovative medicines for patients around the world. We are proud of the development of this site and of the people who have shaped it over the past 50 years”, said Franz Escherich, Chairman of the Board of the MSD Group in Switzerland.
“Fifty years of Schachen are above all about the people who have built and continuously developed this site. Their commitment, expertise, and collaboration have made Schachen what it is today – a strong, internationally connected site with a clear focus on quality and patient benefit”, said José Juan Cores, Site Head Schachen and Senior Director, Biologics Analytical R&D.
The site brings together a broad range of capabilities – from biologics development and analytical and microbiological laboratories to engineering, technology, and global clinical supply activities – and has been training apprentices since 1977. In addition, MSD operates one of its three global forensic laboratories in Schachen, where suspected counterfeit MSD medicines from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa are investigated. Throughout the summer and autumn, MSD will commemorate the 50th anniversary with a series of internal and external events at the Schachen site.
MSD in Switzerland
MSD, a leading biopharmaceutical company, employs over 1,000 people in Switzerland at three sites. The company’s headquarters are in Lucerne. At the site in Zurich, in “The Circle”, MSD operates a global innovation and development hub. In addition, we manufacture medicines for global clinical trials and operate a forensic laboratory in Schachen (Canton Lucerne). MSD conducts around 40 clinical trials annually in Switzerland alone. The main therapeutic areas of MSD are oncology, infectious diseases, cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases. We also have a broad portfolio of vaccines for the prevention of diseases in children, adolescents, and adults and we are one of the leading companies in veterinary medicine in Switzerland. Furthermore, we take our responsibility to the local community seriously and have been involved for many years in initiatives such as the «Trendtage Gesundheit Luzern» and the «Alliance Health Competence».
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Media Contact
MSD Merck Sharp & Dohme AG, Bürgenstrasse 8, 6005 Lucerne. Switzerland.
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CH-NON-03438, 07/2026