Pharmaceutical Executive Daily: Merck's $70 Billion Investment

Welcome to Pharmaceutical Executive Daily, your quick briefing on the top news shaping the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry.

In today’s Pharmaceutical Executive Daily, we cover Merck’s $70 billion expansion of U.S. operations, the FDA’s latest approvals for Novo Nordisk’s Rybelsus and Roche’s Gazyva, and a new digital health partnership between Amazon and WeightWatchers bringing prescription weight-loss drugs directly to consumers.

Merck has unveiled plans to invest $70 billion in expanding its U.S. biopharma operations over the next several years. The massive commitment will focus on building advanced manufacturing capacity, expanding research facilities, and accelerating vaccine and oncology programs. Executives say the move reinforces Merck’s long-term confidence in U.S. innovation and talent, aligning with ongoing efforts to strengthen domestic production and reduce global supply dependencies. Industry analysts view the investment as one of the largest single expansions in the sector’s history, signaling robust growth expectations despite broader economic uncertainty.

In regulatory developments, the FDA has approved two key therapies—Novo Nordisk’s Rybelsus, expanding its label in type 2 diabetes, and Roche’s Gazyva (known internationally as Gazyvaro), broadening its indication in oncology. The approvals underscore the agency’s steady pace of review activity even amid a crowded pipeline of metabolic and cancer treatments. For Novo, the Rybelsus update extends its GLP-1 reach in oral formulations, while Roche’s expanded Gazyva indication strengthens its hematology portfolio. Both companies are expected to benefit from new patient segments and competitive differentiation in their respective markets.

And in digital health news, Amazon has announced a partnership with WeightWatchers to offer direct-to-consumer access to prescription weight-loss medications. Through Amazon’s online pharmacy platform, consumers will be able to connect virtually with healthcare providers and receive medications including GLP-1–based therapies. WeightWatchers plans to integrate the service into its behavioral and nutrition programs. Analysts say the collaboration could reshape the DTC weight-management market by combining pharmaceutical access with lifestyle support, but it also raises questions about long-term adherence, safety monitoring, and payer alignment.

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