Msd Australia & New Zealand

What Msd Australia & New Zealand does

MSD Australia & New Zealand is the regional operating arm of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) for Australia and New Zealand, conducted through Merck Sharp & Dohme (Australia) Pty Ltd, Merck Sharp & Dohme (New Zealand) Limited, Intervet Australia Pty Limited, and Schering-Plough Animal Health Limited. The entity was founded in 1956, is headquartered at Macquarie Park, NSW, and employs 501-1,000 people across the two markets. Its website explicitly states operations are limited to Australia and New Zealand, with no representation as to suitability of materials outside those jurisdictions.

The company develops, registers, and supplies human prescription medicines, vaccines, and biologic therapies spanning oncology (KEYTRUDA/pembrolizumab, WELIREG/belzutifan, ZOLINZA/vorinostat, TEMODAL/temozolomide, ONCOTICE/BCG), diabetes (JANUVIA, JANUMET, XELEVIA, VELMETIA), infectious disease (LAGEVRIO for COVID-19, PREVYMIS for CMV, ISENTRESS for HIV, DIFICID, ZERBAXA, INVANZ), vaccines (GARDASIL 9 for HPV, CAPVAXIVE and VAXNEUVANCE pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, PNEUMOVAX 23, M-M-R II, VARIVAX, VAQTA, H-B-VAX II), and specialty products such as WINREVAIR for pulmonary arterial hypertension and ENFLONSIA for RSV prevention. It also operates MSD Animal Health, providing veterinary medicines for farm and companion animals. Manufacturing includes a pharmaceutical production facility in Bendigo.

The business model is a traditional pharma enterprise field-sales motion: products move through wholesale pharmacy distribution, direct hospital procurement, and government-funded vaccination programs, supported by a healthcare-professional portal (myMSD) and dedicated medical information phone lines. Revenue is generated via prescription dispensing and government reimbursement rather than publicly disclosed pricing. The portfolio is anchored by Merck's global R&D platform, with $17.9B invested in R&D in 2024 and 1,400+ scientific publications by company scientists, indicating that the ANZ entity commercializes innovations developed at the parent level rather than running independent discovery at scale.

Name

Msd Australia & New Zealand

Legal name

Merck Sharp & Dohme (Australia) Pty Ltd

Website

https://msd-australia.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

MSD Australia & New Zealand is the regional arm of Merck & Co., Inc., developing and supplying prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and animal health products to patients, healthcare professionals, hospitals, and pharmacies across Australia and New Zealand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Prescription Pharmaceuticals

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterinary Pharmacy, Vaccine & Biologics Services (AFAEANAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Livestock & Production Animal Therapeutics (Rx) (HLAMAEAB), Companion Animal Therapeutics (Rx) (HLAMAEAA), Veterinary Vaccines (Biologics) (HLAMAEAL), Vaccine R&D, Clinical/Field Trials & Regulatory Affairs (HLAMAKAM)

Keywords

• Prescription pharmaceuticals
• Human vaccines
• Biologic therapies
• Oncology medicines
• Veterinary pharmaceuticals

Headquarters

HQ city

Port Macquarie

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Prescription Medicines: Sale of prescription pharmaceutical medicines across multiple therapeutic areas including oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, and metabolism. Revenue generated through pharmacy dispensing and hospital procurement.
2. Vaccines: Development and sale of human vaccines including pneumococcal vaccines, HPV vaccines, hepatitis vaccines, MMR, and varicella vaccines. Revenue from government vaccination programs and private market.
3. Animal Health Products: Veterinary medicines and products for prevention, treatment and control of disease in farm and companion animal species. Operated through MSD Animal Health business unit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MSD Australia & New Zealand develops, manufactures, and supplies prescription pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and biologic therapies for human health across oncology, immunology, infectious disease, and metabolism. The company also markets veterinary medicines and animal health products through its MSD Animal Health division. Products are sold through pharmacy wholesalers, hospitals, and healthcare professionals across Australia and New Zealand.

Product overview

MSD Australia & New Zealand is a healthcare company offering a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines and vaccines. The portfolio includes Keytruda (cancer immunotherapy), vaccines (GARDASIL 9 for HPV, pneumococcal vaccines CAPVAXIVE and VAXNEUVANCE, and routine childhood vaccines like MMR II, VARIVAX), diabetes treatments (JANUVIA, JANUMET, XELEVIA), antivirals (LAGEVRIO for COVID-19, PREVYMIS), antibiotics, and specialty medicines across oncology, immunology, and infectious disease. The company also operates through its Animal Health division for veterinary products. The medicines are distributed via prescription through healthcare providers and pharmacies, supported by the myMSD HCP portal for healthcare professional access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) A PD-1 blocking antibody immunotherapy for treatment of various cancers including melanoma, lung cancer, and other malignancies, administered to patients via healthcare providers.
• GARDASIL 9 (HPV 9-valent vaccine) A 9-valent recombinant vaccine for prevention of diseases caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58.
• CAPVAXIVE (pneumococcal 21-valent conjugate vaccine) A 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for prevention of pneumococcal disease caused by covered Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes.
• VAXNEUVANCE (pneumococcal 15-valent conjugate vaccine) A 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for prevention of pneumococcal disease in adults.
• PNEUMOVAX 23 (pneumococcal vaccine polyvalent) A 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine for prevention of pneumococcal disease in adults.
• M-M-R II (Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccine) A live attenuated vaccine for prevention of measles, mumps, and rubella.
• VARIVAX (Varicella virus vaccine live) A live attenuated vaccine for prevention of varicella (chickenpox).
• H-B-VAX II (hepatitis B vaccine recombinant) A recombinant hepatitis B vaccine for prevention of hepatitis B virus infection.
• VAQTA (hepatitis A vaccine inactivated) An inactivated hepatitis A vaccine for prevention of hepatitis A virus infection.
• JANUVIA (sitagliptin) A DPP-4 inhibitor medication for type 2 diabetes treatment.
• JANUMET (sitagliptin/metformin) A combination diabetes medication containing sitagliptin and metformin for type 2 diabetes treatment, available in immediate and extended-release formulations.
• VELMETIA (sitagliptin/metformin) A combination medication containing sitagliptin and metformin for type 2 diabetes treatment.
• XELEVIA (sitagliptin) A DPP-4 inhibitor medication for type 2 diabetes treatment.
• ISENTRESS (raltegravir) An integrase inhibitor antiretroviral medication used in combination therapy for HIV-1 infection, with a higher-dose HD formulation taken once daily.
• LAGEVRIO (molnupiravir) An antiviral medication for treatment of COVID-19 in adults.
• PREVYMIS (letermovir) An antiviral medication for prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in transplant recipients.
• DIFICID (fidaxomicin) A macrolide antibiotic used for treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection.
• INVANZ (ertapenem sodium) A carbapenem antibiotic for treatment of infections caused by susceptible bacteria.
• ZERBAXA (ceftolozane/tazobactam) A combination antibiotic with ceftolozane and a beta-lactamase inhibitor for complicated intra-abdominal and urinary tract infections.
• NOXAFIL (posaconazole) An antifungal medication for prevention and treatment of invasive fungal infections, including a concentrated injectable formulation.
• TEMODAL (temozolomide) A chemotherapy medication for treatment of glioblastoma multiforme and other brain tumors.
• WELIREG (belzutifan) A hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-2α) inhibitor for treatment of Von Hippel-Lindau disease-associated renal cell carcinoma.
• WINREVAIR (sotatercept) An activin receptor type IIA-Fc fusion protein for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.
• ZOLINZA (vorinostat) A histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor for treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
• ONCOTICE (BCG) A live attenuated bacterial vaccine derivative used for treatment of bladder cancer.
• BELSOMRA (suvorexant) A suvorexant medication used for the treatment of insomnia, helping patients fall asleep and stay asleep.
• ENFLONSIA (clesrovimab) A monoclonal antibody product for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prevention.
• STROMECTOL (ivermectin) An antiparasitic medication for treatment of various parasitic infections including onchocerciasis and strongyloidiasis.
• MSD Animal Health The animal health division of MSD Australia offering veterinary medicines and services for prevention, treatment, and control of disease in farm and companion animals.

Quantifiable outcome

• $17.9 billion invested in R&D in 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)coreOthersRegulatory partnership for medicine registration and supply notices in Australia. The TGA Medicines Shortages Information Initiative website hosts MSD supply notices for product availability information.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AstraZeneca Australia: AstraZeneca competes in oncology (Imfinzi, Tagrisso, Enhertu) and respiratory biologics (Fasenra, Tezspire) and is among the top-tier ANZ pharmaceutical subsidiaries with overlapping prescriber relationships and TGA-registered specialty products.
• Roche Products Australia: Roche Australia is a major oncology competitor to KEYTRUDA across multiple cancer indications, with competing immunotherapy and targeted therapy portfolios distributed through the same hospital procurement channels in Australia and New Zealand.
• Bayer Australia: Bayer Australia operates in prescription pharmaceuticals (especially cardiology, women's health) and animal health, providing both human pharma overlap with MSD and a direct peer in the veterinary medicines space where MSD Animal Health competes.
• Janssen Australia (Johnson & Johnson): Janssen competes with MSD in oncology, immunology, and infectious disease, sharing the same TGA and Medsafe regulatory pathways and prescriber relationships in Australia and New Zealand.
• Novartis Australia: Novartis Australia competes in oncology (Kisqali, Lutathera, Pluvicto) and cardiovascular specialty, distributing through the same hospital and specialty pharmacy channels as MSD ANZ with comparable PBS reimbursement positioning.
• Zoetis Australia: Zoetis is a leading global animal health company with an established Australian presence directly competing with MSD Animal Health across livestock vaccines, parasiticides, and companion animal therapeutics.
• Pfizer Australia: Pfizer Australia is the most direct competitor, operating across prescription medicines and vaccines (including Prevnar pneumococcal franchise and COVID-19 vaccines) targeting the same Australian and New Zealand healthcare professional and government immunisation channels as MSD.
• GSK Australia: GSK competes head-to-head in vaccines (Shingrix, Arexvy, Boostrix) and respiratory/HIV specialty medicines, sharing the same regulatory pathway via TGA, PBS reimbursement framework, and pharmacy/hospital distribution channels across ANZ.
• Boehringer Ingelheim Australia: Boehringer Ingelheim operates prescription medicines across respiratory, cardiometabolic, and specialty indications in ANZ, with similar field sales deployment and PBS funding dynamics as MSD Australia.
• Sanofi Australia: Sanofi operates a comparable prescription medicine and vaccine portfolio (Dupixent, Beyfortus, flu vaccines) targeting the same Australian healthcare system, with overlapping field sales deployment and consumer health adjacencies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/MSD_Aus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/msd-australia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Msd Australia & New Zealand