Group 1 - Ligand Pharmaceuticals (LGND) shares have increased by nearly 88% this year, driven by investor interest in its royalty-based business model [1] - The company operates as a biotech firm that does not produce biologic medicines but instead focuses on forming partnerships and deals [1] - Ligand has a diverse portfolio with over 90 partnered commercial and development-stage drugs, targeting various conditions including cancer, kidney disease, and diabetes [1] Group 2 - Merck is experiencing a breakout past its latest buy point amid ongoing stock market volatility [2] - The company has recently engaged in a significant acquisition, purchasing Cidara Therapeutics for $9.2 billion [4] - Merck's stock performance is recovering, although it faces challenges with its Gardasil product line [4]

Core Insights - Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has announced a significant expansion of its manufacturing capacity through a new agreement with FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, which will nearly double its U.S. large-scale manufacturing capacity [1][3] - The total investment in this expansion is estimated to exceed $3 billion, contributing to Regeneron's ongoing and planned investments in New York and North Carolina, expected to total more than $7 billion [1][2] - The expansion will create high-paying jobs and support economic growth in the regions involved, with a focus on advancing biotech innovation [2][3] Investment and Job Creation - Regeneron is investing approximately $3.6 billion in expanding its Tarrytown campus in New York, which will create 1,000 full-time, high-skill jobs [2] - The company is also constructing a new fill/finish manufacturing facility in Rensselaer, New York, and has acquired over 1 million square feet of property in Saratoga Springs for production support and potential additional manufacturing capacity [2][3] Partnership with FUJIFILM - The partnership with FUJIFILM is aimed at ensuring continuity of supply for Regeneron's biologic medicines, with technology transfer beginning immediately and a ten-year term for the agreement [1][3] - Both companies express confidence in the collaboration, emphasizing their shared vision to make transformative medicine accessible to patients [3] Workforce Growth - Over the past five years, Regeneron has added more than 7,000 jobs, primarily in high-paying R&D and manufacturing roles based in the United States [3]