Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited (MSD) is the UK subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, USA, a research-based pharmaceutical company; 1668 - the Merck family apothecary opens in Darmstadt, Germany; 1891 - George Merck emigrates to United States to set up business that becomes Merck & Co., Inc.; 1906 - Sharp & Dohme establish partnership in UK; 1953 - Merck & Co., Inc. merges with Sharp & Dohme to create MSD1940s - HQ, lab, R&D at Hoddesdon; 1975 - manufacturing and packaging based at Cramlington, England. There is no direct connection to the German company Merck KGaA (known in the UK as Merck Pharmaceuticals).