German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged further government backing for the pharmaceutical industry and touted recent investments in the country. Scholz spoke at the laying of the foundation stone on Thursday for a €300 million ($320 million) new research centre at German chemical and pharmaceutical firm Merck’s headquarters in the western German city of Darmstadt, located south of Frankfurt. The chancellor called the expansion project a “commitment to Germany as a strong location for pharmaceuticals, industry and research.” The centre is scheduled to open in three years. “Investments such as tho…