Listen to this articleThe basics:
- Novartis plans $771M manufacturing hub in North Carolina
- New facilities will produce biologics, sterile packaging, solid dosage forms
- Project expected to create 700 Novartis jobs, 3,000 indirect roles by 2030
- Part of $23B US expansion aligned with federal pressure for domestic pharma production
As part of Novartis’ commitment to spend $23 billion over the next five years to grow its U.S. presence, the Swiss drugmaker plans to build a flagship manufacturing hub in North Carolina.
In a Nov. 19 press release, the pharmaceutical company said the sites will include:
- Two new facilities in Durham dedicated to manufacturing biologics and sterile packaging
- A new location in Morrisville for the production of solid dosage tablets and capsules and packaging
Novartis said it will also expand the scope of an existing building in Durham. At that site it will add capability to support sterile filing of biologics into syringes and vials. The company has had its U.S. headquarters in East Hanover for over 20 years.
Anticipated to open between 2027 and 2028, the N.C. hub will encompass over 700,000 square feet between the new facilities and current campus, the company said. It is expected to create 700 new jobs at Novartis as well as more than 3,000 indirect jobs across the supply chain by the end of 2030, according to the company.
Making the mission possible
In a statement, Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan said, “This announcement is a commitment to American innovation and to the patients we serve. By building a full, end-to-end manufacturing presence in North Carolina for our broader portfolio, we are expanding our capacity to deliver medical breakthroughs, securing a more resilient US supply chain, and investing in the local communities that make our mission possible.”
Altogether, the company’s investments in Durham and Morrisville will total up to $771 million, according to a press release from North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein.
When Novartis unveiled its broader investment plans in April, the company said the increased capacity will enable production of 100% of its key medicines end-to-end domestically across its main therapeutic areas: oncology, immunology, neuroscience, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic.
This announcement is a commitment to American innovation and to the patients we serve.
– Vas Narasimhan, Novartis CEO
According to this week’s announcement, the company “is on track to produce all its advanced technologies” with cell and gene therapies made here in Morris Plains and Durham, N.C.
More sites underway
Additionally, Novartis is constructing two radioligand therapy (RLT) manufacturing facilities in Florida and Texas. Novartis said it will also expand existing radioligand facilities in Millburn; Indianapolis, Ind.; and Carlsbad, Calif.
Over the next five years, the company’s total investment in U.S. operations is slated to reach nearly $50 billion. Novartis expects to create more than 1,000 new positions for skilled workers, like scientists and engineers. It anticipates an additional 4,000 jobs for support staff and construction overall.
While Novartis looks to grow its manufacturing, research and technology footprint in the U.S., the company is continuing an ongoing restructuring. The effort aims to save at least $1 billion annually. The cost-cutting campaign has resulted in several waves of layoffs at the East Hanover base.
Novartis joins a growing number of New Jersey pharma giants that have announced U.S. manufacturing investments in recent months amid pressure from the Trump administration. The White House has said drugmakers would be exempt from a 100% tariff on branded or patented pharmaceutical products imported into the U.S. if they have a domestic based manufacturing plant that is either under construction or had a groundbreaking.
The list of companies that have committed to increase R&D and manufacturing here include:
