Genentech, a subsidiary of the Roche Group, has unveiled plans to invest more than $700 million in a new 700,000 square foot state-of-the-art drug manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina.
The project will add more than 400 high-wage manufacturing jobs when the site is operational and more than 1,500 construction jobs during site development.
The new facility will ultimately support Roche and Genentech’s future portfolio of next-generation obesity medicines and this initial investment could expand in the future based on business needs and the US policy environment.
Roche and Genentech’s current US footprint includes 13 manufacturing and 15 R&D sites across the company’s Pharmaceutical and Diagnostics Divisions and 25,000 employees in 24 sites across eight US states.
Ashley Magargee, Genentech CEO, said: “Our new facility near Raleigh, North Carolina, an established biopharmaceutical talent hub, will serve as an important new setting within our manufacturing network to help deliver on the promise of our company’s life-changing science and industry-leading pipeline.
“We are thrilled to establish this relationship with the city of Holly Springs, where we expect to have a positive impact on the local economy and community, as we have across the United States since we pioneered the biotech industry nearly 50 years ago.”
Josh Stein, Governor of North Carolina, said: “I’m proud that Genentech has chosen North Carolina for its first facility on the East Coast. This major investment in Holly Springs shows that our state continues to be a leading destination for life sciences and advanced manufacturing.
“With more than 400 new jobs on the way, this project will strengthen our economy, create opportunities for our people, and advance cutting-edge scientific innovation right here in North Carolina.”
Together, Roche and Genentech are advocating for a vibrant biotech community and investing in the infrastructure, talent, and technologies needed to deliver the next generation of medical breakthroughs.
These efforts are designed to help scale biotech innovation faster, and to ensure that the US remains a leader in discovering, developing and manufacturing “life-changing medicines for years to come”, say the companies.
