North Carolina Construction News staff writer
Novartis has broken ground on a $771 million pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in North Carolina, marking a major expansion aimed at domesticating the production of the company’s key medicines.
The project, which will span more than 700,000 sq. ft. across Durham and Morrisville, is a cornerstone of the Swiss drugmaker’s broader $23 billion infrastructure investment in the United States over the next five years. State and company officials celebrated the start of construction in December during a ceremony attended by North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary.
“North Carolina continues to lead in cutting-edge life sciences,” Stein said in a statement. “Novartis’ decision to deepen its roots here speaks to the strength of our talent, our research universities, and our commitment to leading the nation in advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing.”
The expansion includes:
- The construction of two new facilities at a site in Durham dedicated to biologics and sterile packaging.
- A new facility in Morrisville for the production of solid dosage tablets and capsules.
- The expansion of an existing Novartis operation in Durham to add sterile filling capabilities for biologics.
Together, the sites will create approximately 700 direct jobs by 2030 with an average annual salary of more than $111,000, according to the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The project is also expected to support more than 3,000 indirect jobs across the company’s U.S. supply chain.
Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan said the hub will provide end-to-end manufacturing capabilities, allowing the company to produce medicines from active ingredients to final packaging in a single geographic location. The move is designed to strengthen supply chain resilience and reduce reliance on overseas production for the U.S. market.
“Once complete, this new hub will become a central site for Novartis manufacturing in the U.S., strengthening our supply chain and underscoring our commitment to American patients,” Narasimhan said.
The facilities are expected to open in phases between 2027 and 2028. The North Carolina project follows other recent U.S. investments by the company, including a $1.1 billion biomedical research hub planned for San Diego and expanded therapy manufacturing in California, Indiana, and New Jersey.
State officials said the expansion was facilitated in part by a Job Development Investment Grant, which could provide Novartis with up to $7.5 million in reimbursements over 12 years if job creation and investment targets are met.