Dive Brief:

• Amgen is investing $1 billion to build a second drug substance manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina, the drugmaker announced Dec. 5.
• With the new facility, Amgen raises its total planned investment in the city to over $1.5 billion as it aims to increase capacity and meet current and forecasted global demand, according to the Wake County government’s release.
• The expansion will create 370 new jobs and contribute to a robust biomanufacturing hub in the state, according to the company press release.

Dive Insight:

Amgen broke ground on its previously announced $550 million drug substance facility in Holly Springs in 2022, which is set to start operations next year. Both the old and new facility will use cutting-edge and sustainable technologies, according to the release.

The expanding manufacturing footprint comes as Amgen is seeing drastic demand increases, with revenue up 23.2% year-over-year in Q3 2024, up to $8.5 billion.

”Our strong cash flows enable investing in our business for long-term growth, including advancing our exciting pipeline opportunities and expanding capacity in our state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and facilities,” Amgen EVP and CFO Peter Griffith said on an Oct 30. earnings call.

Amgen emphasized North Carolina's biotech ecosystem in Research Triangle Park and skilled workforce as key to its decision.

Amgen funds a co-laboratory just 15 miles away at Wake Tech Community College’s Morrisville campus, a space where technologists and industry professionals can collaborate on ideas, new technology and industry trends.

“Amgen has quickly emerged as one of Wake Tech’s best partners and one of our community’s leading employers,” Scott Ralls, president of Wake Tech, said in a statement. “Our teams have collaborated to develop the most comprehensive ‘learn-and-earn’ apprenticeship training model I have ever seen, and it is a testament to Amgen’s commitment to our region.”

The company has other manufacturing facilities in California, Ohio, Rhode Island, Puerto Rico, Ireland, Netherlands and Singapore, according to the 2022 press release.

Amgen is one of several pharmaceutical manufacturers expanding in the state. UK-based Reckitt recently announced a $200 million investment to expand its Mucinex facility in Wilson, creating its largest over-the-counter production site in the U.S. and adding up to 300 jobs. 

In October, Johnson & Johnson revealed plans for a $2 billion biologics plant in Wilson as well, set to manufacture oncology, immunology and neuroscience treatments. Construction begins in 2025, with the facility expected to employ 420 workers when fully operational.