Dive Brief:
- Belgium-based drugmaker UCB plans to invest $5 billion in a new U.S. drug manufacturing facility, the company announced Thursday, as part of a plan to capitalize on growing U.S. market demand.
- The company, which makes drugs for immunology and central nervous system diseases, plans to hire 300 employees for direct roles at the plant. UCB is currently evaluating possible locations for the facility, with a focus on areas with a strong talent pipeline.
- The move comes as a growing number of drugmakers expand their U.S. investments as the Trump administration threatens to impose tariffs on drug imports.
Dive Insight:
Major drugmakers, including Sanofi, Gilead and Merck, have poured more than $200 billion into domestic projects since President Donald Trump took office.
For UCB, the $5 billion investment will help to create a shorter and more resilient supply chain for its U.S. customers.
"This investment reflects our growing impact in the US and our ambition to bring our forthcoming pipeline to patients around the world," CEO Jean-Christophe Tellier said in a statement. "By expanding our biologics manufacturing footprint, we’re not only reinforcing our global supply chain — we’re also contributing to the vitality of biomedical innovation, high-skilled jobs, and long-term economic impact in the US.”
UCB has been in the U.S. market since 1994, with roughly 2,000 current employees.
UCB's U.S. headquarters is based in Atlanta, and the company operates three research and development centers across the country in Seattle, Boston and Durham, North Carolina. The company has invested $4.5 billion in the country since 2017, gaining 15 Food and Drug Administration approvals over the past eight years.
As part of its U.S. strategy, UCB will also continue to grow its contract drug manufacturing partnerships.
UCB has been in a strategic growth mode in recent months. The company's revenue hit 6.15 billion euros in fiscal year 2024, up 17% from the previous year, after bringing five new drugs to market. The drugmaker is also in the midst of studying nine new drugs in its pipeline this year.
