Roche invests US$700M in new biologics plant in North Carolina

USA—Roche is expanding its manufacturing presence in the United States with a major investment of over US$700 million to build a new, state-of-the-art drug production facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina.

 This 700,000 square-foot plant will focus on producing biologic medicines, particularly next-generation obesity drugs, for Genentech, a member of the Roche Group.

Once operational, the facility is expected to create more than 400 high-wage manufacturing jobs, in addition to generating over 1,500 construction jobs during its development phase.

The choice of Holly Springs, located near Raleigh in North Carolina’s renowned “Research Triangle,” reflects Roche’s strategy to tap into the region’s established biopharmaceutical talent pool and robust life sciences ecosystem.

North Carolina is already home to more than 600 life science operations, making it a prime location for biotech investment and workforce development.

This new facility is part of Roche’s broader commitment to the U.S. market.

In April, the company announced plans to invest US$50 billion in the United States over the next five years, with this ambitious initiative aiming to create over 12,000 new jobs nationwide and transform the U.S. into a net exporter of Roche-manufactured medicines.

Other elements of this investment plan include new and expanded research and manufacturing sites in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and California, as well as a new gene therapy facility and an AI-driven R&D center.

Roche’s move comes amid a wave of “reshoring” activity in the pharmaceutical sector, as multinational drugmakers respond to growing concerns about international supply chain reliability and increasing pressure from the U.S. government to localize pharmaceutical production.

Other major companies, such as Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, and Novartis, have also announced significant investments in U.S.-based manufacturing and R&D infrastructure in recent months.

This investment has been propelled by the policy environment in which the Trump administration has implemented a 10% blanket tariff on imported goods, excluding finished drug products, and has initiated investigations that could lead to future tariffs on foreign-made pharmaceutical ingredients.

Additionally, the administration is pursuing major changes to drug pricing, including an executive order that would tie U.S. drug prices to the lowest prices paid internationally move that could significantly reduce prescription drug costs in the U.S.

Beyond its U.S. investments, Roche is also strengthening its global manufacturing network.

For example, the company recently announced a 2.04 billion yuan (US$282 million) investment to build a new production site in Shanghai, China, dedicated to its eye drug Vabysmo.

 This facility, expected to be completed by 2029, will help Roche meet regulatory requirements for local manufacturing in China.

Roche’s CEO, Thomas Schinecker, emphasized during the company’s first-quarter 2025 earnings that domestic production is increasingly essential for market access in key countries.

The company’s investment in Holly Springs and beyond is aimed at building capacity for both current therapies and a growing pipeline of biologics and precision medicines, ensuring Roche remains at the forefront of pharmaceutical innovation and supply reliability.

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