Pharma giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J) continues to roll out massive domestic investments, this time

announcing the construction

of a US$1 billion cell-therapy manufacturing plant in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The move further expands an ever-growing domestic footprint for the major biotech player, helping to advance its pipeline of drugs for cancer, immune-mediated, and neurological diseases.

The facility will enable J&J to continue rolling out advanced manufacturing processes and technologies, which the company says are “shaping the future of medicine.” The site will support workforce development, and the firm plans to employ more than 500 biomanufacturing workers when it is fully operational. The construction project will provide an additional 4,000 temporary jobs.

“For 140 years, Johnson & Johnson has been a leading innovator in American healthcare, and we are honored to continue advancing that legacy in Pennsylvania,” said Joaquin Duato, chairman and CEO of the company. “By uniting scientific excellence with state-of-the-art manufacturing and strategic investment, and by working collaboratively with our communities, we are delivering for patients and creating significant opportunities for workers and families.”

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Pennsylvania has been a favorite region of operation for J&J, which has built 10 facilities across the state, totaling over 2 million square feet of construction, with much of that space dedicated to manufacturing. But J&J isn’t alone. Fellow pharma-giant Eli Lilly

announced plans

to invest $3.5 billion in a manufacturing site in Lehigh Valley last month. Among the many state projects over the past few years, biotechnology firm

Thermo Fisher

opened an advanced therapy collaboration center in Philadelphia a few months ago, and GSK

announced

an $800 million site expansion in 2024.

Such moves have been lauded by Governor Josh Shapiro, who may need a lozenge after all the praise he’s been vocalizing of late. “Pennsylvania is a powerhouse for innovation and manufacturing in the life sciences,” he said. “Just a few years ago we weren’t even on the field, but today we’re competing and winning. We’ve done it by creating the first economic development plan for Pennsylvania in two decades, and following through on it by cutting red tape, making strategic investments in key industries like the life sciences, and strengthening our workforce.”

J&J’s announcement marks the latest move toward fulfilling its previously announced

$55 billion

pledge to invest in US manufacturing, research and development, and technology through early 2029. Last month, the firm

expanded its manufacturing footprint

in Wilson, North Carolina, with a multibillion dollar commitment. That move followed a

$2 billion investment

in Holly Springs last summer.

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