California-based biotech Amgen is investing $1 billion to expand its production footprint in Holly Springs, North Carolina.
The company will build a second drug substance manufacturing facility, having previously committed $550 million, bringing its total planned investment in the area to more than $1.5 billion.
Under the $1 billion expansion, Amgen’s new site will leverage “cutting-edge technologies and sustainable practices” in alignment with the company’s “commitment to environmental stewardship and manufacturing excellence.” Amgen said in its announcement that the total investment in the North Carolina biomanufacturing hub — including the existing facility — will create 370 new jobs.
Amgen CEO Robert Bradway in a statement said that North Carolina “will be an important part of our global manufacturing network as we continue to meet the growing demand for our innovative therapies while generating significant local economic impact.”
The company’s selection of Holly Springs as the site for its second drug substance manufacturing facility was driven, in part, by access to a skilled workforce and given North Carolina’s stature as a “premier” life sciences destination.
In February, Amgen unveiled its latest manufacturing facility in Central Ohio, spanning nearly 300,000 square feet and employing 400 full-time staff members. The company has manufacturing sites in California, Ireland, Netherlands, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and Singapore.