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AstraZeneca Breaks Ground on $4.5 Billion Virginia Plant With Expanded Cancer and Obesity Drug Production

The complex is billed as a cornerstone of a $50 billion U.S. buildout to bolster domestic drug supply chains.

Overview

  • The Albemarle County site at Rivanna Futures will be AstraZeneca’s largest manufacturing facility, located about 120 miles southwest of Washington.
  • The project adds antibody-drug conjugate cancer manufacturing to planned production of drug substance for weight-management and metabolic medicines, including an oral GLP-1, baxdrostat and an oral PCSK9.
  • AstraZeneca expects roughly 3,600 direct and indirect jobs, including about 600 highly skilled permanent roles and around 3,000 construction jobs.
  • Work begins immediately with operations targeted to start in four to five years, according to the company.
  • The investment, increased by $500 million from initial plans, fits into AstraZeneca’s $50 billion U.S. expansion as federal and state leaders urge onshoring, with CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz praising the move at the groundbreaking.