AbbVie has announced plans to invest $1.4 billion in a new manufacturing campus in Durham, marking the company’s largest single-location investment to date and reinforcing the continued expansion of pharmaceutical manufacturing across the United States.
The project, first reported by Manufacturing Dive, will support production of immunology, neuroscience and oncology medicines. Construction is set to begin in 2026, with completion targeted for the end of 2028.
The 185-acre campus will employ 734 workers over the next four years, including engineers, scientists, production staff and laboratory technicians. The facility will also incorporate artificial intelligence to enhance manufacturing processes and operational efficiency.
The Durham campus will focus on small-volume parenteral (SVP) products — sterile injectable medicines such as vials and prefilled syringes used for injections or infusions. These products, typically under 100 milliliters, are critical to modern drug delivery systems.
Located near Research Triangle Park, the site was selected in part due to its access to a skilled workforce and its capacity for future expansion. Once complete, AbbVie said the facility will serve as its U.S. center of excellence for SVP manufacturing, supplying medicines to patients worldwide.
“By establishing this campus, we are strengthening our ability to support future medical breakthroughs while also creating new jobs and a long-term partnership with Durham and the State of North Carolina,” said Robert Michael, chairman and CEO of AbbVie.
The project is part of the company’s broader $100 billion commitment to U.S. research, development and manufacturing over the next decade.
State and local incentives played a role in securing the project. North Carolina approved a job development investment grant that could reimburse AbbVie up to $19.3 million over 12 years, contingent on job creation and investment milestones verified by the office of Josh Stein.
Additionally, up to $6.4 million will be directed into the state’s industrial development fund utility account to support infrastructure improvements in rural areas and attract future economic development.
The economic impact of the project is significant, with estimates suggesting it could contribute as much as $8 billion to the state’s economy over time.
AbbVie’s investment reflects a broader trend of pharmaceutical companies expanding domestic manufacturing amid geopolitical uncertainty and supply chain disruptions. Over the past year, the company has committed more than $2.2 billion to U.S. manufacturing projects across multiple states.
Other major drugmakers are making similar moves. CSL Behring recently broke ground on a $1.5 billion immunoglobulin facility in Illinois, while Johnson & Johnson and Eli Lilly have announced multibillion-dollar investments in new drug manufacturing facilities in Pennsylvania.
As demand for advanced therapies continues to grow, large-scale investments like AbbVie’s Durham campus highlight the increasing importance of domestic production capacity — and the role construction firms will play in delivering these highly specialized facilities.
Originally reported by Nathan Owens, Reporter in Construction Dive.
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