AbbVie to invest $1.4bn in North Carolina pharmaceutical campus

AI-integrated facility near Research Triangle Park marks group's largest ever capital outlay

AbbVie (ABBV) is to invest $1.4bn in a 185-acre pharmaceutical manufacturing campus in Durham, North Carolina, the company's largest single capital investment to date and its first significant foray into the state.

The facility, situated near Research Triangle Park, will combine advanced manufacturing and laboratory technologies with artificial intelligence to support production of the drugmaker's immunology, neuroscience and oncology treatments. Construction is due to begin this year, with completion targeted by the end of 2028.

"Our investment in North Carolina represents a significant milestone for AbbVie as our largest capital investment to date and an important expansion of our manufacturing footprint into a new region of the United States," said Robert A. Michael, chairman and chief executive. "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."

AbbVie said it plans to hire 734 permanent staff over the next four years, encompassing engineers, scientists, manufacturing operators and laboratory technicians. The development is also expected to generate more than 2,000 construction jobs during the build phase.

The Durham project forms part of AbbVie's previously announced $100bn commitment to US research, development and capital investment — including manufacturing — over the coming decade. The company separately announced a $380bn investment in North Chicago earlier this year to support next-generation neuroscience and obesity drug production.

The group said it selected the Durham site for the quality of the regional workforce and its capacity to accommodate future expansion. Research Triangle Park, one of the largest research parks in the United States, has in recent decades attracted a dense cluster of life sciences and technology companies, making it an increasingly competitive location for pharmaceutical capital.