GSK to invest more than $800mn in Pennsylvania biopharma hub

GSK (GSK) will invest more than $800mn to expand its Upper Merion, Pennsylvania, site into a new biopharmaceutical manufacturing and research hub, creating more than 300 jobs over the next five years, the office of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said.

The investment will establish a site in Montgomery County that combines drug manufacturing, research and development, quality testing and digital operations.

GSK said construction is planned to begin in 2027 and that the project will support both clinical and commercial production of biologic medicines. The expansion is expected to create more than 300 new jobs and retain about 4,500 existing full-time positions in the state.

The project will include a new commercial-scale biologics manufacturing facility, a research pilot plant and a centralized quality-control laboratory, the company said. Pennsylvania officials said GSK will be eligible for state manufacturing tax incentives tied to the investment.

The Upper Merion expansion and GSK’s previously announced Lancaster County facility project together represent nearly $1.7bn of planned investment in Pennsylvania, according to state officials.

GSK, whose US headquarters is in Philadelphia, said the expansion would help accelerate the development and supply of future medicines.