(The Center Square) – Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday that pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca will build its largest single manufacturing facility in Virginia as part of a $50 billion investment in U.S. operations.
The project is expected to create hundreds of high-skilled jobs and will focus on producing respiratory and oncology medicines using artificial intelligence, automation and advanced data analytics.
“This project will set the standard for the latest technological advancements in pharmaceutical manufacturing, creating hundreds of highly skilled jobs and helping further strengthen the nation’s domestic supply chain,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Advanced manufacturing is at the heart of Virginia’s dynamic economy, so I am thrilled that AstraZeneca, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, plans to build a world-class pharmaceutical facility here in the Commonwealth.”
President Donald Trump referenced the announcement the following day in Oval Office remarks, framing AstraZeneca’s overall $50 billion investment as a response to U.S. trade policy and the political climate.
“AstraZeneca… is going to spend $50 billion… to build various places all over the country, big manufacturing plants, pharmaceutical plants,” Trump said Tuesday. “He said they did that because of the election and because of the fact that the tariffs are placed.”
“They’re building their facilities in New York. $50 billion, that’s a big investment… and it’s going to be a very good investment, I have no doubt about it,” he added.
CEO Pascal Soriot said the investment “underpins our belief in America’s innovation in biopharmaceuticals and our commitment to the millions of patients who need our medicines in America and globally.” He added that it will also “support our ambition to reach $80 billion in revenue by 2030. I look forward to partnering with Governor Youngkin and his team to work on our largest single manufacturing investment ever. It reflects the Commonwealth of Virginia’s desire to create highly skilled jobs in science and technology, and will strengthen the country’s domestic supply chain for medicines.”
The company said the Virginia plant will anchor its U.S. expansion and will serve as a key hub for future pharmaceutical manufacturing. The site will produce small molecules, peptides, and oligonucleotides using AI, automation, and data analytics to optimize production.
AstraZeneca’s $50 billion plan also includes expansions in Maryland, Massachusetts, Indiana, Texas and California, with the goal of reaching $80 billion in revenue by 2030, with half of that expected to come from the U.S. market.
