Novartis Gene Therapies, a division of Switzerland-based Novartis, announced plans to invest $771 million in Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina. The investment will create up to 700 new jobs by 2031 and expand the company’s presence in the region with its first biologics drug substance facility in the United States, as well as additional small molecule manufacturing and fill/finish capabilities.
The expansion is part of Novartis’ broader commitment to invest $23 billion in U.S. infrastructure over five years. The company’s three RTP projects include: a $231 million upgrade for small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing at Pathway Triangle in Morrisville; a $400 million acquisition and expansion of a facility at 14 T.W. Alexander Drive in Durham for biologics drug substance operations; and a $140 million addition of fill/finish capabilities at both the T.W. Alexander Drive site and an existing location on S. TriCenter Blvd.
Vas Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis, stated, “North Carolina has been a home to Novartis for two decades, enabling our groundbreaking work to manufacture life-changing gene therapies. We are excited to deepen our ties to this local community that has had a key role in helping bring our innovation to patients in the US and around the world.” He added, “By building a full, end-to-end manufacturing presence in North Carolina for our broader portfolio, we are expanding our capacity to deliver medical breakthroughs, securing a more resilient US supply chain, and investing in the local communities that make our mission possible.”
Governor Josh Stein commented on the announcement: “North Carolina continues to lead in advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing, and Novartis’ expansion in the Triangle reflects our state’s talent and innovative spirit,” he said. “This investment will strengthen our state’s economy and ensure life-saving medicines continue to be made right in North Carolina.”
The average annual salary for new positions is expected to be $111,161—higher than both Durham County’s average ($97,531) and Wake County’s average ($76,643). The new roles could add more than $42 million annually to the local payroll impact.
The state’s Economic Investment Committee approved about $10 million in jobs-based incentives for Novartis through a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG), which is projected over twelve years to increase North Carolina’s economy by approximately $3.1 billion. Additional workforce training incentives from state programs are valued near $9 million, while local incentives from Wake County, Durham County, and Morrisville total roughly $12.6 million.
In April 2025, Novartis announced its national plan aimed at ensuring all key medicines for U.S. patients would be manufactured domestically—a move involving ten facilities across the country (including seven newly built sites) that is expected to generate nearly 1,000 jobs within Novartis itself plus another estimated 4,000 U.S.-based jobs.
With these expansions—including recent openings such as a radioligand therapy facility in Carlsbad, California—Novartis aims eventually to produce all its key medicines entirely within the United States.
Laura Rowley of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center remarked on RTP’s collaborative environment: “Novartis is a leader in innovative biotech, and it is inspiring to see the impact that Novartis medicines – including those manufactured in North Carolina – make in patient lives,” she said. “With this investment spanning three sites, two counties, and multiple therapeutic modalities, North Carolina’s collaborative ecosystem is well poised to support this expansion of Novartis’ capabilities in the state.”
Durham County Board Chair Nida Allam noted workforce development benefits: “This investment will support the production of additional life-saving medications in the greater Triangle Region and also creates new jobs that do not require a four-year or advanced degree,” she said.
Wake County Board Chair Susan Evans highlighted regional growth: “Novartis will join a host of thriving life sciences companies that are expanding their operations in Wake County,” Evans said. “The word is out. The Research Triangle is the epicenter of biotech manufacturing…”
Pathway Triangle—the Morrisville campus hosting one project—is designed specifically for biomanufacturing companies needing purpose-built GMP space with shorter timeframes from occupancy to production.
Novartis’ history with RTP dates back several years; after acquiring AveXis (now known as Novartis Gene Therapies) with its Durham gene therapy facility in 2018—and expanding it further since—the company continues increasing its footprint across both Wake and Durham Counties.
