Global pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca will build a new state-of-the-art clinical manufacturing facility in Gaithersburg as part of a $2 billion expansion in the state, the company and Gov. Wes Moore (D) announced Friday.
The company’s plans, which include an expansion of its flagship biologics manufacturing facility in Frederick, mark “the largest private capital investment in the state in the last decade,” according to a release from Moore’s office.
“AstraZeneca’s significant investment and expansion in Maryland underscores our state’s global leadership in life sciences and biomanufacturing,” Moore said in the release. “This landmark investment strengthens the U.S. medicine supply chain and accelerates the development of life-saving therapies, while creating hundreds of good-paying jobs for Marylanders.”
AstraZeneca Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot noted during the announcement at AstraZeneca’s Frederick manufacturing facility that the expansion in Gaithersburg and Frederick will result in more than 2,000 jobs. Those jobs include positions at the facilities as well those involved in expansion construction.
“As the state’s largest biopharmaceutical employer, we are deepening our long-standing commitment to Maryland—supporting 2,600 jobs, catalyzing economic growth and bringing our extensive rare disease portfolio onshore for the first time,” Soriot said in the release.
The upcoming Gaithersburg manufacturing facility is expected to create “100 jobs, retain 400 roles, and support 1,000 construction-related jobs,” according to the release. The facility is expected to be operating by 2029. The expansion of the Frederick facility, also expected to be completed by 2029, is expected to create 200 jobs and 900 in construction.
“AstraZeneca’s decision to expand its presence in Montgomery County is a powerful testament to the strength of our highly educated and diverse workforce, the depth of our innovation ecosystem, and the quality of life that continues to attract and retain world-class companies,” County Executive Marc Elrich said Friday in his weekly email message.
Elrich attended Friday’s announcement in Frederick along with Moore, Soriot, and other local and state elected officials.
The announcement follows the company’s unveiling in early May of its independently operated cell therapy manufacturing facility in Rockville.
The $300 million facility at 9950 Medical Center Drive supports domestic production of CAR-T cell therapy, which is “one of the most promising breakthroughs in cancer treatment” and created 150 jobs for highly skilled employees, the company said in a May release. AstraZeneca announced in February 2024 that it was investing in the Rockville manufacturing facility.
The upcoming Gaithersburg site will join AstraZeneca’s global manufacturing and supply network. It also adds to AstraZeneca’s footprint in the county, which includes a research and development campus in Gaithersburg. All told, the company employs more than 5,500 people in the state.
To pay for the expansion, the company is investing an estimated $1.81 billion in capital expenditures, the governor’s office release said. The state, in partnership with local jurisdictions, will provide roughly a 10% investment match of total project costs to be “anchored by a $116.5 million capital budget commitment over eight years” as part of Moore’s strategic economic growth investments.
“By choosing to expand in Maryland, AstraZeneca is strengthening its presence in a hub of scientific talent, innovation, and advanced life sciences,” U.S. Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-Dist. 6) said in the release from the governor’s office. “This historic investment is fantastic news for our communities, businesses, and workers along the I-270 Technology Corridor, who are driving our state’s progress.”
Bethesda Today reporter Elia Griffin contributed to this story.
