Belgian pharma company UCB is planning a major manufacturing investment that is expected to provide a significant impact of around $5 billion in the US. This move aligns with UCB’s aim to enhance its biologics manufacturing capacity in North America.
With the threat of pharmaceutical tariffs from the US looming, over the last couple of months, some pharma giants have proposed multi-billion-dollar investment commitments in the USA. UCB has recently jumped on the bandwagon and is looking to make a splash in the US market.
However, UCB has spent many years establishing a strong presence in the US. For instance, since 2017, UCB’s US workforce has increased 73%. This has contributed to 15 US FDA approvals or indication expansion. Eight of these approvals have been granted in the last two years.
Jean-Christophe Tellier, CEO of UCB, stated: “By expanding our biologics manufacturing footprint, we’re not only reinforcing our global supply chain—we’re also contributing to the vitality of biomedical innovation, high-skilled jobs, and long-term economic impact in the US.”
Although UCB has not pinpointed the exact location for the manufacturing facility, it is expected to create 300 high-skilled jobs when finished. The firm mentioned that it is focusing on regions that offer strong talent pipelines and innovation ecosystems.
Overall, this decision supports future medicine delivery and a more resilient and sustainable supply chain. Additionally, UCB is working to scale up its US-based contract manufacturing organisation (CMO) partnerships to ensure the production of growth drivers and future pipelines.
