Pennsylvania’s life sciences sector took another step forward Wednesday when a pharmaceutical giant debuted plans for a cell and gene therapy manufacturing facility in suburban Philadelphia.
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Johnson & Johnson plans to spend $1B building a facility in Lower Gwynedd Township focused on treatments for cancer, immune-mediated diseases and neurological diseases, the company announced Wednesday. It is expected to create 500 biomanufacturing jobs and 4,000 construction positions.
The factory is planned to occupy a 154-acre parcel at 1201 Sumneytown Pike. It is about a mile from a J&J research and development campus.
The project, scheduled to open in 2031, is part of the company’s plans to invest $55B in the U.S. by 2029.
J&J is receiving a $41.5M economic package from Pennsylvania to support the development.
“We value Johnson & Johnson’s long-time partnership here in Pennsylvania, and its decision to reinvest in Montgomery County is another huge win for the Commonwealth,” Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger said in a statement.
“This announcement also sends a clear message that Pennsylvania is competing — and winning — when it comes to attracting world-class life sciences companies,” he added.
Last month, Eli Lilly and Co. announced plans for a $3.5B injectable medicine and device manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. The 925K SF Upper Macungie Township project, also set to deliver in 2031, is expected to bring 850 permanent jobs to the region.
Many pharmaceutical companies rushed to boost their domestic production capacity as the Trump administration plotted new tariffs on drug imports last spring. An executive order seeking to implement the levies also directed the Food and Drug Administration to eliminate red tape for new stateside projects.
The president also tried to gut federal biotech funding last year, but much of that effort was rebuffed by the courts.
The National Institutes of Health’s new $48.7B budget — technically larger than last year but flat when accounting for inflation — led to a sigh of relief across the life sciences sector. This funding could preserve the pipeline of biotech tenants for the oversupplied lab space market, which is experiencing high vacancy in hubs like the University City section of Philadelphia.
