The capital injection targets the company's facilities in Frederick and Gaithersburg, accelerating the production of therapeutics for cancer, rare, and chronic diseases.
Global biopharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca is making its deepest commitment yet to Maryland, its largest biopharmaceutical employer, with a landmark $2 billion investment to upgrade and expand its manufacturing and R&D footprint. The plan, announced on November 21, 2025, is a major component of AstraZeneca’s ambitious $50 billion investment commitment to U.S. medicines manufacturing and R&D unveiled in July.
This substantial financial commitment is split between a significant expansion of the flagship biologics manufacturing facility in Frederick and the construction of a new, cutting-edge clinical manufacturing facility in Gaithersburg. Together, the projects are projected to support 2,600 jobs across the state, including the retention of local roles, substantial construction activity, and the creation of 300 new, highly skilled positions. State officials have hailed the investment as the largest private capital investment in Maryland in the last decade, with Governor Wes Moore noting that it "speaks to our unique, world-class biotech ecosystem."
The expansion in Frederick focuses on the facility that currently produces biologics for AstraZeneca’s portfolio of cancer, autoimmune, respiratory, and rare disease treatments. The planned upgrade will nearly double commercial manufacturing capacity, ensuring an increased and more resilient supply of existing life-saving medicines. Crucially, this expansion marks the first time the company will bring its extensive rare disease portfolio production onshore to the U.S. This site alone will generate 200 new highly skilled jobs and support 900 construction roles, with an operational target of 2029.
In Gaithersburg, AstraZeneca will build a new clinical manufacturing facility dedicated to the development and clinical supply of innovative molecules for trials. This new facility, also expected to be fully operational by 2029, will retain 400 roles, create an additional 100 new jobs, and support approximately 1,000 construction-related jobs.
Pascal Soriot, Chief Executive Officer, AstraZeneca, emphasized the dual benefit of the investment: "This investment strengthens the resilience of the U.S. medicines supply chain and accelerates access to transformative therapies for patients across America and around the world." The expansion underscores the critical role Maryland plays in the company's global strategy, particularly as the U.S. remains AstraZeneca’s largest market by sales.
This latest announcement follows a period of aggressive expansion by AstraZeneca in the U.S., including the unveiling of a new cell therapy manufacturing facility in Rockville, Maryland, and other significant projects in Virginia and Texas, reinforcing the company's position as a major contributor to the American economy.
