A major biopharmaceutical company plans to add up to 734 jobs in Durham County as part of a $1.4 billion investment — one of the biggest private investments in Durham history, North Carolina officials said Wednesday.
AbbVie Inc. is expected to create the jobs at a new manufacturing campus in Durham, according to state Commerce Department officials who discussed the project Wednesday during a meeting of the department’s Economic Investment Committee. The committee approved millions of dollars in incentives to attract the project, which is projected to grow the state’s economy by up to $8.1 billion over the next 12 years.
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“Our investment in North Carolina represents a significant milestone for AbbVie as our largest capital investment to date and an important expansion of our manufacturing footprint into a new region of the United States,” Robert A. Michael, AbbVie’s chief executive, said in a statement. “By establishing this campus, we are strengthening our ability to support future medical breakthroughs while also creating new jobs and a long-term partnership with Durham and the State of North Carolina.”
It’s AbbVie’s first major investment in the state and part of a broader $100 billion effort by the company to expand research and development and manufacturing across the United States over the next decade.
The new Durham facility, to be built on 185 acres in Durham, is expected to create immunology, neuroscience and oncology medicines, the company said. State officials also said the company is considering production of obesity drugs at the site. The project is expected to generate more than 2,000 construction jobs during campus development. Construction is scheduled to begin this year, with completion expected by the end of 2028, the company said.
The first phase of construction is expected to manufacturing facilities, laboratories, a warehouse, administrative offices and employee wellness facilities with room to grow operations.
The AbbVie positions — including engineers, scientists, manufacturing operators and laboratory technicians — are expected to be created through 2031, state officials said. The average annual salary for the planned positions is expected to be $118,000 — about 15% above the county average.
State, local incentives
Commerce officials approved an incentives package worth up to $26 million over the 12-year life of the incentives deal, including a jobs grant of up to $19.3 million, state officials said. The money is paid out in installments if the company hits hiring and investment targets. The state incentives are in addition to about $25 million in combined city and county incentives.
Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams described the project as “a powerful signal that our city is competing — and winning — on a global stage.”
“This project delivers both immediate impact and long-term opportunity.,” Williams said. “It reflects the strength of our economy, the talent of our workforce, and our commitment to building a future where growth is shared and inclusive.”
AbbVie had considered the Chicago area before ultimately choosing Durham for the project, state officials said. The company said it chose Durham because of the strength of the region’s local workforce and its ability to support future expansion.
“We welcome AbbVie’s major investment to North Carolina,” North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said in a statement. “When you combine our world-renowned research and innovation with a strong, thriving life sciences hub, North Carolina quickly becomes the premier location for biopharmaceutical companies to do business.”
With the addition of AbbVie to North Carolina, the state is expected to become home to the operations of eight of the 10 biggest pharmaceutical companies by revenue, according to the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.
AbbVie, which is based in North Chicago, Illinois, was spun off from Abbott Laboratories in 2013. AbbVie, which focuses largely on immunology, neuroscience and oncology, has approximately 57,000 employees in about 175 countries. About 29,000 of those positions are in the U.S., including more than 6,000 at its U.S. manufacturing campuses.
Biotech magnet
The Triangle has long been a magnet for life sciences and biotech companies due to its affordability compared with other biotech hubs such as the San Francisco Bay area and the Boston metropolitan area, as well as access to a strong talent pool and access to an international airport.
Biotech companies that have relocated to or expanded in the Triangle have cited the region’s talent pool and proximity to major research universities such as North Carolina State, Duke and the University of North Carolina, as well as access to workforce training through the region’s community colleges.
Companies such as Genentech, Amgen and FujiFilm Diosynth Biotechnologies have recently announced plans to ramp up manufacturing in the Triangle. AbbVie is also among a growing corps of drugmakers focused on expanded production of weight-loss treatments.
Novo Nordisk, which has long manufactured treatments for diabetes and obesity in Johnston and Durham counties, announced plans in 2023 for a $4.1 billion expansion that is expected to create up to 1,000 jobs in Johnston County. Since 2020, Eli Lilly & Co. has committed at least $16 billion to develop new manufacturing sites in the U.S. and Europe, including locations in Research Triangle Park and Concord. And Amgen, which has been expanding in Holly Springs, is currently developing a GLP-1 weight-loss drug, aiming to compete with Novo Nordisk, which makes Ozempic and Wegovy, and Eli Lilly, which makes Zepbound and Mounjaro. Genentech is also developing a GLP-1 drug.