AstraZeneca manufacturing facility officially coming to Albemarle County in multi-billion dollar investment

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical company, has officially announced that its new drug substance manufacturing facility will come to Albemarle County, creating 600 direct jobs.

AstraZeneca plans to invest $4.5 billion to create two manufacturing facilities in Albemarle County, according to an announcement from the governor's office on Thursday, Oct. 9.

The facility will be located at the Rivanna Futures Site in the northern portion of the county, which was acquired by Albemarle County two years ago to support local economic growth, according to an Oct. 9 release from the county following the governor's announcement.

Previously, the site received a $9.7 million grant from the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program, per the governor's office.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin continues to celebrate the manufacturing investment and its expected creation of hundreds of jobs for workers.

“AstraZeneca’s $4.5 billion investment is the largest single manufacturing investment in the company’s history and a game-changer for American drug manufacturing,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “The investment is set to create 600 high-paying jobs in Albemarle County, strengthening America’s ability to produce lifesaving medicines right here in Virginia. It took just 33 days from our first conversation to partnering on this project – that’s moving at Virginia speed. Thanks to programs like the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program and the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, AstraZeneca will be able to hit the ground running. There is a true business renaissance happening in Virginia, and I want to thank Pascal and the entire AstraZeneca team for choosing to invest in Virginia and for trusting the Commonwealth as a partner in the future of a world-class company.” 

The two plants are expected to create 600 jobs, including engineers, scientists and process facilitators. The investment is part of AstraZeneca’s planned $50 billion investment in the United States by 2030, according to a release.

An additional 3,000 indirect jobs are also expected to be created as a result of the multi-billion-dollar project.

Albemarle County Board of Supervisors Chair Jim Andrews similarly applauded the announcement in a release from the county.

“This investment is a transformative moment for Albemarle County,” Andrews said. “It reflects the forward-thinking and commitment of our Board, staff, and partners who have worked to make Albemarle County ready for opportunity. AstraZeneca will create well-paying jobs for our residents, bolster the biotechnology sector in our region, and generate ongoing revenue for our local schools, public safety, and community services. This is exactly the type of growth envisioned in our Economic Development Strategic Plan.” 

In July, the company said this facility makes drugs used for weight management and metabolic health, including oral GLP-1, baxdrosat, oral PCSK9 and other products.

The United States is AstraZeneca’s largest market and home to 19 research and development, manufacturing and commercial sites, per a release.

While Youngkin has touted the speed of the process -- repeatedly emphasizing that it was only 33 days after his initial meeting with AstraZeneca leadership that the company had committed to building the new facility -- he told 8News in July that he expected AstraZeneca would announce the location of its manufacturing facility in August.

“This project demonstrates the results of preparation and partnership,” said Albemarle County Executive Jeff Richardson. “By investing in Rivanna Futures and collaborating with partners, Albemarle County was ready when opportunity arrived. The outcome is a high-impact project that supports our residents, our local economy, and our goals for balanced growth.”