ROCKVILLE, MD – May 7,
Lieutenant Governor Aruna K. Miller, Secretary of Higher Education Sanjay Rai, and Maryland Department of Commerce Secretary Harry Coker, Jr. toured a brand new AstraZeneca facility that will create pathways to jobs for our state’s STEM professionals, while elevating Maryland’s booming life science sector to new heights.
AstraZeneca has completed its $300 million state-of-the-art cell therapy facility in Rockville - an 84,000 square-foot space that will initially focus on the manufacturing of CAR-T cell therapies to enable cancer clinical trials to be conducted around the world. The site has already created over 150 highly-skilled jobs in addition to the 4,500 employees at its other facilities throughout Montgomery County. This facility adds to AstraZeneca’s growing presence in cell therapy.
Positioned within Maryland’s booming life sciences corridor and near one of the company’s global R&D centers, the location offers strong access to top innovation and provides an attractive environment for recruiting new and experienced talent.
The bioPharma and life sciences industries directly support more than 54,000 jobs in Maryland and generate $41.9 billion in economic activity for our state each year. Roughly 5,000 life sciences businesses and labs operate within Maryland.
“By prioritizing innovation in the life sciences, Maryland is not only investing in breakthrough research — we are setting the national standard for how public leadership can drive scientific discovery, economic growth, and better health outcomes for all,” said Lt. Governor Miller. “AstraZeneca and Maryland have a shared vision for the future of innovation, and we’re proud to be home to a state-of-the-art facility that will drive research for years to come. Now more than ever it is critical to maintain and support scientific research, and no matter what science-denying decisions come out of the federal administration, we are sending a message that science has a home in Maryland.”
The Moore-Miller Administration has prioritized the life science sector, and made a concerted effort in this year’s state budget to invest in lighthouse sectors and industries of the future.
Maryland has the fifth-highest concentration of employed doctoral scientists and engineers, fifth-most PhD scientists, and fifth-most PhDs in biological sciences and health in the country. According to the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer, Maryland is home to 74 federal life science laboratories, more than twice as many as any other state.
“AstraZeneca plays a major role in supporting humanity, as well as Maryland’s innovation ecosystem, from producing new life-saving therapies to employing thousands of highly-skilled workers throughout the state,” said Maryland Department of Commerce Secretary Harry Coker, Jr. “AstraZeneca knows the benefits of doing business in Maryland, as indicated by this state-of-the-art facility that further enhances our leadership as one of the top biopharma clusters in the nation while showcasing our industry talent to customers around the world.”
“Today, I was honored to host the ribbon cutting ceremony for AstraZeneca’s new advanced cell therapy facility in Rockville,” said Pam Cheng, AstraZeneca Executive Vice President, Global Operations, IT & Chief Sustainability Officer. “We have moved at unprecedented speed to get our site to operational-readiness and are looking forward to delivering potentially transformative therapies to patients living with cancer and auto immune conditions from early next year. This latest investment is part of our $3.5 billion investment in United States R&D and manufacturing, underscoring our confidence in the future of science and innovation in the US.”
Background on AstraZeneca: The company was founded in 1999 through the merger of the Swedish Astra AB and the British Zeneca Group. Its portfolio includes primary and specialty care, coverage for rare diseases, and a robust global presence across various regions.
The Rockville facility will join AstraZeneca’s global manufacturing and supply network of nearly 30 manufacturing and supply sites in 16 countries, which are either currently operational or under development across the company. In the US, AstraZeneca’s manufacturing sites focus on the production of small molecules and biologics, harnessing leading pharmaceutical technology and development. Together, the US manufacturing sites employ more than 2,600 full-time employees and deliver more than 9 billion doses of medicines annually.
