SCHOTT Pharma to Open a New Manufacturing Facility in Wilson, North Carolina

The following information was pulled from the company’s press release from March 18, 2024.

SCHOTT Pharma, a pioneer in pharmaceutical drug containment solutions and delivery systems, will build the first U.S. facility to manufacture prefillable polymer syringes required to meet the need for deep-cold storage and transportation of mRNA medications in Wilson, NC. In addition, the site will have the capability to produce glass prefillable syringes for GLP-1 therapies, for example to treat diseases such as diabetes or obesity.

The project will add 401 jobs to the region and include a total investment of $371 million, with groundbreaking expected by the end of 2024, and projected operations starting in 2027.

The new site will expand the U.S. supply chain for in-demand syringes that deliver lifesaving injectable medicines, vaccines, and other fields of applications, allowing SCHOTT Pharma to triple its contribution of glass and polymer syringes to the U.S. market by 2030. Bringing production to the U.S. will reduce lead times and slash transportation costs, as well as protect against future shortages of critical drugs and ensure pandemic preparedness.

“As drug manufacturers develop and expand the use of mRNA, GLP-1, and other biologic therapies that require precise drug stability and storage properties, SCHOTT Pharma will be able to fill those orders quickly and efficiently here in the U.S.,” said Andreas Reisse, CEO of SCHOTT Pharma. “The impact of this facility will go far beyond local job creation in North Carolina and will relieve stress on the entire pharmaceutical industry supply chain.”

“Wilson County stood out in a nationwide search for a number of reasons, particularly for its favorable pool of local talent and its proximity to the Research Triangle area, which hosts numerous universities, healthcare companies, and biopharma resources,” said Christopher Cassidy, President of SCHOTT North America. “Expanding operations in the U.S. addresses rapidly growing demand for our high-value solutions.”

“North Carolina’s pro-growth and low-tax policies, along with the $40 million investment in the new biologics training facility at Wilson Community College, are paying off for Wilson County and the BioPharma Crescent,” said North Carolina Senator Buck Newton. “SCHOTT Pharma’s $371 million capital investment and 401 high-wage jobs will strengthen our local economy. We look forward to a long and successful future for them here in Wilson.”

For more information, read the article from the Wilson Times.

Innovative Workforce Programs Ensure Bio-Manufacturing Success

Back in 2018, walking away from a conversation with North Pitt High School sophomore Diana De Leon, Mark Phillips knew he wanted to help her. He just needed to figure out how. 

Mark is North Carolina Biotechnology Center’s Vice President of Statewide Operations and Executive Director of its Eastern Regional Office in the public power city of Greenville, North Carolina.

Diana’s interest in both the medical and engineering fields—and the fact that she was rebuilding a Mustang with her brother—inspired Mark. On the way to his next meeting, the idea for the Pharma K12 Workforce Development Training Initiative came together. 

 He partnered with Greenville-based Thermo Fisher Scientific to make it happen, launching a pilot program in 2019. 

The program enables high school graduates to participate in two and a half days of pharmaceutical manufacturing training at the North Carolina Pharmaceutical Services Network at Pitt Community College. They can do it as soon as the week following graduation. Along with learning good manufacturing practices and working in a regulated environment, students gain hands-on experience with equipment. 

“Four years into the program, we’ve had 24 of these young high school students hired, and of those 24, 21 are still working at Thermo Fisher Scientific,” Mark says. Diana is one of them. 

A recent grant from the U.S. Economic Development Association is enabling Mark and team to expand the program to up to 96 students over the next three years. It’s also enabling them to get the word out across the state about what a career in life sciences means. 

The Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) is a competitive federal grant program developed by the Economic Development Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. It aims to build strong regional economies and support community-led economic development nationwide. The program strives to share the benefits of the cluster equitably across all affected communities, both urban and rural, including efforts to reach historically excluded populations, racial minorities, and women. BBBRC projects seeks to create good-paying jobs, catalyze emerging industries, and prepare a workforce needed to drive economic growth.  

“It does not mean you’ve got to have a four-year degree or a two-year degree,” he says. “It means that these career opportunities are there, and wherever you are along your career pathway, there’s an opportunity for you.” 

Tommy Schornak, Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Vice President and General Manager in Greenville, told NC Biotech, “We see the Pharma K12 program providing the longer-term pipeline of local talent into our organization to support our growth and expansion in the coming years.” 

In Johnston County, educational biopharma public-private partnerships are targeting even younger students.

Discover the Plasma is a collaboration between Grifols, Johnston County Schools, and Johnston Community College that brings real-world science curriculum to every eighth grader in Johnston County Schools. Using virtual labs, videos, and other engaging tools, students learn about plasma and the life-saving plasma-derived medications being made at the Grifols plant in the public power town of Clayton—the largest in the world producing plasma medications. 

Along with that education, Chris Johnson, Director of Johnston County Economic Development, says students can connect the dots between what they’re doing in the program and a career-making $70,000-$80,000 a year. 

 The JOCO WORKS program, sponsored by Novo Nordisk, Johnston County Public Schools, and Johnston Community College, is a two-day career fair that enables every Johnston County eighth grader to be exposed to the county’s top employers across a range of industries. Chris says the program dives deep into all aspects of the industries. 

“When you think of life sciences or pharmaceutical, you think of somebody sitting there making pills,” he says. We may not think of the machines involved, the robotics, or the facilities management. The fair shows students that there’s “so much beyond the chemistry part of it,” he says. 

For bio-manufacturing companies looking to locate or expand in North Carolina, these and other innovative training programs provide assurance that a skilled and ready workforce can continue to drive success well into the future.

This story is from the Spring 2023 edition of “Developments,” a publication of ElectriCities’ Corporate Communications team in coordination with ElectriCities’ Economic Development team. Learn more at electricities.com.

Another Major Expansion for Thermo Fisher in the BioPharma Crescent

Thermo Fisher Scientific, a global life science services company, announced it will create 290 jobs and invest $154 million at its Pitt County (Greenville), North Carolina location. This announcement comes less than 10 months after announcing another major expansion (500 jobs and $500 million) at this same facility.

The following quotes were pulled from the North Carolina Department of Commerce Press Release:

“Our continued growth in capabilities and capacity at our Greenville site has enabled us to support our clients’ needs and the patients they serve,” said Michel Lagarde, executive vice president, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “This new investment will enable new innovation and development capabilities to respond to the accelerated demand for critical medicines and therapies. We also look forward to continued job creation and economic development in this region.”

“Thermo Fisher's exciting announcement underscores North Carolina’s global reputation as a prime location for life sciences companies to operate,” said Governor Cooper. “With our skilled workforce, strong industry collaboration and an innovative business climate, this decision proves, yet again, that North Carolina’s biotechnology sector is thriving statewide.”

Read the full NC Department of Commerce release

East Carolina University Receives Golden LEAF Grant to Train More Pharmaceutical Workers

The following was pulled directly from a Golden LEAF press release:

East Carolina University received funding to expand its ability to train students in pharmaceutical manufacturing and address a regional need for pharmaceutical manufacturers with four-year degrees. The Board approved an award of $1,899,350.00 for equipment and personnel. Students will be able to receive a four-year degree from ECU without leaving their home communities. Training will also be available for professional development to incumbent employees. Companies could use the lab equipment to develop and test new manufacturing processes. ECU is working with Thermo Fischer and Novo Nordisk and partnering with Pitt, Johnston, and Wilson Community colleges in the first two years of the program.

Read the entire press release.

Use Bio Jobs Hub to find a career in the Life Science Industry

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center recently launched a new tool to help match people with job opportunities in the life science sector. The Bio Jobs Hub not only shows you what kinds of jobs are available, it helps you understand the average wages and how to get started in this field.

The life science industry is one of the largest employers in the state of North Carolina, and it continues to grow at a rapid rate. To learn more, visit Bio Jobs Hub — and be sure to tell your friends!

Thermo Fisher to Expand in BioPharma Crescent

As reported by the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Thermo Fisher Scientific will be continuing its growth in Greenville, North Carolina in a really big way.

Thermo Fisher Scientific, a global life science services company, will add 500 new jobs in Greenville over the next two years as it expands its sterile drug product development and commercial manufacturing of critical medicines, therapies and vaccines.

In addition to creating 500 new jobs, the company will invest approximately $500 million on its campus, including a new, stand-alone, 130,000-square-foot facility. The site will also add six new lines in 2021 and 2022, including commercial-scale liquid filling lines and a development line for liquid and lyophilized (freeze-dried) drug products.

Greenville, North Carolina is located in Pitt County, and is home to East Carolina University. Just a 90-minute drive from the Research Triangle Park, Pitt County is a founding member of North Carolina’s BioPharma Crescent.

Read the full story here

East Carolina University to Host Pharmaceutical Conference in March of 2020

The East Carolina University Pharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing Center of Excellence is hosting the ECU Spring Break 2020 Pharma Confernence on March 10th and 11th in Greenville, North Carolina.

The conference offers two days of information sharing, topical discussions and networking with pharmaceutical professionals. In addition to the general program, attendees can choose between 18 advanced talks and breakout sessions in areas like Quality, Stability and Method Development / Validation.

Invited Speakers include:

Geoff Carr
Director, Analytical Development (Ontario)
Patheon, by Thermo Fisher Scientific

Michael Dong
MWD Consulting (Norwalk, CT)

Jane Weitzel
Independent Consultant

Download the Conference Flyer

For more information, or to register, please visit the ECU Spring Break 2020 Pharma Conference webpage

Daily Reflector Reports: New Life Science Building will be 'Gateway'

Karen Eckert with the Greenville Daily Reflector recently reported about a new East Carolina University Life Sciences and Biotechnology building currently under construction. The 141,000 square foot building will serve as a gateway to ECU’s planned Millenial Campus. Read the full article here.

Thermo Fisher making substantial investment in BioPharma Crescent Region

BioProcess International recently reported on a major announcement from Thermo Fisher. The company is investing $150 million in three of its fill & finish plants. The Greenville, NC facility — which is part of the BioPharma Crescent region — will see new commercial vial filling and automated visual inspection lines installed. Additionally, a formulation and process development laboratory, including two lab-scale lyophilizers with smart software, is being built. Read the full story from BioProcess International here.

Pfizer Plant Adds 800 Workers

The largest private employer in the Twin Counties has added to its workforce this year as it works toward opening a nearly $200 million facility.

The Pfizer Rocky Mount plant has increased employment from 2,200 to 3,000 employees, according to Samantha Reardon, manager of Global Media Relations at Pfizer. Since January, Reardon said, the 800 additional employees include 400 new colleagues and 400 new temporary positions at the plant.

She said the jobs consist of 650 operator and maintenance roles as well as 150 technical, engineering, science, laboratory and operations or project management roles. Reardon added Pfizer Rocky Mount will continue hiring through the fourth quarter and into the first half of 2019 to reach its planned staffing levels.

Each year, the plant’s staffing levels are dependent on product volume requirements and planned manufacturing levels at the site.

“For the balance of 2018, we plan to add an additional 150 colleagues and an additional 50 Manpower roles,” Reardon said. “These jobs have been added to increase manufacturing levels for many of our business units and products, staff new facilities and operations and to drive new projects and programs.”  

In 2016, Pfizer Rocky Mount trimmed its workforce when it laid off about 400 workers, according to reports. Reardon said during 2017 and this year, the local plant reached out to eligible past employees to notify them that the new positions and opportunities were available at the site.

“We have been successful in re-hiring many of these former employees,” Reardon said.

In 2015, Pfizer purchased Hospira for $17 billion, which included the Rocky Mount plant. The local facility has remained an important site in Pfizer’s sterile injectable supply network. Reardon said the plant’s employees allow Pfizer to deliver critical medicines to patients each day and the Rocky Mount plant continues to provide one-quarter of the sterile injectible medicines utilized in the United States health care system.

“The Rocky Mount site is a highly valued and important part of the Pfizer global supply network, striving each day to produce high-quality critical medicines for patients around the world,” Reardon said. “Pfizer has continued to advance investments in the Rocky Mount site that have totaled over $600 million in the past five years.”

The Pfizer Rocky Mount plant’s $190 million, 65,000-square-foot new sterile injectible manufacturing facility that broke ground in 2016 has progressed as planned this year. Reardon said all facility construction has been completed and all major utilities and equipment have been installed. 

She said the facility is entering a phase of commissioning and qualification, which will occur over the next 18 months. 

“In general, it takes four to five years to construct, outfit, quality and gain approval for a new state-of-the-art sterile injectible facility such as the one we’ve built in Rocky Mount,” Reardon said. “We are expecting regulatory approvals of the new facility in either 2020 or 2021 with commercial operation in 2021. This new facility will ultimately be manned with approximately 350 (employees) and staff and operate 24 hours per day and seven days per week.”

Governor Cooper and Corning, Inc. Strike Agreement to Bring 428 New Jobs to North Carolina

TARBORO, N.C.: Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) will create 428 jobs over three years in North Carolina, Governor Roy Cooper announced today, as the company locates a warehouse facility in Edgecombe County and plans an expansion of manufacturing operations in Durham.

Corning, a world leading innovator in materials science, will invest a total of $275 million between the two sites, with $86 million slated for Edgecombe County and approximately $189 million proposed for the Durham location. The company will create 111 new jobs in Edgecombe County and proposes 317 new jobs in Durham County. The jobs will provide future support for the company’s new pharmaceutical glass packaging product, Valor™ Glass, and potential growth from other Corning businesses in North Carolina and elsewhere. 

“Corning knows first-hand that our state’s talented workforce and ideal location provide clear advantages for a growing company,” said Governor Cooper. “This decision to bring new jobs to both Eastern North Carolina and the Triangle demonstrates confidence in workers in both the rural and urban parts of our state to produce and distribute this groundbreaking new product.”

Corning has brought innovative health products to the pharmaceutical market for more than 100 years, leveraging its core technologies in glass science and optical physics and its expertise in surfaces, biochemistry and biology. Corning Valor Glass packaging, introduced in July of this year, offers superior chemical durability, strength and damage resistance. These qualities enable increased throughput and more reliable access to state-of-the-art medicines for patients, while maintaining a high level of quality assurance for pharmaceutical companies. This expansion is expected to provide a high-volume manufacturing site for the Valor Glass product.

“We are excited to expand our operations in North Carolina. In Edgecombe County, we plan to build a state-of-the-art warehouse facility that will serve our Corning businesses,” said Eric S. Musser, Executive Vice President, Corning Technologies and International. “We also plan to expand an existing Corning facility because the talented local workforce possesses a high level of commitment and professionalism. We would like to thank Governor Cooper and Secretary Copeland and all local leaders for their partnership and investment to support businesses in the state. They are building a bright future for the region.”

The North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C. (EDPNC) led the state’s support for the company’s expansion. 

“Successful economic development strategies for the state’s rural areas must involve creative approaches like we’re seeing with today’s decision from Corning,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland. “By including Edgecombe County in the project’s scope, the company confirms the state-wide strength North Carolina offers the life science industry.”

Corning will add a variety of job functions at each location. Although salaries will vary by position and location, the average wage at the proposed facility in Durham County will be $65,999 and $33,771 in Edgecombe County, in-line with average wages in each location.

Corning’s projects in Durham and Edgecombe counties will be facilitated, in part, by two Job Development Investment Grants (JDIGs) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Over the course of the 12-year terms of each grant, the project will add an estimated $1.157 billion to North Carolina’s economy. Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the JDIG agreement for the Durham County location authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $3,215,250, spread over 12 years. This grant is contingent upon Durham County offering local incentives, as local participation is a requirement with JDIG awards in Tier 3 counties. The JDIG associated with the Edgecombe County location authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $1,236,000. 

State payments only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to a given company.

The JDIG agreement in Durham County also calls for moving as much as $1.07 million into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business.

Partnering with N.C. Commerce and the EDPNC on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Duke Energy, Dominion Energy, Durham County, the Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners, Durham Technical Community College, Edgecombe Community College, the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce and the Carolinas Gateway Partnership.

Mayne Pharma’s Oral Solid Dose Manufacturing Facility, Greenville, North Carolina

Mayne Pharma opened a new oral solid dose (OSD) manufacturing facility at its Greenville site in North Carolina, in April 2018. Photo courtesy of Mayne Pharma.

Mayne Pharma’s new facility manufactures potent compounds and modified-release bead/pellet products. Image courtesy of Mayne Pharma.

The new OSD facility features 13 production suites. Image courtesy of Mayne Pharma.

The new facility is equipped with a solvent-capable Thomas Flex 500 perforated pan tablet coater. Image courtesy of Mayne Pharma.

The interior corridor of Mayne Pharma’s OSD manufacturing facility in Greenville, NC. Image courtesy of Mayne Pharma.

Mayne Pharma’s new facility is equipped with a Glatt VG Pro 44 high-shear mixer for wet granulation. Image courtesy of Mayne Pharma.

Mayne Pharma has opened a new oral solid dose (OSD) commercial manufacturing facility in Greenville, North Carolina, US.

The company first announced its plans in August 2015, and a ground-breaking ceremony was held in September of the same year.

The $80m facility is designed to strengthen Mayne Pharma’s position in the oral drug delivery market by increasing its US oral solid dose manufacturing capacity to more than one billion doses a year. Its global fluid-bed processing capacity will also be increased. In addition, the expansion is expected to enhance the company’s mid to long-term growth potential to develop advanced drug-delivery technologies in the US.

Details of Mayne Pharma’s oral solid dose production facility

The new oral solid dose manufacturing facility was built on a 126,000ft²  greenfield site owned by Mayne Pharma. It houses both commercial manufacturing and packaging operations for the company’s generic and branded drug products.

It also features 13 flexible production suites, which are engineered to deliver a wide range of capabilities, while reducing the risk of cross-contamination.

High-efficiency particulate arresting (HEPA) air filters with single-pass filtration are installed to filter out pollutants and particles. Multiple airlocks are provided for gowning, material and equipment.

The new facility also consolidates the company’s US distribution of Schedule II controlled products and a warehouse, which was previously located in Montgomery, Alabama.

Products manufactured at the new OSD facility

The new OSD manufacturing facility is designed to safely handle and manufacture potent compounds. It also adds commercial-scale, solvent-based fluid-bed processing technology/multi-particulate layering/bead coating capacity for modified-release bead/pellet drugs.

“The new OSD manufacturing facility is designed to safely handle and manufacture potent compounds.”

The facility also supports Mayne Pharma’s pipeline of products, including highly potent and cytotoxic products, drugs with poor bioavailability, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) approved Schedule II-V controlled substances.

The company plans to introduce more than 20 products using the new facility, and increase processing capacity to 450kg per batch.

Equipment installed at the new OSD manufacturing facility

The new OSD commercial manufacturing facility is equipped with a solvent-capable Thomas Flex 500 perforated pan tablet coater, a Glatt VG Pro 44 high-shear mixer for wet granulation, and a Glatt GPCG Pro 120 fluid-bed dryer with Wurster coater for solvent processing.

Retrofitting at Mayne Pharma’s existing plant in Greenville

Mayne Pharma’s former manufacturing facility was retrofitted to increase pre-commercial product development capacity to serve internal R&D purposes, as well as Metrics Contract Services (MCS) clients.

A total of 16 new processing rooms were created to increase the analytical and formulation development. Dedicated quality control laboratories were also added for use by MCS.

The retrofitting of the existing facility allowed MCS to offer both immediate release and advanced oral drug delivery technologies and expand the company’s clinical trials manufacturing services.

Other infrastructure

A new visitor and staff administration centre with connections to both the new and existing buildings was built as part of the expansion.

The centre houses teleconference rooms, workstations, employee development and training classrooms, as well as visitor meeting rooms, an employee fitness facility and a cafeteria with a seating capacity of 350.

Financing

Mayne Pharma’s Greenville expansion was supported by $2.7m in funding and tax incentives from the Governments of North Carolina and economic development agencies.

The facility was also supported by a performance-based grant of $550,000 from the One North Carolina Fund.

Contractors involved

Middough assisted Mayne Pharma in the development of the master site plan, as well as preliminary engineering and conceptual design.

Middough also provided support for the procurement of major equipment, selection of construction management contractor, and construction services.

BE&K Building Group was contracted to provide construction management services for the new facility.

Source: pharmaceutical-technology.com

Metrics Adds Serialization Capabilities to North Carolina Site

On Nov. 12, 2018, Metrics Contract Services, a division of Mayne Pharma Group, announced the qualification of two commercial bottling lines for serialization at its new $80-million oral solid-dose commercial manufacturing site in Greenville, NC. 

The company reports that capacity has more than doubled as part of the Greenville site expansion. One bottling line is dedicated for clinical packaging, and two commercial bottling lines have been qualified for serialization. The newly installed equipment includes a New Jersey machine with an automated case packer and palletizer (IMA Group). The new commercial facility has space available to add a third commercial packaging line as needed to support future growth, according to Metrics.

This expansion marks the conclusion of several years of preparation and investment to comply with the new requirements associated with the US Drug Supply Chain Security Act, which are subject to enforcement starting November 28, 2018.

Additionally, Mayne Pharma has implemented Optel systems on the packaging lines and is using TraceLink as its level 4 and 5 provider to manage the enterprise and network connectivity. 

Source: Metrics Contract Services

Novo Nordisk To Add Major New Bio-Manufacturing Operations In Clayton

Johnston County will be the beneficiary of a $1.2 billion economic investment by Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc., as the Danish company launches new operations at its Clayton campus to manufacture the active ingredient for its insulin products. Novo Nordisk’s decision, approved earlier today by its board of directors, brings an additional 691 bio-manufacturing jobs to the county.

“This billion-dollar decision by Novo Nordisk more than doubles the size of its North Carolina workforce and underscores the Research Triangle’s global leadership in bio-manufacturing,” said Governor McCrory. “When it comes to life sciences and manufacturing, North Carolina can compete – and win – against any location in the world.”

Jobs at Novo Nordisk’s new plant will average $68,420 in annual wages, with new positions spanning manufacturing, administrative, technical services and support personnel. The company currently employs more than 700 at its existing facility, which opened in 1996.

“It’s an exciting day for Johnston County and an exciting new step in the mutually productive relationship we’ve had with Novo Nordisk,” said Tony Braswell, chairman of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners. He credits investments made by the county in life sciences training more than a decade ago, including the opening of the Johnston County Workforce Development Center on land donated by Novo Nordisk. The 30,000 square-foot training facility is a unique partnership between local industry, county government, Johnston County Public Schools, Johnston Community College and the Johnston County Economic Development Corporation. “The seeds of today’s announcement were planted then as the county made a visible commitment to having a cutting-edge workforce,” Braswell said. “I’m proud that Novo Nordisk has the confidence in Johnston County to make this historic investment here.”

Braswell and his fellow commissioners voted earlier today to approve a series of self-funded financial incentives to help facilitate Novo Nordisk’s $1.2 billion investment. The county will offer benefits to the company equal to $94 million over the course of 15 years, essentially reimbursing a portion of the tax-base created by the new facility. “The Board of Commissioners deserves to be commended for boldly embracing this extraordinary opportunity,” said Allen Wellons, chairman of the Johnston County Economic Development Advisory Board. “They led the way in demonstrating thecounty’s determination to win this game-changing project and the nearly 700 jobs that come with it.”

Clayton town leaders approved a measure offering $800,000 in support for the project. “The Town of Clayton has been the recipient of Novo Nordisk’s generosity on countless occasions, and we welcome the chance to help them grow here,” said Jody McLeod, Mayor of Clayton. Novo Nordisk employees volunteer regularly in service to educational and community causes, and the company itself made an instrumental financial contribution when town leaders sought to transform a vacant schoolhouse in downtown Clayton into a multi-purpose venue for town administration, meetings and events, and performing arts. “That project has been super-important to the Town of Clayton,” McLeod said.

“For some time, we have been evaluating several options to bring more capacity into the United States because of this great need for diabetes medicines. After a thorough evaluation of multiple sites and an extensive vetting process, Clayton ended up being our preferred location,” said Jesper Høiland, president of Novo Nordisk Inc. USA and executive vice president of Novo Nordisk A/S. “We already have a large and very professional organization here, and have been impressed by the excellent collaboration we have had with this city, county and state leadership, and appreciate the incentives they have secured in connection with this investment.”

Founded in 1923, Novo Nordisk is a leading global manufacturer of insulin and related diabetes treatment products. The publicly-held company [OMX AB: NOVO B and NYSE: NVO] maintains a workforce of nearly 40,000 across 75 countries. Its new Clayton operations will manufacturer the active ingredient for its insulin products, which currently is made only in Denmark. The company conducted a global site search prior to its selection of Clayton.

“North Carolina continues to excel as a destination for foreign direct investment,” said Secretary Skvarla. “Our strong life sciences infrastructure, talented workforce, competitive costs and enviable quality-of-life make our state the ideal place for major investments by visionary global companies like Novo Nordisk.”

The Johnston County Economic Development Office (JCEDO) facilitates value-added interaction between government, education and the private sector in encouraging and promoting job creation and economic investment in Johnston County. A unit of county government, JCEDO collaborates with local, regional and statewide partners and allies in providing confidential location assistance to businesses and technical support to the county’s 11 municipalities. Its menu of services includes customized digital mapping, labor and wage analysis, site readiness assistance and incentive packaging.

Johnston County Commissioners Approve Incentives for Latest Novo Nordisk Expansion

Danish Insulin Maker Will Invest $22 Million as BioPharma Crescent Draws Attention

Johnston County, N.C. – December 3, 2018. Novo Nordisk, which employs almost 1,200 manufacturing workers in Johnston County, will invest $22 million at its Clayton facility, creating 22 full-time jobs. The move comes just ten months after the world’s leading diabetes care company unveiled plans for a $65 million expansion there. Johnston County’s Board of Commissioners voted earlier today to approve a seven-year package of financial incentives for Novo Nordisk’s latest investment, the company’s fourth in Johnston County since 2010.

“Johnston County leaders are proud to reiterate our support for Novo Nordisk and celebrate the mutually-beneficial partnership we have with this growing corporate resident,” said Ted Godwin, chairman of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners.

“This global biopharma company has made our county a visible part of its production strategy, and I think that says all the right things about our business climate.” Novo Nordisk’s Diabetes Finished Products (DFP) manufacturing facility in Clayton is responsible for the formulation, filling, inspection, assembly and packaging of diabetes and obesity medicines. The site opened in 1993. In August 2015, the company announced a $2 billion facility nearby that will produce Diabetes Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (DAPI) for a range of current and future diabetes and obesity medications.

Once complete, that plant will employ 700 bio-manufacturing workers. Denmark-based Novo Nordisk has also been closely involved in the Johnston County Workforce Development Center, which underwent a $1.3 million remodeling earlier this year.

“We greatly appreciate the support of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners and the community at large for the quarter century we’ve called Clayton home,” said Chad Henry, corporate vice president and general manager of Novo Nordisk’s Diabetes Finished Products manufacturing site.

Novo Nordisk is one of a number of marquee life science names with growing operations in eastern North Carolina. Pfizer, Merck, Grifols, Purdue and Thermo-Fisher Scientific are among the other pharmaceutical companies with facilities across a five-county region known as the BioPharma Crescent. “Just as seriously as we take the vital role we play in producing innovative medicines for people with diabetes and obesity, we take great pride in creating jobs and supporting economic growth in Johnston and neighboring counties in the Biopharma Crescent region,” Henry said.

Along with Johnston County, the Crescent includes Edgecombe, Nash, Pitt and Wilson counties.

“There are an estimated 10,000 biopharma workers across the Crescent, and those numbers are growing,” says Chris Johnson, director of the Johnston County EconomicDevelopment Office. Johnson’s collaboration with counterparts in neighboring counties, as well as the Greenville office of the NC Biotechnology Center, has resulted in cooperative branding and marketing efforts designed to bring additional attention to the Crescent’s life sciences assets. “Proximity to research assets in the Triangle and in

Greenville, as well as a proven talent pipeline starting in the middle-school years, are a powerful draw to forward-looking life sciences companies. Combine that with abundant infrastructure and land, and you have the makings of biotech region with a compelling value proposition and a global story to tell.”

The Johnston County Economic Development office (JCEDO) facilitates value-added interaction between government, education and the private sector in encouraging and promoting job creation and economic investment in Johnston County. A unit of county government, JCEDO collaborates with local, regional and statewide partners and allies in providing confidential location assistance to businesses and technical support to the county’s 11 municipalities. Its menu of services includes customized digital mapping, labor and wage analysis, site readiness assistance and incentive packaging. For additional information, visit www.jcnced.com

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Johnston County Votes to Support New Expansion for Novo Nordisk

Danish Pharmaceutical Leader to Invest $65 Million in Existing Diabetes Finished Product Manufacturing Facility Johnston County, N.C. – February 5, 2018. Novo Nordisk, the world’s leading diabetes care company, will embark on a $65 million expansion at its Clayton campus, its third there since 2010. Headquartered in Denmark, the pharmaceutical company currently employs over 1,000 manufacturing workers in Johnston County and is likely to hire almost two dozen additional employees to staff its growing Diabetes Finished Products Facility (DFPF), which is responsible for the formulation, filling, inspection, assembly and packaging of diabetes and obesity medicines.

The expansion comes less than two years after the company broke ground on a $2 billion facility nearby that will produce Diabetes Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (DAPI) for a range of current and future type 2 diabetes medications and insulins. That facility will employ an additional 700 bio-manufacturing workers.

“Johnston County is proud to have been part of Novo Nordisk’s growth and success for the past 25 years, and today’s announcement underscores our place at the heart of the company’s global business strategy,” said Jeffrey Carver, chairman of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners. The board voted unanimously this morning to approve an agreement with the company that will provide up to $1.9 million in performance-based grants in support of the expansion over the coming 13 years in support of the current expansion, and potentially more in the event of future expansion as long as Novo Nordisk reaches certain employment and investment targets. “We’re grateful to this exceptional corporate citizen for the value-added partnership it continues to build in our community.”

Founded in 1923, Novo Nordisk employs a global workforce of 41,700 across 77 countries, of which 5,000 people are located in the U.S. According to its most recent annual report, the company booked $112 billion in annual revenues.

The company’s mission is to develop medicines to address the global pandemic in diabetes. In the U.S., the American Diabetes Association estimates that 30.3 million people have diabetes. More than a million North Carolinians are diabetic.

“We’re pleased to call Johnson County our home, and greatly appreciate the trust and partnership the Board of Commissioners and community have given us,” said Chad Henry, corporate vice president and general manager of Clayton’s Diabetes Finished Products site. “The inspiration that drives us to provide innovative care for our patients is matched by our enduring commitment to bringing jobs and economic growth to our community.”

Novo Nordisk’s DFPF in Clayton dates to 1993. In 2010, it launched a 120-job expansion there as part of a business partnership with Nypro, Inc. The company’s $2 billion DAPI facility, announced in August 2015 and believed to be North Carolina’s largest-ever industrial investment, is on track to be complete by 2021.

“There’s little risk of over-stating the importance of Novo Nordisk to Johnston County’s economy and indeed that of the Research Triangle Region,” said Cheryl Oliver, chairman of the Johnston County Economic Development Advisory Committee. “But it’s not simply a case of dollars and cents,” she added. “The company plays a vital role in our community through a variety of partnerships, sponsorships and volunteerism programs.” Novo Nordisk collaborates closely with Johnston Community College and Johnston County Public Schools, for example, in life sciences curricula at the Johnston County Workforce Center, a 30,000-sq.-ft. training facility built on land the company donated to the county. It is also the naming sponsor of the Town of Clayton’s 600-seat multi-purpose performing arts and events venue.

The Johnston County Economic Development Office (JCEDO) facilitates value-added interaction between government, education and the private sector in encouraging and promoting job creation and economic investment in Johnston County. A unit of county government, JCEDO collaborates with local, regional and statewide partners and allies in providing confidential location assistance to businesses and technical support to the county’s 11 municipalities. Its menu of services includes customized digital mapping, labor and wage analysis, site readiness assistance and incentive packaging. For additional information, visit www.jcnced.com

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Grifols to Launch $210 Million Expansion in Clayton, Creating 250 Jobs

Johnston County Commissioners Approve Incentive Package

Johnston County, N.C. – April 4, 2016. For the second time in less than eight months, a global bio-manufacturing company has chosen Johnston County for a significant expansion. Earlier today, the Johnston County Board of Commissioners approved a 10-year incentive package that paves the way for Grifols Therapeutics Inc. to launch a $210 million expansion at its facility near Clayton. The Spain-based leader in plasma-derived medicine, already the county’s largest private employer, will create 250 new jobs here over the coming decade.

"Our county is proud to take its partnership with this leading biotech company to an exciting new level," said Tony Braswell, chairman of Johnston County’s Board of Commissioners, who presided over today’s unanimous vote. As Grifols meets its projections on capital investment and job creation, the county will grant up to $1,277,640 annually to the company for 10 years. “Economic development, when it takes place at this level, is all about partnerships, and it is crucial that the county be a good partner. That means being prepared to share part of the risks as well as the rewards that will grow from this."

The expansion by Grifols will consist of two new plants. One will be a fractionation facility of approximately 100,000 square feet (9,290 square meters) with an annual output of six million liters. The second will be a 120,000-sq.-ft (11,148-sq.-m) purification facility for the production of intravenous immunoglobulin. Both will be built on the company’s existing 240-acre (97-hectare) campus near the Town of Clayton.

For its part, Johnston County will enjoy a $154 million boost to its annual GDP once the new facilities are fully operational. The 250 new jobs at Grifols will average $60,000 in annual salary, well above the county average. Construction of the two plants alone will create 830 full- and part-time jobs in the county, according to an economic impact assessment by North Carolina State University.

Founded in Barcelona in 1940, Grifols is a global leader in the fields of transfusion, blood banking, protein therapeutics and laboratory analysis. The publicly traded company [Madrid Stock Exchange: GRF and Nasdaq: GRFS] has a worldwide workforce of 14,000. Its sales in 2014 reached nearly $4.5 billion.

"Grifols is one of the leading global companies in the manufacture of plasma based medicines with a direct presence in 30 countries and sales in over 100 countries," said Sergi Roura, president of Grifols Therapeutics. “The decision to invest in new facilities at Clayton is a result of expected growth in demand for our products, the significant presence that Grifols already has in North Carolina, and the favorable business environment we find in Johnston County."

Grifols selected Clayton over a competing site in Texas. The company’s presence in Johnston County grew from its 2010 acquisition of Talecris. It has since invested heavily here, doubling the size of its plasma production facility and growing its workforce to approximately 1,650. Grifols’ latest expansion comes just one week after officials with Novo Nordisk broke ground on a $1.8 billion bio-manufacturing plant that will produce the active ingredient for the Denmark-based company’s insulin products. State, local and company leaders announced those plans last August.

"Johnston County has emerged as a major destination for bio-manufacturing jobs and investment," said Chris Johnson, director of the Johnston County Office of Economic Development. "The growing presence of companies like Grifols and Novo Nordisk forms a solid foundation for the county’s manufacturing economy, which keeps our population growing, our small business community vibrant and our tax-base strong. Along with the economic advantages these global companies bring is a level of community engagement that reaches into our schools, civic groups and neighborhoods in a very positive way. This is a great day for Johnston County."

The Johnston County Economic Development Office (JCEDO) facilitates value-added interaction between government, education and the private sector in encouraging and promoting job creation and economic investment in Johnston County. A unit of county government, JCEDO collaborates with local, regional and statewide partners and allies in providing confidential location assistance to businesses and technical support to the county’s 11 municipalities. Its menu of services includes customized digital mapping, labor and wage analysis, site readiness assistance and incentive packaging. For additional information, visit www.jcnced.com.