Governor Josh Stein announced that AbbVie Inc., a prominent global biopharmaceutical company, plans to establish a new pharmaceutical operation in Durham County, North Carolina. The development will create 734 jobs and involve a significant investment of $1.4 billion to build a 185-acre state-of-the-art manufacturing campus in Durham. The announcement signifies AbbVie’s first major investment in North Carolina and is part of the company’s broader $100 billion commitment to U.S. research and development over the next decade. The new facility will integrate advanced manufacturing and laboratory technologies, including artificial intelligence, to produce medicines in fields such as immunology, neuroscience, and oncology.
AbbVie’s expansion in North Carolina is supported by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG), approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee. The project is anticipated to boost North Carolina’s economy by $8 billion over the 12-year term of the grant. The JDIG agreement permits a potential reimbursement to AbbVie of up to $19.3 million, contingent on the company meeting job creation and investment targets. With an expected average annual salary of $118,041, the jobs created will significantly exceed the Durham County average salary, potentially impacting the region’s annual payroll by $86.6 million.
The state’s investment in AbbVie’s operation includes a projected return on investment of 189 percent, meaning for every dollar the state spends, it receives $2.89 in state revenue. Additionally, the JDIG agreement allocates up to $6.4 million to the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account, assisting rural communities across North Carolina with infrastructure upgrades. The project underscores North Carolina’s robust life sciences sector and the collaborative environment among industry, academia, and government within the region.
Key partners in this initiative include the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the North Carolina General Assembly, and several educational and infrastructure organizations. The collaboration aims to foster a thriving life sciences economy and ensure long-term economic resilience through job creation and significant capital investment.
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