By VETTAPHARMA reporter – Derek Roche: AbbVie has announced a $380 million investment to expand active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing capacity in the United States, reinforcing the growing wave of domestic pharmaceutical infrastructure development.
The company will construct two new API manufacturing facilities at its North Chicago campus. Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2026, with full operations anticipated in 2029.
The expansion will incorporate advanced manufacturing technologies and artificial intelligence to support production of next-generation medicines in neuroscience and obesity. The project is expected to create 300 new jobs, including engineers, scientists, manufacturing operators, and laboratory technicians.
AbbVie stated that this investment is part of its broader commitment to invest $100 billion in U.S. research, development, and capital expenditures over the next decade. The North Chicago expansion further strengthens the company’s domestic production capabilities and long-term manufacturing footprint.
The announcement marks another significant pharmaceutical manufacturing investment in the United States in 2026, following earlier large-scale commitments in the sector.
Earlier Report: Eli Lilly’s $3.5 Billion Pennsylvania Facility
Previously reported by Vettapharma, Eli Lilly announced plans to invest $3.5 billion in a new injectable manufacturing facility in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with operations projected to start in 2031. Read here
The Lilly project is expected to generate approximately 850 permanent jobs and around 2,000 construction jobs. It represents the company’s fourth new U.S. manufacturing site announced since February 2025.
With AbbVie’s newly announced $380 million investment following Lilly’s earlier $3.5 billion commitment, major pharmaceutical manufacturers continue to scale up U.S.-based production capacity through multi-billion-dollar expansion projects.
