- Afton Scientific will invest over $200 million to expand its biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Albemarle County, Virginia, creating more than 200 jobs.
- The expansion will strengthen Virginia’s healthcare innovation and biopharmaceutical manufacturing sectors, enhancing production capabilities and supporting life-saving therapies.
Afton Scientific has announced a $200 million investment to expand its biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Albemarle County, Virginia. This project, which is set to create over 200 new jobs, was secured by Virginia in competition with several other states. The expansion will enable the company to enhance its production capacity for sterile injectable pharmaceuticals and introduce newer manufacturing technologies.
Governor Glenn Youngkin highlighted the significance of the investment, noting that it strengthens Virginia’s position in healthcare innovation. “This investment not only creates over 200 new jobs but also strengthens our healthcare innovation sector – particularly in pharmaceutical manufacturing,” said Youngkin.
The project will be supported by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) and Albemarle County, with job creation initiatives provided through the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program. This workforce initiative offers customized recruitment and training services at no cost to companies.
Afton Scientific, a contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), focuses on aseptic fill-finish manufacturing for a range of therapies, from pre-clinical to commercial scale. CEO Thomas Thorpe expressed enthusiasm for the expansion, stating, “Afton Scientific is thrilled about our expansion in Central Virginia, where we’ve grown the company since day one.”
With this expansion, Afton Scientific aims to strengthen its role in providing critical therapies and contribute to Virginia’s growing biopharmaceutical industry. The company has been a key player in the state’s life sciences sector and received a majority investment from Arlington Capital Partners earlier this year.
