Kyowa Kirin Invest $530M in New North Carolina Facility

• Kyowa Kirin Inc. is investing up to $530 million to build a new manufacturing facility in Sanford, North Carolina.

• The facility will manufacture innovative biologic therapies and is expected to be fully operational in 2027.

Kyowa Kirin Inc. has announced plans to invest up to $530 million in a new manufacturing facility in Sanford, North Carolina. The 171,700-square-foot, two-reactor facility will enhance the company’s development and production of biologic therapies for patients with rare and serious diseases.

Paul Testa, Executive Vice President, Regional Head North America/EMEA Manufacturing, Kyowa Kirin North America, stated, “The complexity of the medicines we manufacture requires specialized skills and resources that are in plentiful supply in Sanford and the Research Triangle region.” The company aims to collaborate with local colleges, universities, businesses, and civic leaders to align its plans with Sanford’s vision for growth.

The new facility will manufacture innovative biologic therapies, including next-generation antibodies, for the company’s planned clinical trials and future commercial use. The 75-acre campus at Helix Innovation Park at The Brickyard will allow for future expansion, should the company’s portfolio necessitate greater capacity as its pipeline programs advance.

Construction of the facility is expected to begin in the second half of 2024 and become fully operational in 2027. The investment will be supported by performance-based state and local incentives to Kyowa Kirin of $10 million over 12 years, which are estimated to grow the state’s economy by $1.05 billion over the course of the grant, according to the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The plant will create more than 100 new local jobs at an average salary of $91,496.

Steve Schaefer, Kyowa Kirin North American President, said, “Our North American presence continues to grow through strategic investments that are adding new capabilities, new therapeutic expertise, and new talent to our global organization, all in service of meeting patients’ needs.” The new facility will leverage the expertise of local institutions and build upon the manufacturing methods and technologies recently added in Takasaki to further enhance manufacturing productivity and efficiency. The company will benefit from a thriving network of biomanufacturing resources and a rich pool of talent within the greater Research Triangle Park region.