AstraZeneca has officially commenced construction on a significant $4.5 billion manufacturing plant in Albemarle County, a development expected to create approximately 600 jobs for the Central Virginia region. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on Thursday, featuring remarks from Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, officials from the Trump administration, local leaders, and AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot.
“This isn’t just an economic development announcement. This is a transformational moment for Albemarle County, for the greater Charlottesville area, for the commonwealth of Virginia and for the nation,” Youngkin stated during the ceremony.
Once operational, slated for completion by 2030, the facility will not only employ 600 individuals but will also necessitate about 3,000 engineers and skilled workers during the construction phase. Soriot highlighted the broader economic impact, saying, “One job we create creates another five or six additional jobs in supply chains, in retail and other industries to support the site — so really, an important contribution to the economic development of this county and the state.”
The new plant will focus on producing weight management and metabolic drugs, particularly notable compounds such as oral glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), baxdrostat, and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), alongside small-molecule formulations. These drugs have gained traction not only in managing diabetes and hypertension but also for significant weight loss, highlighted by the popular medication Ozempic.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, a known television personality and current administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, addressed the attendees, emphasizing the importance of health in the nation’s future: “There’s no question about it that the American experiment is dependent on the American people being healthy. The most important thing I’m seeing is the opportunity for us to safely procure medications that will save lives and reflects this administration’s commitment to both of those realities. We want to be wealthy. We want to be healthy at the same time.”
Strategically located next to Rivanna Station, a military base that hosts key intelligence agencies, the new AstraZeneca plant lies just north of Charlottesville. The surrounding land, known as Rivanna Futures, was acquired by Albemarle County for $58 million in 2023, subsequently rezoned, and funded with a $9.7 million grant from the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program to prepare it for development.
Furthermore, the site is approximately 10 miles from the University of Virginia (UVa), currently developing the Manning Institute of Biotechnology at its Fontaine Research Park, scheduled for completion in 2027. The institute, led by former AstraZeneca Vice President Mark Esser, aims to directly compete with North Carolina’s Research Triangle, renowned for its collaborative educational and research opportunities among key universities.
Youngkin expressed his determination to enhance Virginia’s competitive edge in biotechnology, stating, “They have a tremendous capability, and I just want to win. We went to work to make sure that we had an academic and educational pipeline to create a workforce that would really appeal to not just manufacturing, but research and development.”
Recognizing life sciences as a critical sector, Youngkin added, “Life sciences will be one of Virginia’s top industries for a long time to come. We identified life sciences broadly as a critical strategic sector for America and for business investment. And so we went to work putting together the elements of the ecosystem to be the best.”
In addition to AstraZeneca’s investment, Eli Lilly & Co. from Indianapolis plans to establish a $5 billion facility in nearby Goochland County, generating about 650 jobs focused on drug development for cancer and autoimmune diseases. Youngkin was recently present for another groundbreaking ceremony at Afton Scientific’s new $200 million sterile injectable manufacturing site, which will create an additional 200 jobs.
Esser expressed optimism for collaboration between newly expanding businesses in Virginia, stating, “We hope that there’ll be more collaboration with AstraZeneca and with Eli Lilly and others, not only on clinical trials in biomanufacturing, but on early research.”
The University of Virginia anticipates that AstraZeneca’s presence will enhance research collaborations, strengthen the local biotechnology sector, and provide more opportunities for recent graduates, reinforcing the region’s reputation as a hub for life sciences.
“The University of Virginia is honored to welcome AstraZeneca to Charlottesville and Albemarle County, where innovation drives impact,” said interim UVa President Paul Mahoney. “AstraZeneca’s presence will accelerate medical breakthroughs while reinforcing Central Virginia’s role as a national leader in biotechnology innovation.”
Local officials celebrated the announcement as a significant boon for the community. “Today’s announcement establishes a highly compatible anchor in biotechnology for the region,” remarked Albemarle Board of Supervisors Chairman Jim Andrews. “To the residents and the businesses of Albemarle County, let’s all celebrate this win for our community.”
