AstraZeneca is making its biggest manufacturing move in Maryland with a substantial expansion of its biologics plant in Frederick, Maryland. Under the plan, the Frederick site’s commercial biologics capacity will nearly double. Until now, Frederick produced biologic therapies used by AstraZeneca for cancer, autoimmune, respiratory, and other chronic conditions. With the expansion, it will, for the first time, begin manufacturing medicines drawn from the company’s rare-disease portfolio. The ramp-up isn’t small: the project will create about 200 highly skilled permanent jobs along with roughly 900 construction-phase roles, injecting both talent and economic activity into the region.
The upgraded facility, designed to meet high environmental and technological standards, is expected to be operational by 2029. This expansion signals AstraZeneca’s commitment to scaling production not just for existing therapies but also for complex, high-need treatments such as rare-disease drugs. It marks a shift toward greater manufacturing footprint, and resilience, in the global biologics supply chain.
Project Factsheet: Maryland Manufacturing Expansion
Location(s): Frederick, Maryland (expanded biologics facility) & Gaithersburg, Maryland (new clinical manufacturing facility)
Total Project Cost / Investment: US $2.0 billion
Capital Expenditure (approx): $1.81 billion (major portion of the total investment)
Target Operational Start: Both facilities expected to be operational by 2029
Permanent / Skilled Jobs Created: 300 new skilled jobs overall (200 in Frederick, 100 in Gaithersburg)
Construction / Temporary Jobs: Approx. 1,900 jobs during build-out
Existing Jobs Retained: 400 existing roles retained at Gaithersburg site
Facility Purpose / Function: expanded biologics manufacturing; including rare-disease medicines; Gaithersburg: clinical-stage molecule manufacturing for trial supply.
Technology / Standards: Both sites to leverage advanced AI, automation and data analytics, built to high environmental standards.
Strategic Significance: Part of AstraZeneca’s broader U.S. manufacturing & R&D expansion, enhancing supply-chain resilience, bringing rare-disease production onshore, and reinforcing Maryland’s status as a biotech hub.
New Clinical-Manufacturing Site in Gaithersburg,Supporting Innovation & Early-Stage Production
Alongside Frederick, AstraZeneca will build a new clinical manufacturing facility in Gaithersburg, Maryland. This facility will focus on producing and supplying innovative drug molecules for clinical trials. When complete (expected 2029), the site will create about 100 new skilled jobs, retain roughly 400 existing roles, and support approximately 1,000 construction-related jobs, bringing the total jobs supported across both Maryland sites to some 2,600. Thanks to integration of modern technologies, like AI, automation and data analytics, plus adherence to high environmental standards, the Gaithersburg facility will serve as a next-generation manufacturing hub. This addition strengthens the link between research & development and manufacturing, enabling faster translation of new drug candidates into clinical-trial supplies, an important strategic advantage for AstraZeneca’s pipeline, including rare-disease and novel therapies.
Jobs, Supply-Chain Resilience, and Biotech Leadership
Altogether, this investment consolidates AstraZeneca’s position in Maryland: with its existing workforce of over 5,500 in the state — adding the new 300 skilled jobs plus retained roles — the company further cements the state’s reputation as a biotech and biomanufacturing hub. By bringing rare-disease production onshore and expanding biologics capacity, AstraZeneca is bolstering supply-chain resilience, ensuring that critical medicines and therapies can be produced domestically rather than relying on overseas manufacturing. The inclusion of modern manufacturing technologies (AI, automation, data analytics) and high environmental standards signals a shift toward more sustainable, efficient, and flexible drug manufacturing — potentially raising the bar for industry practices. Moreover, this project aligns with AstraZeneca’s larger U.S. expansion strategy, forming part of a broader investment plan to ramp up manufacturing and R&D across multiple states, similar to large-scale moves underway in other regions such as Eli Lilly’s $6.5B pharmaceutical facility in Houston’s Generation Park.
