South Carolina officials have granted the final state and local approvals needed for a major pharmaceutical manufacturing investment in Rock Hill. Octapharma has secured final state and local approvals for a $1.5 billion plasma-derived therapies manufacturing campus in Rock Hill, South Carolina, paving the way for the company’s first U.S. plasma fractionation and manufacturing facility. The project will create more than 1,500 full-time jobs and add new U.S. manufacturing capacity for plasma-derived medicines when commercial operations begin in the mid-2030s.

The project was announced by Octapharma in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Commerce following final approvals from state and local authorities, including York County and the City of Rock Hill.

Octapharma will develop the campus at Palmetto Research Park in Rock Hill, York County. The development will include a plasma fractionation and manufacturing facility and an administrative headquarters for Octapharma Plasma, the company’s U.S. plasma donation subsidiary. With final approvals now secured, the company plans to announce a groundbreaking date and a detailed construction schedule at a later time.

Project Will Expand Domestic Plasma Manufacturing

Octapharma aims to strengthen the U.S. supply chain for plasma-derived therapies by locating large-scale manufacturing closer to its domestic plasma collection network and the patients who rely on these medicines. Company officials said the investment will also expand the nation’s capacity to manufacture plasma-derived therapies domestically, supporting long-term supply chain resilience and emergency preparedness. The company chose South Carolina for its proximity to Octapharma’s existing plasma donation network, well-developed transportation infrastructure and skilled biomedical workforce.

Plasma fractionation separates donated human plasma into therapeutic proteins that manufacturers use to produce medicines such as immunoglobulins, albumin and clotting factor therapies. Healthcare providers use these plasma-derived medicines to treat patients with immune deficiencies, bleeding disorders, neurological diseases and other serious medical conditions.

Support for the project

To support the project, South Carolina approved a $65 million Closing Fund grant to York County for site preparation, infrastructure improvements, construction-related work and road upgrades. The state’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development also approved Job Development Credits. Additional local incentive agreements, including any fee-in-lieu-of-tax arrangements or other tax abatements, have not yet been publicly disclosed.

“Our manufacturing capacity must evolve to support this ambition, and our U.S. manufacturing facility will be an important milestone,” Wolfgang Marguerre, chairman and CEO of Octapharma, said in a statement. “From a U.S. national security perspective, having the ability to produce and supply our therapies domestically is invaluable.”

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said the investment reinforces the state’s position as a destination for advanced manufacturing and life sciences investment while creating new employment opportunities for South Carolina residents.

Growing Investment in U.S. Plasma Manufacturing

Pharmaceutical manufacturers continue to invest in U.S. production as they strengthen domestic supply chains for essential medicines. Companies including CSL Behring, Grifols and Takeda have expanded their U.S. plasma collection and manufacturing operations in recent years to meet growing global demand for plasma-derived therapies. The United States supplies most of the world’s source plasma because federal regulations allow compensated plasma donation, giving manufacturers access to a reliable donor base and making domestic production increasingly important to the global plasma industry.

Octapharma has not disclosed which specific plasma-derived products will initially be manufactured at the Rock Hill campus. Its existing portfolio includes immunoglobulins, albumin, clotting factor therapies and fibrin sealants. Before commercial production begins, the facility will be subject to applicable U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspections and biologics manufacturing approvals. The company has also not publicly detailed the phased construction and regulatory milestones behind its projected mid-2030s operational start.

Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Lachen, Switzerland, Octapharma develops plasma-derived and recombinant protein therapies and operates approximately 200 plasma donation centers across the United States through Octapharma Plasma. The Rock Hill campus will represent the company’s first plasma manufacturing operation in the U.S., marking a major expansion of its North American manufacturing footprint.

What’s Next

With approvals now secured, Octapharma can move forward with completing the property acquisition and preparing the site for construction. Additional project milestones, including groundbreaking and construction schedules, are expected to be announced as development progresses.

As pharmaceutical companies expand domestic manufacturing capacity for critical medicines, the Octapharma project joins other major U.S. life sciences investments aimed at strengthening healthcare supply chains. Another notable example is the $4.5B Eli Lilly medicine foundry in Indiana’s LEAP District, where Eli Lilly is developing a next-generation pharmaceutical manufacturing campus designed to accelerate medicine production through advanced manufacturing technologies. Together, the two projects highlight the broader trend of pharmaceutical companies investing billions of dollars in new U.S. manufacturing capacity to improve supply chain resilience and meet growing demand for advanced therapies.

Factsheet: Octapharma First U.S. Plasma Manufacturing Campus

• Developer: Octapharma AG
• Investment: $1.5 billion
• Location: Palmetto Research Park, Rock Hill, York County, South Carolina
• Facility Type: Plasma fractionation and manufacturing facility with an administrative headquarters
• Jobs Created: More than 1,500 full-time positions
• Construction Status: Final state and local approvals secured
• Groundbreaking: To be announced
• Projected Operations: Mid-2030s
• State Incentives: $65 million Closing Fund grant and Job Development Credits
• Primary Purpose: Expand U.S. manufacturing of plasma-derived therapies and strengthen domestic supply chain resilience
• Regulatory Status: Subject to applicable FDA inspections and biologics manufacturing approvals before commercial production
• Company Founded: 1983
• Headquarters: Lachen, Switzerland
• U.S. Plasma Collection Network: Approximately 200 plasma donation centers
• Significance: Octapharma’s first plasma fractionation and manufacturing facility in the United States.