UCB announced on Mar. 25 that it will invest $2 billion to build its first biologics manufacturing facility in the United States, selecting Gwinnett County, Georgia as the location for the new plant. The company said the site will support products including Bimzelx, a drug used to treat psoriasis.
The investment is expected to have a significant impact on local employment and infrastructure. UCB plans to create about 330 permanent manufacturing jobs and more than 1,000 construction roles at the new 460,000-square-foot plant. The project represents the largest capital investment in Gwinnett County’s history.
The new facility will be located at a campus under development in Rowen, on the outskirts of Atlanta. Officials expect design and construction to take six to seven years. UCB's choice of location was influenced by access to strong talent pipelines from nearby universities such as the University of Georgia, Emory University, Spelman College, Georgia Gwinnett College and Georgia Tech.
Gwinnett County has committed over $174 million in incentives for UCB’s project through property tax savings, fee waivers and infrastructure investments. According to Governor Brian Kemp, state officials traveled to Belgium earlier this year as part of efforts that helped secure UCB's commitment.
UCB CEO Jean-Christophe Tellier said during an earnings call last month that "the U.S. manufacturing investment will support Bimzelx production." Sales of Bimzelx increased almost sixfold last year after its approval by the Food and Drug Administration for plaque psoriasis treatment in 2023.
This move follows recent calls from federal leaders for biopharma companies to increase domestic medicine production and reflects rising demand for Bimzelx in the United States.
