Johnson & Johnson on Wednesday announced a more than $1 billion investment in a new next generation cell therapy manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania that will provide 4,000 construction jobs and 500 skilled biomanufacturing jobs once it is fully operational.
The site in Lower Gwynedd, Montgomery County, which is about 60 miles from J&J’s New Brunswick headquarters, will further expand the company’s U.S. manufacturing capacity for its pipeline of medicines for cancer, immune-mediated and neurological diseases.
“For 140 years, Johnson & Johnson has been a leading innovator in American healthcare, and we are honored to continue advancing that legacy in Pennsylvania,” said Joaquin Duato, Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson. “By uniting scientific excellence with state-of-the-art manufacturing and strategic investment, and by working collaboratively with our communities, we are delivering for patients and creating significant opportunities for workers and families.”
The announcement is part of the company’s previously announced $55 billion U.S. investment in manufacturing, research and development, and technology through early 2029. This includes new construction and major capacity expansions concentrated mainly in North Carolina and Pennsylvania as part of a coordinated domestic manufacturing initiative.
J&J already has 10 facilities in Pennsylvania, with an estimated annual economic impact of about $10 billion, the company said in its announcement. This includes more than 2 million square feet dedicated to manufacturing, research, distribution, and offices.
“Pennsylvania is a powerhouse for innovation and manufacturing in the life sciences,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said. “Just a few years ago we weren’t even on the field – but today we’re competing and winning. We’ve done it by creating the first economic development plan for Pennsylvania in two decades, and following through on it by cutting red tape, making strategic investments in key industries like the life sciences, and strengthening our workforce.”
Shapiro said companies such as Johnson & Johnson are choosing to “double down on their investments here in our Commonwealth because they know we’ve got the strategy, the workforce, and the speed they need to succeed.”
The J&J project is supported by a $41.5 million investment from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, according to a statement released Wednesday by Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger.
Johnson & Johnson received a funding proposal from DCED for up to $12 million in tax credits through the Qualified Manufacturing Innovation and Reinvestment Deduction (QMIRD) program, up to $2 million in tax credits through the Manufacturing Tax Credit (MTC) program, a $15 million grant through the PA SITES (Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites) program, and a $10 million Pennsylvania First grant.
Pennsylvania has also committed to providing a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) award of up to $2.5 million to a local community college and/or technical school to help create a workforce development training program that would serve as a talent pipeline for the company in Montgomery County.
Johnson & Johnson is also receiving assistance through Pennsylvania’s Office of Transformation and Opportunity (OTO) on the project via the PA Permit Fast Track Program. The OTO was created by an executive order signed by Shapiro in 2024.