As part of its overall $55 billion U.S. investment plan, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has announced the construction of a next-generation cell therapy production facility in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
Expansion scale and job creation The project, valued at over $1 billion, is expected to create approximately 500 permanent biomanufacturing positions. Additionally, the development phase will generate more than 4,000 construction jobs. J&J has not yet disclosed a specific completion timeline or the exact “cutting-edge technologies” to be employed at the site.
Drivers from economic and tariff policies J&J’s expansion is seen as a strategic move to mitigate the pharmaceutical tariff threats from the Trump administration. By boosting domestic manufacturing:
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Securing incentives: Last month, J&J inked a drug pricing deal with the White House, reaffirming its U.S. production commitment in exchange for immunity to proposed import duties.
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Manufacturing network: Beyond Pennsylvania, J&J is building a $2-billion biologics plant in North Carolina and has secured long-term capacity at Fujifilm Biotechnologies’ campus in Holly Springs.
Focus on CAR-T cell therapy This investment is particularly crucial for Carvykti, a CAR-T cell therapy for multiple myeloma developed in partnership with Legend Biotech.
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Commercial growth: The immunotherapy reached “blockbuster” status, with 2025 sales nearly doubling to $1.9 billion.
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Addressing supply constraints: Carvykti has historically faced supply shortages. The new Pennsylvania facility, alongside expansions in New Jersey and Ghent, Belgium, is expected to help J&J ramp up capacity and meet the surging global demand for personalized cancer treatments.