North Carolina: Accelerating Life Sciences
We know what it takes to foster a successful expansion.
Setting up shop in North Carolina has never been easier. Our network of partners gives you access to expertise in workforce development, infrastructure, and supply chain.
Get to know the partners who are ready to accelerate your path to market.
North Carolina's Life Sciences Industry
3,100+
companies and support businesses
#1
Forbes 'Best State for Business'
2.5%
lowest corporate income tax rate in the U.S.
BioPharma Crescent
Known for its cluster of major biopharma manufacturers, the BioPharma Crescent is a region in eastern North Carolina that has a reputation for cultivating successful partnerships. This five-county cluster works with local academic institutions to grow the talent pool for these manufacturers through custom training initiatives.
Active sites within the BioPharma Crescent boast affordable utilities and easy access to wastewater. It's just a short drive to Research Triangle Park, making the region an even more desirable location for expansion.
Major assets in Eastern NC:
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Workforce development
- Johnston Community College Workforce Development Center
- North Carolina Pharmaceutical Services Network
- East Carolina University Bioprocess Engineering
- Pitt Community College Biotechnology Program
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Abundant and affordable utilities
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Cluster of leading biopharma manufacturers
Wake County Economic Development
The Wake County Economic Development team is well-versed in the life sciences and NC's momentum as a leading hub. Growth in the life sciences industry has outpaced almost every other sector of NC's economy. According to CBRE’s 2019 Life Science Report, Raleigh-Durham's life sciences employment has grown the third-fastest among major markets over the past three years.
Companies that operate in and around Wake County benefit from access to converging technologies and tier-one research universities at a low cost.
The Triangle, which includes the Raleigh-Durham area and Research Triangle Park, is consistently ranked a top life sciences hub. The region also has a high-ranking quality of life and thousands of life sciences graduates each year.
Major assets in Wake County:
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Workforce development:
- Biotechnology Training and Education Center at NC State
- BioWork Certificate Program, Wake Technical Community College
- North Carolina State University
- University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Campbell University
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Top-ranking life sciences and technology hub
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Funding support:
- NC Department of Commerce
- Small Business and Technology Development Centers
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Lowest corporate income tax rate in the U.S.
Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce is a dynamic organization that connects companies with the resources they need to grow.
Durham County's life sciences industry is broad and diverse. Strengths include Duke University, a large biopharma manufacturing cluster, and growing gene therapy hub. The county is also home to globally recognized Research Triangle Park.
Innovation is at the root of Durham County's life sciences prowess. The Durham Chamber has connections to the many research and development entities throughout the region and will introduce you to the resources that support its large entrepreneurial community.
Major assets in Durham County:
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Research Triangle Park
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Booming gene therapy hub
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Workforce Development
- Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE) at North Carolina Central University
- BioWork Certificate Program, Durham Technical Community College
- Duke University
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Research and development enterprises
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Entrepreneurial support organizations
- BioLabs
- LaunchBio
- First Flight Venture Center
Why North Carolina
North Carolina is a global life sciences leader. Our life sciences industry is home to 735 companies that employ more than 66,000. The 2,400 businesses support those companies through legal assistance, workforce training, entrepreneur support, regulatory guidance and more.
Our strengths include:
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Highly trained workforce
- 23,000+ degrees in biological and biomedical sciences in the last five years
- NC is home to largest U.S. vaccine manufacturing workforce
- Statewide custom training programs that are created with industry input
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Production and manufacturing
- 130+ production and manufacturing companies
- 27,000+ employees
- Global leaders such as Grifols, Biogen, ThermoFisher Scientific, Pfizer, Merck
- Lowest biomanufacturing operating costs in the U.S. (Boyd Report, 2019)
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Booming gene therapy hub
- $920M announced investment in gene therapy activity
- Companies include Asklepios Biopharmaceutical, AveXis, bluebird bio, StrideBio, Locus Biosciences, Bamboo Therapeutics, Cellectis, Pfizer
- UNC Chapel Hill Gene Therapy Center
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Academic climate
- 5 medical schools, 4 pharmacy schools, 3 comprehensive cancer centers, 2 land grant universities, 1 veterinary school
- Top-tier research universities Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University
- 58 community colleges
Explore NC's Life Sciences Industry
Not sure where to start?
NCBiotech has expertise in all stages of the commercialization pipeline. We'll connect you to the right resource that makes sense for the stage of your company.
Contact us to learn more about the advantages of joining the NC life sciences ecosystem.