J&J to add another new drug-making facility in Wilson

Johnson & Johnson, having already announced several manufacturing investments in North Carolina, has announced another one: a new drug product manufacturing facility in Wilson, to add as many as 500 people making medicines for oncology and neurological diseases.

The company said this new multi-million-dollar additional investment is part of its efforts to deliver on its previously announced $55 billion investment to support U.S. drug manufacturing, research and development, and technology investments by early 2029.

“In just the last 10 months, (J&J) has initiated billions of dollars in investment in U.S. manufacturing, which will support (its) goal of manufacturing the vast majority of its advanced medicines in the U.S. to meet the needs of U.S. patients,” the company’s announcement last week said.

J&J announced, as part of that $55 billion investment, two new U.S. manufacturing facilities, including a next-generation cell therapy manufacturing site in Pennsylvania and “a state-of-the-art drug product manufacturing facility in North Carolina.” News of the second facility in Wilson came the same day J&J said it had reached an agreement to cut drug prices to gain exemption from proposed tariffs. 

N.C. Gov. Josh Stein applauded J&J’s announcement.

“I appreciate Johnson & Johnson’s confidence that North Carolina is an ideal place to expand their business and create more good-paying jobs,” Stein said. “Life sciences leaders continue to select North Carolina because our skilled workforce and commitment to specialized training deliver the talent companies need to help patients in the United States and around the world.”

Stein said J&J’s additional project marks the third time in just over a year that the company has selected North Carolina’s life sciences cluster as the ideal place to help meet its domestic manufacturing goals.

In October 2024, J&J announced its first project in Wilson, a $2 billion investment that will create 420 jobs on a pharmaceutical manufacturing campus for innovative biologics. Construction of that facility is underway, and the company reports it is already ramping up the hiring of advanced manufacturing employees. 

In August 2025, the company announced a $2 billion, 10-year partnership with FUJIFILM Biotechnologies, leveraging the CDMO’s new Holly Springs site to bolster J&J’s biomanufacturing capacity. 

“We are pleased to make another significant manufacturing investment in North Carolina. This new facility is the third North Carolina project announced by Johnson & Johnson in the past year and will help to further accelerate the delivery of our portfolio of transformational medicines for patients,” said Jennifer Taubert, executive vice president and worldwide chairman for innovative medicine, Johnson & Johnson. “North Carolina is an important life sciences hub, and we look forward to increasing our presence in the state.”

N.C. Commerce Sec. Lee Lilly thanked J&J for its confidence in North Carolina.

“North Carolina has one of the largest life sciences workforces in the nation,” Lilly said. “Economic and workforce development collaboration is critical to ensuring we have the foundation and business climate for innovators like Johnson & Johnson to succeed, and we remain laser-focused on maintaining and strengthening our leadership in the life sciences.”

J&J’s new Wilson project will be supported by an expected legislative appropriation of $12 million to expand the Biomanufacturing Education & Skills Training (BEST) Center of Eastern North Carolina at Wilson Community College. A grant from the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account is also expected.

“J&J has quickly integrated into our NC life sciences community, and we are grateful for the opportunity to support another facet of their operations in the state,” said Laura Rowley, Ph.D., vice president of life sciences economic development at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. “The commitment from the General Assembly to strengthen and expand the training network in Eastern North Carolina is not only an investment to ensure J&J’s success but will seed future life sciences growth in the region.”

Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, the North Carolina Community College System, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Wilson Community College, the BioPharma Crescent, Wilson County, the Wilson Economic Development Council, and the City of Wilson.