AstraZeneca is investing $300 million in a facility in Rockville, MD to launch its life-saving cell therapy platforms in the US for critical cancer trials and future commercial supply.
 
More than 150 new highly skilled jobs will be created to initially focus on manufacturing T-cell therapies to enable clinical trials to be conducted around the world. Over time, the site may expand its focus to support other disease areas.
 
The site represents the latest investment in cell therapy for AstraZeneca following collaborations with Quell therapeutics, AbelZeta, Cellectis, and the acquisition of Neogene Therapeutics.

Making Next-Gen Cell Therapy a Reality

Pam Cheng, Executive Vice President of Global Operations & IT and Chief Sustainability Officer, AstraZeneca, said: “We are incredibly excited that more than 150 new highly skilled jobs are being created to bring our scientific work and therapies to clinical trials which could transform the lives of patients around the world. This new $300 million investment will accelerate our ambition to make next-generation cell therapy a reality, ensuring that we are ready to scale and meet the demands of patients.”
 
The facility in Rockville, MD is located less than five miles away from one of the company’s five global R&D centers and sits within the booming life sciences corridor in Maryland. With close proximity to several universities, the life sciences ecosystem provides an attractive environment for recruiting new and experienced talent.
  
The Rockville facility will join AstraZeneca’s global manufacturing and supply network of nearly 30 manufacturing and supply sites in 16 countries, which are either currently operational or under development across the company.