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A photograph depicting the logo of Roche, a prominent Swiss pharmaceutical company, in Basel.
Swiss pharmaceutical leader Roche announced on Tuesday that it plans to invest $50 billion in the United States over the next five years. This strategic move comes amidst rising apprehension regarding potential new tariffs on pharmaceutical goods from the White House.
According to Roche, this significant investment is expected to generate over 12,000 employment opportunities; 1,000 of these positions will be directly with the company, while the remaining jobs will be created to support new manufacturing capabilities across the U.S. The company already employs more than 25,000 people within the country.
At 8:39 a.m. in London, Roche’s shares had decreased by 1.1%.
The investment will be allocated towards the establishment of advanced research and development (R&D) facilities, in addition to enhancing manufacturing plants located in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and California. A newly announced R&D site in Massachusetts is designated for artificial intelligence research and will serve as a center for the investigation of treatments related to cardiovascular health, renal function, and metabolism.
Part of the funding will also support the construction of a 900,000 square foot manufacturing center, although its location has not yet been disclosed, aimed at facilitating Roche’s expanded offerings of next-generation weight loss medications.
Upon the completion of these manufacturing capacity upgrades, Roche has indicated that it will export a greater volume of medications from the United States than it imports.
The pharmaceutical sector has been actively seeking to strengthen its presence in the U.S. in light of potential threats posed by President Donald Trump regarding the termination of the industry’s import tariff exemptions. Earlier this month, he stated, “We’re going to be announcing very shortly a major tariff on pharmaceuticals.”
Roche’s substantial investment aligns with recent decisions made by other industry giants. Earlier this month, Novartis, another Swiss-based company, revealed plans to inject $23 billion to build and upgrade ten facilities across the U.S., a move anticipated to create more than 4,000 jobs.
Furthermore, British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca announced a $2.5 billion investment in establishing a hub in Beijing last month. However, CEO Pascal Soriot emphasized the company’s ongoing strong commitment to the U.S., where it maintains two significant R&D facilities.
In a statement addressing the investment, Roche’s CEO Thomas Schinecker remarked that this $50 billion commitment illustrates the company’s “long-standing dedication to research, development, and manufacturing in the U.S.” He added, “We are proud of our 110-year legacy in the United States, which has been instrumental in fostering jobs, innovation, and the creation of intellectual property across both our Pharmaceutical and Diagnostics Divisions. Our investments of USD 50 billion over the next five years will establish a foundation for our next era of innovation and growth, benefiting patients in the U.S. and around the world.”
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