AstraZeneca unveils $50bln US expansion amid pharma tariff threat
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AstraZeneca’s massive US investment reflects how Trump’s nationalist trade policies are steering global pharma decisions.
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New AstraZeneca facility in Rockville, Maryland (AP)
Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has announced a sweeping $50 billion investment plan in the United States, marking one of the most significant moves yet under the Trump administration’s push to repatriate critical industries and realign global trade flows.
The company revealed that, by 2030, it will build and expand manufacturing facilities across the US, a strategy that has received strong backing from the White House. The initiative is expected to create tens of thousands of high-skilled jobs, both directly and indirectly, and could result in the US accounting for half of AstraZeneca’s global revenue.
A centerpiece of the expansion is a new drug substance facility in Virginia, which will focus on the production of small molecules, peptides, and oligonucleotides. The Virginia site will represent AstraZeneca’s largest single manufacturing investment worldwide and a major step in localizing production that had previously been concentrated abroad.
The announcement comes as the pharmaceutical industry braces for new US tariffs on imported medicines. These potential levies, part of President Trump’s broader trade agenda, could be enacted as early as August 1, prompting companies to accelerate efforts to onshore production.
CEO: US central to AstraZeneca’s future
AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot framed the move as a commitment to American innovation and a strategic step toward the company’s $80 billion revenue goal by 2030.
“Today’s announcement underpins our belief in America’s innovation in biopharmaceuticals and our commitment to the millions of patients who need our medicines in America and globally,” Soriot said. “It will also support our ambition to reach $80 billion in revenue by 2030.”
Soriot’s remarks come amid speculation that AstraZeneca may consider relocating its primary stock market listing from London to New York, following similar moves by other major corporations. The firm is currently the second most valuable company on the London Stock Exchange, just behind HSBC.
US officials praise the investment
US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick praised AstraZeneca’s decision, portraying it as a direct result of the Trump administration’s industrial policy.
“For decades, Americans have been reliant on a foreign supply of key pharmaceutical products,” Lutnick said. “President Trump and our nation’s new tariff policies are focused on ending this structural weakness.”
He added, “We are proud that AstraZeneca has made the decision to bring substantial pharmaceutical production to our shores. This historic investment is bringing tens of thousands of jobs to the US and will ensure that medicine sold in our country is produced right here.”
The announcement signals a major shift in the pharmaceutical supply chain, with companies responding to geopolitical pressures and regulatory signals by investing more heavily in domestic infrastructure.
With new tariffs looming, AstraZeneca’s move may foreshadow a broader industry trend toward deglobalization in drug manufacturing, one that could reshape the global pharmaceutical landscape for years to come.
