Manufacturing

From cortisone to CAT scans, the future of medicine has often arrived first at the Mayo Clinic. The tradition continues today with the fit-up of a new headquarters for regenerative biotherapeutics adjacent to the research center’s Rochester, Minn., campus. The fourth floor of the recently built Discovery Square building, Two Discovery Square, had been earmarked originally for office space, but after COVID hit, the developer offered the opportunity to convert some of the office space to laboratory space. Mayo Clinic had been planning to build a Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics and saw an opportunity to lease the 18,000-sf space at Discovery Square and convert it for this cutting-edge biomanufacturing facility.  

AbbVie is planning a $380 million expansion of its headquarters campus in North Chicago, Ill. Construction will begin in spring of 2026 on two plants for the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Enabling the creation of innovative treatments for neurological conditions and obesity, the next-generation facilities will integrate advanced manufacturing technologies with artificial intelligence (AI) to maximize purity, efficacy, and operational efficiency. Full production is expected to commence in 2029.

Johnson & Johnson is investing over $1 billion to create a next-generation cell therapy manufacturing facility in Lower Gwynedd Township, Pa. The state-of-the-art hub is part of a $55 billion commitment to expand the company’s infrastructure and capacity in the United States by early 2029, and supports plans to produce the vast majority of J&J’s innovative medicines domestically to meet the needs of U.S. patients.

Eli Lilly and Company will begin construction in mid-2026 on a $3.5 billion facility in Upper Macungie Township, Pa., for the manufacture of injectable medicines and devices. The project represents the largest investment made by a life sciences company in the state’s history, and will be the largest development ever to rise in the Lehigh Valley. The seven-building complex will enable the production of next-generation weight-loss therapies, including retatrutide, a first-in-class investigational GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon triple hormone receptor agonist.

Genentech, an independent subsidiary of Roche, is expanding the initial investment in its new biomanufacturing facility in Holly Springs, N.C., from $700 million to approximately $2 billion. Originally envisioned as a 700,000-sf complex, the project will now deliver increased production volume and scale capacity, significantly enhancing the company's U.S. supply chain.

Arizona State University opened the Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building 12 (ISTB 12) in October of 2025, creating a vibrant gateway to the Polytechnic campus in Mesa. Designed by SmithGroup, the 173,194-gsf facility houses the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering’s new School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks. The three-story development will accelerate work in additive manufacturing, robotics, artificial intelligence, cyber manufacturing, semiconductor manufacturing, and clean energy.

California State University, Northridge opened the Autodesk Technology Engagement Center in August of 2025 in Los Angeles. Designed by AC Martin with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory consultant, the $62.7 million facility accommodates programs for the College of Engineering and Computer Science, including six flexible discovery environments.

Advanced manufacturing (AM) experts say companies around the country that are currently trying to build up their AM capabilities are held back by three things: experience with cutting-edge AM equipment, experts who can show how to take full advantage of such equipment’s capabilities, and highly trained workers who have the skills to operate the equipment. Administrators at the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla hope to fill all three gaps with the help of a new facility they call The Missouri Protoplex. 

Iowa State University dedicated the Therkildsen Industrial Engineering Building in May of 2025 in Ames. The four-story, 80,660-gsf facility provides a dynamic new home for the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering's teaching, research, and administrative activities. The $70 million project features technically enhanced environments where students can gain the specialized knowledge to design tomorrow’s innovative, safe, and nimble production processes across all industry sectors.

Merck broke ground in April of 2025 on a $1 billion biologics center of excellence in Wilmington, Del. Leveraging sophisticated automation solutions and artificial intelligence technologies, the 470,000-sf facility will offer laboratory, manufacturing, and logistics capabilities. The leading-edge structure will enable the launch and commercial production of next-generation biologics and therapies, including potent antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).

The University of Texas at El Paso opened the $80 million Advanced Manufacturing and Aerospace Center (AMAC) in April of 2025. Designed by Treanor and Ayers Saint Gross to catalyze discovery and innovation, the leading-edge facility provides sophisticated environments for research, teaching, and hands-on learning. Spanning 98,000 sf, the highly flexible structure houses the College of Engineering’s Aerospace Center and W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation.

Moderna completed construction on a £150 million complex in the United Kingdom for the discovery and production of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics for COVID-19 and emerging respiratory health threats. Located on the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, the Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre (MITC) comprises two 145,000-sf buildings for research, development, and manufacturing.

The U.S. Department of Energy broke ground in September of 2024 on the Energy Materials and Processing at Scale (EMAPS) facility in Golden, Colorado. Located on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's South Table Mountain Campus, the $224 million development will create a direct path from bench-scale materials and process innovations to pilot-scale integration and production.

Training the scientists and engineers of the future requires academic spaces that are as much as a story taller and 1,000 sf bigger than in the past, and better-equipped to support entrepreneurship, industry partnerships, and hands-on learning. In addition to the standard makerspaces—with metal shops, machining labs, woodshops, prototyping, and 3D printing—students are also experimenting with wind tunnels and large water tanks.

McCord Development is planning to construct BioHub Two in northeast Houston. Comprising 500,000 sf of lab, office, and cGMP manufacturing space, the 45-acre campus will accommodate a total of seven structures offering built-to-suit environments for private companies. This dynamic nexus of innovation and discovery will catalyze synergies with San Jacinto College's planned Biotech Training Center, which will be located nearby.