Significant Investment in Drug Manufacturing in Virginia!

Richmond, Virginia, with contributions from AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, and Merck, has announced a $120 million private sector investment through Governor Glenn Youngkin, which will establish the Virginia Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Center (APM). This center will be brought to life in collaboration with the Alliance for Building Better Medicine (ABBM) and the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC).

This development in advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing aims to expand both Virginia's workforce and educational infrastructure. By collaborating with universities and community colleges across the country, it will facilitate the emergence of next-generation talent and innovations. This workforce investment, along with the recently announced $12.5 billion capital investment, will provide thousands of new job opportunities in Virginia in the coming years.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement was signed by Joe Benevento, CEO of VIPC, and the leaders of the aforementioned pharmaceutical companies. Additionally, representatives from the Virginia Commonwealth University, led by Michael Rao, and other leading universities also participated in this significant event.

The Richmond-Petersburg-Charlottesville region is recognized as a US EDA technology hub, and this step solidifies Virginia's position as a rising national leader. Since 2020, the Alliance for Building Better Medicine has aimed to strengthen America's pharmaceutical supply chain in collaboration with businesses, government, academia, and civil society organizations.

Joy Polefrone emphasized the importance of concentrating Virginia's APM ecosystem, stating, 'We are making progress together, creating a workforce ready for the future.'

VIPC is a state economic development authority designed to support growing innovation ecosystems in Virginia. It contributes to various areas such as research, commercialization, and entrepreneurship by supporting growth in strategic sectors like Life Sciences.

Joe Benevento highlighted the importance of the workforce in creating innovative ecosystems, stating that Virginia maintains its leadership in this area. The Alliance for Building Better Medicine has attracted $1.5 billion in investments to the region, making Virginia a global leader in advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The newly established Virginia Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Center aims to meet sector needs by offering workforce training programs and certifications. These training sessions will be supported by Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) simulations and internship opportunities.

Robby Demeria noted that this investment reflects the power of collaboration between the public and private sectors. 'Together, we are producing better medicines and creating meaningful careers for our communities,' he said.