Maryland officials and AstraZeneca executives celebrated the opening of a new $300 million cell therapy manufacturing facility in Rockville on Monday, marking a significant expansion of the biopharmaceutical company's presence in Montgomery County.
The 84,000-square-foot facility at 9950 Medical Center Drive will focus on manufacturing CAR-T cell therapies—personalized treatments that harness a patient's own immune cells to fight cancer. The site is expected to be fully operational by early next year and will support clinical trials globally.
"We have moved at unprecedented speed to get our site to operational-readiness and are looking forward to delivering potentially transformative therapies to patients living with cancer and auto immune conditions from early next year," said Pam Cheng, AstraZeneca Executive Vice President of Global Operations, IT and Chief Sustainability Officer.
Economic Impact and Job Creation
The new facility is projected to create more than 150 high-quality jobs for STEM professionals in the region, adding to AstraZeneca's existing workforce of approximately 4,500 employees across Montgomery County. The company already maintains a significant presence in the area, including its 1.3 million-square-foot Gaithersburg campus.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich highlighted the strategic importance of the investment: "This facility represents exactly the kind of investment we want to support. It will save lives, create high-quality jobs, and strengthen Montgomery County's place as one of the nation's top bio-life sciences hubs."
The project received substantial government support, including:
- $100,000 in targeted economic development incentives from Montgomery County
- $500,000 in additional support from the Maryland Department of Commerce
- Job creation tax credits that activate as new employees are hired
- Expedited permitting and approvals through the Department of Permitting Services
Advancing Cell Therapy Manufacturing
The Rockville facility represents part of AstraZeneca's $3.5 billion investment in United States research and development and manufacturing operations. It will specialize in producing CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapies, which involve collecting a patient's T-cells, genetically modifying them to target cancer cells, and then reinfusing them into the patient.
These personalized treatments have shown promising results in treating various cancers and are considered at the forefront of precision medicine. The facility's capabilities will enable AstraZeneca to conduct clinical trials worldwide and eventually move toward commercial production.
Maryland's Growing Life Sciences Ecosystem
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by numerous state officials, including Maryland Lt. Governor Aruna Miller, Secretary of Higher Education Sanjay Rai, and Maryland Department of Commerce Secretary Harry Coker Jr.
"By prioritizing innovation in the life sciences, Maryland is not only investing in breakthrough research — we are setting the national standard for how public leadership can drive scientific discovery, economic growth, and better health outcomes for all," Miller said.
The biopharma and life sciences industries have become a cornerstone of Maryland's economy, directly supporting more than 54,000 jobs and generating $41.9 billion in economic activity annually. Approximately 5,000 life sciences businesses and laboratories currently operate within the state.
Elana Fine, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation Board Chair, emphasized the significance of AstraZeneca's investment: "This investment highlights the county's commitment to advancing healthcare and fostering innovation, while bolstering the local economy."
The AstraZeneca facility joins a series of recent major bio-life sciences developments in Montgomery County, including expansions by United Therapeutics in Silver Spring, MilliporeSigma in Rockville, Novavax in Gaithersburg, and the launch of the University of Maryland Institute for Health Computing in North Bethesda.
The County's Department of Permitting Services worked closely with AstraZeneca and development partners to accelerate permitting and inspections, enabling the project to open months ahead of schedule—a testament to the region's commitment to supporting life sciences growth and innovation.
