UPPER MERION TWP, PA — GSK will invest more than $800 million to expand its biopharmaceutical manufacturing and research operations in Montgomery County, creating more than 300 jobs over five years and establishing an integrated production and development hub as the drugmaker increases its manufacturing capacity in Pennsylvania.
The investment, disclosed Friday, October 9, by Gov. Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger, will expand GSK’s existing Upper Merion Township facilities. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027.
The project will combine commercial-scale biologics manufacturing, research and development, quality control and advanced digital manufacturing capabilities at a single location.
GSK also committed to retaining approximately 4,500 existing full-time jobs across Pennsylvania as part of the expansion.
The investment represents the company’s second major Pennsylvania expansion since 2024, bringing its combined commitments in the state to nearly $1.7 billion.
The new Upper Merion facilities will include a commercial-scale biologics manufacturing plant designed to support both clinical and commercial production.
A research and development pilot plant will operate alongside the manufacturing facility, allowing the company to move processes from development into production more efficiently.
The project also includes a centralized quality control laboratory and a manufacturing science and technology hub, consolidating functions involved in production oversight and process development.
The integrated design is intended to shorten the transition between laboratory research and commercial manufacturing while supporting the development and supply of future medicines.
“Investing in additional commercial and R&D manufacturing with advanced digital capabilities at our Upper Merion site will help accelerate the development and supply of future medicines for patients,” said Regis Simard, president of GSK Global Supply Chain.
The expansion will require demolition of existing buildings and construction of new and upgraded facilities at the Upper Merion site.
GSK will be eligible for state tax benefits through Pennsylvania’s Qualified Manufacturing Innovation and Reinvestment Deduction program and Manufacturing Tax Credit program.
Those incentives are designed to encourage manufacturing investment and reinvestment in Pennsylvania.
The Upper Merion project follows an $800 million expansion at GSK’s Marietta facility in Lancaster County, disclosed in October 2024.
That investment was designed to double the Marietta site’s size and production capacity while creating at least 200 jobs.
Together, the two projects represent nearly $1.7 billion in planned investment and commitments to create more than 500 jobs across the company’s Pennsylvania operations.
GSK maintains its U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia, while its global headquarters are in London.
The company’s continued investment in Pennsylvania adds to a broader concentration of pharmaceutical research, manufacturing and biotechnology activity in the state.
Pennsylvania’s life sciences sector encompasses approximately 3,900 companies employing more than 110,000 people and contributes $73 billion directly to the state’s economy, according to figures cited by the Shapiro administration.
Companies and researchers operating in Pennsylvania have secured more than 20,000 life sciences patents over the past five years, placing the state sixth nationally by that measure.
The administration has also identified expansions involving Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories and B. Braun as part of its efforts to increase pharmaceutical and biotechnology investment.
Shapiro said GSK’s latest commitment reflects the state’s ability to compete for large manufacturing projects.
“GSK could have chosen anywhere in the world to expand production, but once again, they chose to renew and deepen their commitment to both the Commonwealth and our workers,” Shapiro said.
The investment comes as Pennsylvania expands state support for life sciences research, workforce development and commercialization.
The state’s 2026-27 budget includes $125 million for Innovate in PA 2.0, an initiative intended to support emerging businesses, clinical research infrastructure and workforce development.
The program includes a Clinical Trial & Research Network Grant Program to strengthen clinical trial infrastructure and reduce barriers to research.
A separate Life Sciences Paths Grant Program will support workforce training and development intended to address shortages of specialized workers.
The Life Sciences Challenge Grant Program will fund collaborative economic development projects involving businesses, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions and municipal partners.
Those initiatives are intended to reinforce Pennsylvania’s position as a location for biotechnology investment as companies expand domestic research and manufacturing operations.
The Shapiro administration reports securing more than $43 billion in private-sector investment commitments associated with nearly 29,000 jobs since the governor took office.
For GSK, the Upper Merion expansion represents a substantial increase in its Pennsylvania manufacturing footprint, with the new facilities intended to connect research, clinical production and commercial-scale manufacturing.
Construction beginning in 2027 will mark the next phase of the company’s investment, with job creation planned over the following five years.
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