AbbVie announced a $380 million investment to erect two new active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing facilities at its Illinois campus, a move intended to expand domestic production capacity for its neuroscience and obesity medicines. The company described the spending as part of a broader initiative to scale up U.S. manufacturing capabilities.
The decision comes as drugmakers reassess domestic capacity in light of tariff policy changes. The announcement references the Trump administration's imposition of a 100% tariff on branded drugs in October, noting the tariff is intended to apply only to producers that had not already broken ground on U.S. manufacturing plants.
AbbVie said construction on the new facility in North Chicago, Illinois, will begin in spring 2026. Both facilities are expected to be fully operational in 2029. The company said the new plants will incorporate advanced manufacturing technologies and artificial intelligence to support production of medicines from its future pipeline.
The drugmaker highlighted the technical complexity of API production - the process of making a drug's active chemical components - as a key reason for the targeted investment. AbbVie also said it plans to hire approximately 300 people at the North Chicago site, a mix that will include engineers, scientists, manufacturing operators and laboratory technicians.
Earlier this year, in January, AbbVie committed $100 billion over the next decade to U.S.-based research and development. That pledge included a previously announced $195 million expansion at the same North Chicago facility to boost API production for immunology, oncology and neuroscience drugs.
AbbVie currently operates 11 manufacturing sites in the United States. The company said it is in discussions with multiple U.S. states about potential projects and expects to announce additional investments in 2026.
Operational timeline and staffing
- Construction begins: spring 2026.
- Facilities fully operational: expected in 2029.
- Planned hires at North Chicago: about 300, including engineers, scientists, manufacturing operators and lab technicians.