Roche to spend $50bn on US manufacturing, R&D sites

(Sharecast News) - Swiss healthcare giant Roche announced on Tuesday that it is planning to spend $50bn in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics in the US over the next five years. The plans include new research and development sites, new and expanded manufacturing facilities in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and California and another location which will be announced soon.

Roche already has 15 manufacturing and 15 R&D sites across its US pharma and diagnostics divisions.

The commitment will create more than 12,000 new jobs, 1,000 of which will be at Roche and the remaining 11,000 will be in support of new manufacturing capabilities.

As the industry shifts more investment to the US to get around the Trump administrations tariffs on US imports, Roche said one its new and expanded manufacturing capacity becomes operational, it will export more medicines from the US than it imports.

"Roche is a Swiss company with a strong heritage in more than 130 countries globally. Today's announced investments underscore our long-standing commitment to research, development and manufacturing in the US," said Thomas Schinecker, Roche's chief executive.

"We are proud of our 110 year legacy in the United States which has been a key driver for jobs, innovation and the creation of intellectual property in the US, across both our Pharmaceutical and Diagnostics Divisions. Our investments of USD 50 billion over the next five years will lay the foundation for our next era of innovation and growth, benefiting patients in the US and around the world."

Roche shares were down 0.2% at CHF255 by 1149 in Zurich.