Amgen expands its investment at Holly Springs biotech campus by $1 billion
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The Amgen logo is displayed outside the company's headquarters in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Biotechnology giant Amgen will expand its investment and the number of jobs at its under-construction campus in Holly Springs after landing another incentives package from the state.
Why it matters: Amgen and the Japanese drug manufacturer Fujifilm Diosynth have turned Holly Springs and southern Wake County into one of the nation's hot spots for biotech investments.
- Together two firms have invested more than a billion dollars into facilities in the area and are creating hundreds of new jobs. Seqirus, a vaccine maker, also has a large presence in the town.
- They've also attracted other companies to the area, including Janssen Pharmaceuticals, which has leased space on Fujifilm's campus.
Driving the news: On Thursday morning, state officials said Amgen's second investment into Holly Springs would expand its campus with an investment of $1 billion and an additional 370 jobs.
- Pay for the jobs will vary, but the average wage for the new positions is expected to be $91,527, according to the state's Commerce Department. Wake County's average wage is around $75,000.
- The investment and job hiring are expected to happen between 2028 and 2032, according to Commerce.
- If the company meets its hiring and investment goals, it could be in line for an incentives grant from the state worth $4.8 million. It could receive an additional $40.2 million in incentives from Holly Springs and Wake County.
Catch up quick: The latest investment follows one announced in 2021, when the state and local governments also gave the company an incentives package worth around $35 million.
- The original announcement called for 350 jobs and around $500 million in capital investments.
- That first facility is expected to open in 2026, according to Amgen.
Zoom in: Amgen is one of the largest drug makers in the country, making popular drugs like the arthritis treatment Enbrel, the bone-marrow stimulant Neulasta and osteoporosis medicine Prolia.
- The manufacturing facilities in Amgen will produce the biologics and components that go into the drugs the company produces.
- The state's Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders said that Amgen will be hiring across a variety of positions, including engineering and technician roles, quality control analysts as well as supply chain management.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.