The following information is shared on behalf of the Sanford Area Growth Alliance.
Sanford, NC – Kyowa Kirin, a Japan-based global specialty pharmaceutical company, will acquire 75 acres for a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Sanford, Lee County, North Carolina, Governor Roy Cooper announced on Tuesday. The company plans to locate in Helix Innovation Park at the Brickyard, an 895+ acre industrial park purpose-built for advanced manufacturing and life sciences.
Kyowa Kirin, a global specialty pharmaceutical company, has invested in drug discovery and biotechnology innovation for more than 70 years. Their current projects include engineering the next generation of antibodies and cell and gene therapies with the potential to help patients with high unmet medical needs, including bone/mineral, blood cancers, intractable hematologic diseases, and rare diseases.
The company will invest $200 million to establish a biologics manufacturing Center of Excellence in Sanford/Lee County, North Carolina, creating more than 100 new jobs at an average salary of $91,496.
The Sanford facility will become part of Kyowa Kirin’s global manufacturing network, which also includes sites in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, and Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. This site will expand Kyowa Kirin’s global capacity, create more resilient and efficient supply lines, and produce the drug supply needed for planned clinical trials and future product launches.
Response from local leaders
Lee County Board of Commissioners Chair Kirk Smith: “We are excited that Kyowa Kirin chose Lee County, further expanding our local life sciences industry. We look forward to the beneficial economic impact for our community as well the future tax benefits for our citizens. The County’s investment in strategic economic development through the Sanford Area Growth Alliance continues to pay dividends.”
Sanford Mayor Rebecca Salmon: “Congratulations to Kyowa Kirin on the siting of their first North American biomanufacturing facility here in Sanford, North Carolina. Our City is thrilled to welcome a company so strategically focused on the manufacturing of life-saving and life-changing treatments for patients. Kyowa Kirin will be an excellent addition to our growing Life Sciences Community. We look forward to a strong and lasting relationship. We have worked hard as a City to create an environment that not only is business friendly but also a place where company team members can live, work, and flourish and this announcement validates that effort. Best wishes and a heartfelt welcome to Sanford.”
Sanford Area Growth Alliance (SAGA) Board of Directors Chair Jimmy Keen: “The Sanford Area Growth Alliance enthusiastically welcomes Kyowa Kirin to the Sanford-Lee County community, where public and private sectors work together to grow and diversify the business community, increase opportunities for our workforce and improve the quality of life for our citizens. Kyowa Kirin’s decision to locate here is an endorsement of our organization’s team effort and our strong reputation at regional, state and national levels.”
SAGA CEO Jimmy Randolph: “With their decision to locate at Helix Innovation Park at the Brickyard, Kyowa Kirin adds another valuable facet to Lee County’s already impressive life sciences manufacturing cluster. Their operation will complement the globally significant gene therapy manufacturing hub anchored by Pfizer, one of Lee County’s largest and longest-tenured employers, and Astellas Gene Therapies, further enhancing Sanford and Lee County’s contributions to the Research Triangle Region’s reputation as the nation’s leading biomanufacturing center.”
About our partners
In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in the project include the North Carolina Community College System and Central Carolina Community College, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, NC State University Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Duke Energy, Dominion Energy, Lee County, the City of Sanford, Helix Ventures, LLC and Helix Innovation Park at the Brickyard.
About the Sanford Area Growth Alliance
The Sanford Area Growth Alliance is a private not-for-profit organization leveraging public and private investment to expand and diversify the economic base of Lee County, the City of Sanford and the Town of Broadway. Lee County’s strategic location in the geographic center of NC is less than 40 minutes from the Research Triangle Park, Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and NC State University, and a vital part of both the Research Triangle Region and the NC Carolina Core.