A Big Cash Surge Rewrites the US Biologics Map

UCB boosts US biologics capacity as companies rethink domestic production to meet rising demand

17 Nov 2025

UCB has outlined plans to invest about $5bn in expanding its US biologics capacity, marking one of the sector’s largest recent commitments to domestic production as drugmakers reassess global supply chains.

The move comes as the United States seeks to reduce reliance on overseas plants for complex medicines. Recent supply delays and geopolitical tensions have highlighted the vulnerabilities of long, international supply routes, prompting companies to bring more advanced manufacturing closer to their main markets.

UCB executives said the investment is intended to secure stable access to specialised therapies and build a supply chain better able to absorb future shocks. They framed the strategy as an effort to keep high-quality production nearer to American patients who depend on biologic drugs. Analysts noted that manufacturing strength is becoming as important as research capability in determining which companies retain a competitive edge.

Several groups are pursuing similar strategies. Wacker Biotech set out its own US expansion plans last spring, adding pressure on peers to move quickly as demand for biologics, medicines derived from living cells, continues to rise. Industry specialists expect upgraded facilities to shorten production timelines and provide more flexibility for therapies that require highly controlled environments.

Companies entering or expanding in biologics manufacturing face a difficult operating landscape. They must recruit skilled staff, meet strict regulatory standards and absorb high initial expenses. But executives argue that the long-term benefits outweigh these hurdles, particularly as biologics, though representing only about 1 percent of approved medicines, grow in commercial and strategic importance.

UCB’s investment is viewed by some industry observers as a potential turning point. Should other drugmakers follow, the US could move into a phase in which advanced biologics are not only developed in domestic laboratories but also produced at scale within the country.

Such shifts would alter the global distribution of high-value pharmaceutical manufacturing. With fresh capital, expanded sites and a stronger policy focus on supply resilience, the US is positioning itself to play a larger role in the delivery of complex, high-demand treatments.