Biopharma’s Massive U.S. Manufacturing Investments Hinge on Adaptable Facility Design

A quarter-trillion-dollar investment into American biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities is poised to reshape the industry’s physical footprint. At the heart of the wave is design, as plants must be resilient to supply chain shocks yet adaptable enough to pivot as science and markets evolve. That means building modular, flexible infrastructure that can support products not even envisioned when ground is first broken. How these plants are designed will determine whether the investment delivers lasting resilience or becomes another costly experiment.

What does the new era of investment mean on the ground? We asked David Grote, a strategic biotechnology executive with over 20 years of leadership experience building world-class GxP organizations at pharmaceutical giants like Immunocore and Teva Pharmaceuticals. His career in global quality, manufacturing, and regulatory compliance means Grote brings direct experience from decades of industry change. Now, as Principal Consultant at Curadian Group, he advises companies on the challenges of this new investment era.

According to Grote, a key design feature for these new facilities is adaptability. Adaptability requires infrastructure that is modular and flexible, as market demands and scientific breakthroughs can change priorities during the long development timeline, meaning the final product may differ from the one originally envisioned.

• Planning for pivots: "Facilities are often built with one product in mind, and then another product suddenly becomes the higher priority. Designing facilities that are modular and flexible, able to accommodate different technologies as those shifts happen, is going to be critical."

• Begin with the end: "It comes down to the 'begin with the end in mind' concept. Facilities are often laid out in ways that seem functional at first but prove inefficient once operations begin. Involving expertise in quality assurance, validation, and operations from the very earliest design stages is essential to avoid those costly missteps."

He offered a memorable cautionary tale from an Amgen facility in Rhode Island to illustrate the point.

• A cautionary tale: "The plant had been designed for one process, and later they had to add six 20,000-liter tanks into a space that wasn’t built for them. The only solution was to mount the tanks horizontally from the ceiling. It worked, but it was an odd and costly workaround—and a clear reminder of why it’s essential to allow for options in facility design."

• Power play: Rising operational costs, from energy use to staffing, only reinforce the need for facilities that can pivot efficiently rather than lock companies into costly redesigns. "Energy costs are likely to rise, and artificial intelligence is already driving higher energy demands. That will be a big factor. Adaptability cannot only focus on scientific breakthroughs or new medicines, it also has to account for shifting economics and rising operational costs. It makes real business sense, and that is going to be the bottom line here."

A clear pattern is emerging as investment flows into hubs like North Carolina’s Research Triangle, the D.C. corridor, Texas, and established centers in California and Boston. Tax incentives, talent pools, and business climates are shaping where facilities rise, and international players like Celltrion are already circling.

• From tobacco to tech: "North Carolina did something pretty innovative with the tobacco settlement funds, directing much of that money into biomanufacturing and biopharmaceutical training. For a state whose economy had long relied on tobacco, it was a drastic move, and that investment is paying off today." It goes to show how adaptability, not just in facilities but in regional strategy, can redefine the trajectory of an entire industry.

• Brain vs. build: "Boston will continue to be an R&D capital for the industry because of its schools, but it’s less likely to become a major manufacturing hub. You don’t really need that level of advanced education for manufacturing, and the region’s high real estate and labor costs make it harder to adapt facilities at scale."

If these new projects are built with adaptability at the core, the payoff could reshape not only where U.S. biopharma operates, but how resilient and competitive the industry will be for decades to come. Facilities designed to pivot with new science, shifting priorities, and rising costs have the potential to turn today’s construction boom into tomorrow’s lasting advantage.