AbbVie announced on August 12, 2025, a $195 million investment to expand active pharmaceutical ingredient production at its North Chicago, Illinois manufacturing plant. Construction of the new facility is set to begin in fall 2025, with the site expected to be fully operational in 2027. The expansion adds chemical synthesis capabilities for neuroscience, immunology, and oncology medicines.
What it means
The North Chicago expansion increases domestic API production capacity across three therapeutic areas — neuroscience, immunology, and oncology. AbbVie said the investment is part of a previously announced commitment to invest more than $10 billion of capital in the U.S. over the next decade, during which the company said it will expand production of API, drug product, peptides, and medical devices. Chairman and chief executive Robert A. Michael said the decade-long program is intended “to support future medical breakthroughs.”
AbbVie’s existing U.S. manufacturing footprint spans 11 sites and supports more than 6,000 American jobs. The company is headquartered in Illinois and employs more than 11,000 people in the state. Governor JB Pritzker attributed the company’s decision to expand in Illinois to the state’s “world-class workforce, infrastructure, cutting-edge research institutions, and location.”
Key facts
- Investment: $195 million (according to the company)
- Location: North Chicago, Illinois
- Construction start: Fall 2025
- Projected operational date: 2027
- Capabilities added: Chemical synthesis for neuroscience, immunology, and oncology medicines
- Existing U.S. manufacturing footprint: 11 sites, more than 6,000 jobs supported (according to the company)
- Illinois employee count: More than 11,000 (according to the company)
- Broader U.S. investment commitment: More than $10 billion over the next decade (according to the company)
Source: AbbVie news release (PR Newswire)