Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche has announced plans to invest $50 billion in the United States over the next five years, a move expected to create more than 12,000 new jobs across the country. The announcement comes as major drugmakers respond to growing trade tensions and looming tariff threats under the Trump administration.
The investment will significantly expand Roche’s U.S. operations, which currently employ 25,000 people across 24 sites. According to the company, approximately 6,500 of the new roles will be in construction, while around 1,000 will support new and expanded facilities.
Roche’s plans include upgrades to manufacturing and distribution centers in Kentucky, Indiana, New Jersey, and California. The company will also build a new gene therapy manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania, a continuous glucose monitoring plant in Indiana, and a new site dedicated to producing weight loss medications—though the location for the latter has yet to be disclosed.
Additionally, a new research center focusing on cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic conditions will be established in Massachusetts.
Chief Executive Thomas Schinecker emphasized that the investment reflects Roche’s long-term commitment to the U.S. market. “Our investments of $50 billion over the next five years will lay the foundation for our next era of innovation and growth, benefiting patients in the U.S. and around the world,” he said in a statement.
The expansion is expected to shift Roche’s trade balance, with the company stating it will begin exporting more medicines from the U.S. than it imports once the new capacity is fully operational.
While Schinecker did not directly address the U.S. government’s tariff strategy, the timing of the announcement aligns with increased scrutiny of pharmaceutical imports. The Trump administration recently launched a probe into the industry, raising the possibility of a 31% tariff on Swiss pharmaceutical exports. According to United Nations trade data, pharmaceutical imports into the U.S. reached $213 billion last year, nearly triple the figure from 2014.
Roche joins other global pharmaceutical firms increasing their U.S. presence amid these developments. Earlier this month, fellow Swiss company Novartis unveiled a $23 billion U.S. investment plan, while American drugmakers Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson have also announced significant expansions.
The wave of investment highlights the industry’s effort to safeguard supply chains and strengthen domestic production as the U.S. administration seeks to promote onshore manufacturing through trade policy reforms.
