Cure
Overview
Explore North Carolina’s most impactful biotech and life sciences companies, and learn why the state's Research Triangle Park (RTP), in particular, continues to be one of the nation’s leading hubs for biopharma investment and growth.
When it comes to U.S. biotech hubs, North Carolina’s edge is rooted in the Research Triangle, one of the largest and most established life sciences clusters in the country. Anchored by Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, and powered by institutions like Duke University, UNC-Chapel Hill, and NC State, the region has evolved into a full-spectrum biotech ecosystem. Its advantage is straightforward: companies can attract top-tier talent without incurring the high costs associated with major coastal markets.
That foundation extends well beyond the Triangle itself. John Boyd, Jr., Principal at The Boyd Company, Inc., a corporate site selection and economic development consulting firm, explained that the state offers a premier life sciences workforce, world-class universities, top technical schools, strong market access, and growing AI and quantum computing assets. Cold storage and biopharma logistics capacity across the state, especially near Wilmington International Airport, are another advantage for climate-controlled global distribution. “North Carolina’s robust incentive program also distinguishes the state by helping offset the substantial costs associated with major new plant or office start-ups.”
That talent-and-cost advantage extends beyond the workforce alone to how companies operate statewide. From a business and deal-making perspective, Boyd explained that North Carolina’s biotech system has become a hub where companies can conduct everything, from early research to large-scale drug manufacturing within a single state. He shared, “The Triangle Region, especially Durham, blends life sciences and tech, with AI, data analytics, and digital health feeding directly into drug development.” Equally important is the ability for companies to start small and scale quickly, as demonstrated by major biologics and manufacturing expansions along RTP and the I-40 corridor.
Supporting that full-lifecycle model is a coordinated economic development ecosystem designed to reduce friction early in the site-selection process. Boyd explained how groups like the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, headed by CEO Doug Edgeton, help streamline deals by aligning talent, shovel-ready sites, and incentives early in the process, reducing risk and accelerating decisions. “Speed to market can help our site-seeking clients secure patents or establish a brand before competitors can claim similar designs or technologies,” Boyd added. Getting up and running sooner can also help a company qualify for certain time-sensitive incentives, especially those tied to federal programs.
As companies move from early growth into expansion mode, geography inside the state becomes another advantage. For many biotech companies, scaling is generally easier in North Carolina thanks to available land, zoning flexibility, and workforce depth beyond the Triangle. Boyd shared that growth along corridors like I-40 toward the lower-cost Triad region allows firms to add manufacturing or cold storage capacity while keeping R&D teams anchored in Raleigh-Durham. “The challenge, relative to coastal hubs, can be perception, as some early-stage firms still assume they must be in Boston or San Francisco to raise capital, but that gap is narrowing,” he explained.
Housing is another consideration that companies factor into long-term growth decisions, though North Carolina remains comparatively affordable. Boyd noted that affordability near major employment centers has tightened, though it remains far more manageable than in biotech hubs such as Boston, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and the Bay Area. “On balance, these challenges are real but manageable, and state and local economic development partners in North Carolina have an impressive track record of responding and serving the needs of site-seeking firms in the life sciences field,” he shared.
Taken together, these dynamics help explain both the scale and diversity of biotech investment flowing into the state. North Carolina is attracting major investments from companies across a wide range of biotechnology fields, including biologics manufacturing, gene and cell therapy, metabolic and obesity-related injectables, contract manufacturing, contract research, clinical services, and medical devices.
Biogen
Sector: Biotechnology (neurological and rare disease therapeutics)
HQ: Morrisville, NC
Year Founded: 1978
Key Leaders: Christopher A. Viehbacher, President and CEO; Jane Grogan, PhD, Head of Research
Number of Employees: ~1,500 in North Carolina
Stage: Public
Financial Snapshot: The company’s market cap was $28.69 billion in February 2026.
Key Products: The company offers a range of products for multiple sclerosis, including Tecfidera and Tysabri, as well as spinal muscular atrophy products such as Spinraza, and Alzheimer's disease products, including Lequembi. Biogen's core strategic objective is neuroscience.
Recent Highlights: Biogen has focused on the commercial launch of Leqembi and expanding reimbursement. In July 2025, the company announced its making a $2 billion investment to expand manufacturing in RTP and in October 2025, it pledged $250,000 to Durham Technical Community College to mark their 30th anniversary in the area.
Pfizer
Sector: Pharmaceuticals & vaccines
HQ: Rocky Mount, NC
Year Founded: 1849
Key Leaders: Albert Bourla, Chairman and CEO; Andrew Baum, MD, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer; Chris Boshoff, MD, President and Chief Scientific Officer
Number of Employees: ~81,000 globally
Stage: Public
Financial Snapshot: The company’s market cap was $114.69 billion in February 2026.
Key Products: The company develops vaccines (including COVID-19 and Prevnar), cancer treatments, and has programs for rare diseases and gene therapy candidates. The company also supports work in internal medicine, immunology, and vaccine creation.
Recent Highlights: The company reported positive late-phase oncology and rare disease data, advancing its gene therapy candidates. Pfizer also expanded label prospects in internal medicine and immunology, while maintaining strong investments in global R&D. In February 2026, the company announced positive results from the Phase 2b VESPER-3 study investigating monthly maintenance dosing of its injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist.
Merck (MSD)
Sector: Pharmaceuticals and vaccines
HQ: HQ in Rahway, NJ, with significant manufacturing facilities in Durham, NC
Year Founded: 1891
Key Leaders: Robert M. Davis, Chairman and CEO
Number of Employees: ~75,000
Stage: Public
Financial Snapshot: The company’s market cap was $301.74 billion in February 2026.
Key Products: Merck’s key products include oncology therapies led by Keytruda, a broad vaccine portfolio, and biologics for infectious diseases and preventive care. Manufacturing and formulation play a central role in its supply chain.
Recent Highlights: Merck has continued to expand production capacity for oncology and vaccine products. It has also sustained investment in biologics manufacturing and long-term commitments to its North Carolina operations.
Eli Lilly
Sector: Pharmaceuticals (endocrinology, oncology, immunology, neuroscience)
HQ: Durham, NC
Year Founded: 1876
Key Leaders: David A. Ricks, CEO
Number of Employees: ~ 50,600 worldwide
Stage: Public
Financial Snapshot: The company’s market cap is $683.35 billion as of February 2026.
Key Products: Eli Lilly’s portfolio includes diabetes and obesity treatments such as Mounjaro and Zepbound, oncology therapies, immunology products, and neuroscience assets. Endocrinology remains a major growth driver.
Recent Highlights: Lilly began executing one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing expansions in its history, which included major new investments in North Carolina to support demand for injectable therapies. For instance, the company announced in January 2023 it will invest an additional $450 million at RTP manufacturing site.
Novo Nordisk
Sector: Pharmaceuticals, including diabetes care, obesity, rare bleeding disorders, and hormone therapies
HQ: Clayton, NC
Year Founded: 1923
Key Leaders: Maziar Mike Doustdar, CEO
Number of Employees: ~78,400
Stage: Public
Financial Snapshot: The company’s market cap was $159.74 billion as of February 2026.
Key Products: Novo Nordisk’s manufacturing presence in the Triangle dates back decades and remains a cornerstone employer. The company’s core products focus on diabetes and obesity care, including Ozempic, Wegovy, and insulin therapies, as well as treatments for rare bleeding and endocrine disorders.
Recent Highlights: Novo Nordisk has added significant manufacturing capacity in North Carolina to meet global demand for GLP-1 therapies, supporting the Clayton campus as an important facility in its global supply chain. In 2024, the company announced it will spend $4.1 billion to boost the supply of its injectable therapies manufactured in the area.
Grifols
Sector: Plasma-derived medicines & hospital/clinical products
HQ: Durham, NC
Year Founded: 1909
Key Leaders: José Ignacio (Nacho) Abia Buenache, CEO
Number of Employees: ~23,000
Stage: Public
Financial Snapshot: The company’s market cap was $5.62 billion as of February 2026.
Key Products: Grifols is a plasma-derived biologics manufacturer with specialized facilities and a large local workforce in RTP. The company specializes in plasma-derived therapies, including immunoglobulins, albumin, and clotting factors, as well as hospital and diagnostic products.
Recent Highlights: Grifols has continued to maximize plasma fractionation and biologics production in North Carolina as it seeks to achieve operational efficiencies and stabilize its balance sheet following recent restructuring initiatives. In April 2024, the company celebrated its 50th anniversary in Clayton and in December 2025, the company announced FDA approval for its drug FESILTY, used for acute bleeding episodes in pediatric and adult patients with congenital fibrinogen deficiency.
IQVIA
Sector: Health information technology, as well as a CRO and life sciences services company
HQ: Durham, NC
Year Founded: 2016
Key Leaders: Ari Bousbib, Chairman and CEO
Number of Employees: ~86,000
Stage: Public
Financial Snapshot: The company’s market cap was $21.11 billion as of February 2026.
Key Products: IQVIA is a massive clinical research and life sciences analytics employer that helps drive local biotech research and manufacturing. It provides clinical research services, real-world evidence, health data analytics, and technology platforms that support drug development, commercialization, and regulatory decision-making.
Recent Highlights: IQVIA has expanded its data and analytics capabilities, increased use of AI-enabled clinical trial tools, and continued to scale its Durham headquarters as a central hub for global operations.
Syneos Health
Sector: Clinical R&D
HQ: Morrisville, NC
Year Founded: 1999
Key Leaders: Costa Panagos, CEO; Michael Brooks, COO
Number of Employees: ~21,000
Stage: Private
Financial Snapshot: The company’s market cap was $3.27 billion as of February 2026.
Notable Investors: Elliott Investment Management, Patient Square Capital, and Veritas Capital
Key Products: Syneos Health is a CRO with significant local headcount, shaping clinical development hiring across RTP. It offers integrated clinical research, medical affairs, and commercialization services to biopharma companies across all phases of drug development.
Recent Highlights: Following its take-private transaction in 2023, Syneos Health has focused on operational restructuring and cost optimization. It has also strengthened its core CRO offerings amid a softer clinical trial market.
United Therapeutics
Sector: Biotechnology, specifically pulmonary hypertension and organ manufacturing tech
HQ: Research Triangle Park, NC
Year Founded: 1996
Key Leaders: Martine Rothblatt, PhD, CEO; Michael Benowitz, President and COO
Number of Employees: ~1,300
Stage: Public
Financial Snapshot: The company’s market cap was $15.80 billion as of February 2026.
Key Products: United Therapeutics is an advanced manufacturing and organ bioengineering facility with long-term R&D and infrastructure investment in RTP. Its products focus on pulmonary arterial hypertension, including Remodulin, Tyvaso, and Orenitram, as well as advanced organ manufacturing and regenerative medicine technologies.
Recent Highlights: The company has continued investing in bioengineering and organ manufacturing platforms in North Carolina while expanding indications and delivery technologies for its pulmonary hypertension therapies. In January 2026, the company announced positive results from its phase 1 study of miroliverELAP, an external liver assist product, for people with different types of liver failure.
KBI Biopharma
Sector: Contract development and manufacturing
HQ: Durham, NC
Year Founded: 1996
Key Leaders: Tim Lowery, CEO; Sigma Mostafa, Chief Scientific Officer; Peter Carbone, COO
Number of Employees: 1,622
Stage: Subsidiary of JSR Life Sciences (private)
Financial Snapshot: The company was valued at approximately $250 million as of 2024.
Key Products: KBI Biopharma is a CDMO with purpose-built biologics manufacturing facilities based in the Triangle. The company provides contract development and manufacturing services for biologics, including cell line development, process development, and GMP manufacturing for clinical and commercial supply.
Recent Highlights: KBI has expanded biologics manufacturing capacity in Durham, adding flexible GMP suites and strengthening its position as a leading U.S.-based CDMO for complex biologics. In 2022, the company held a ribbon-cutting for its new $150 million, 150,000 square-foot commercial manufacturing facility in RTP.
CSL Seqirus
Sector: Influenza vaccines
HQ: Holly Springs, NC
Year Founded: 2015
Key Leaders: Gordon Naylor, CEO and Managing Director
Number of Employees: 25,000+
Stage: Subsidiary of CSL Limited (private)
Financial Snapshot: Market cap for the parent company was $38.48 billion as of February 2024.
Notable Investors: Key shareholders include State Street Global Advisors Trust Co., Colonial First State Investments Ltd., Commonwealth Superannuation Corp., and Netwealth Investments Ltd.
Key Products: CSL Seqirus’ vaccine manufacturing and development operations are of strategic importance to North Carolina’s life sciences sector. It focuses on influenza vaccines and pandemic preparedness, including cell-based and adjuvanted flu vaccines used in seasonal and global immunization programs.
Recent Highlights: CSL Seqirus expanded its Holly Springs manufacturing campus, reinforcing North Carolina’s role in U.S. and global influenza vaccine supply and pandemic readiness. The completion of the $156 million expansion was announced in 2022.
Catalent
Sector: Drug delivery technologies
HQ: Morrisville, NC
Year Founded: 2007
Key Leaders: Alessandro Maselli, President and CEO
Number of Employees: ~17,000
Stage: Subsidiary of Novo Holdings A/S (private)
Financial Snapshot: The market cap was approximately $11.52 billion before the company went private.
Notable Investors: Pre-acquisition, key investors and shareholders included Novo Holdings, Elliot Investment Management, and The Blackstone Group.
Key Products: Catalent’s biologics and cell therapy manufacturing sites employing a highly technical local workforce in North Carolina. The company provides drug-delivery technologies, biologics manufacturing, cell and gene therapy services, and clinical supply solutions to pharmaceutical and biotech partners.
Recent Highlights: Following its acquisition by Novo Holdings, Catalent has begun integrating into a long-term private ownership structure while continuing to invest in biologics and advanced therapy manufacturing across its U.S. sites, including its North Carolina site. And in 2025, the company announced a strategic partnership with Science 37 to redefine how investigational medicinal products (IMPs) are delivered directly to patients’ homes for clinical research.
