AstraZeneca to invest $15B in manufacturing, R&D in China through 2030

Cambridge, UK-based drugmaker AstraZeneca announced Thursday it will make a $15 billion investment in China through 2030 to boost its manufacturing and research and development (R&D) footprint in the country — the company’s second-largest market.

China is currently home to two AstraZeneca global R&D centers in Beijing and Shanghai as well as four manufacturing sites that supply drugs to more than 70 markets worldwide. In addition to new production sites, which will be announced later, the company’s $15 billion investment will be used to expand existing manufacturing facilities in Beijing, Qingdao, Taizhou, and Wuxi.

“Today’s landmark investment of $15 billion begins an exciting next chapter for AstraZeneca in China, which has become a critical contributor to scientific innovation, advanced manufacturing, and global public health,” CEO Pascal Soriot said in a statement. “By expanding our capabilities in breakthrough treatments like cell therapy and radioconjugates, we will strengthen our contribution to China’s high-quality development and, most importantly, bring next-generation modalities to patients.”

The $15 billion capital expenditure will be used to support AstraZeneca’s ambition of launching at least 20 new medicines by 2030 and generating $80 billion in total revenue. The company has previously said it will leverage artificial intelligence-powered drug development and continuous-autonomous manufacturing techniques to help meet its goal. AstraZeneca and Multiply Labs are evaluating the application of GMP-ready robotic systems for commercial-scale cell therapy manufacturing.

The drugmaker’s investment plans were announced during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to China. In a statement, Starmer said AstraZeneca’s expansion and leadership in the Asian country “will help the British manufacturer continue to grow — supporting thousands of UK jobs.”

However, AstraZeneca last year scrapped plans to invest $558.3 million (£450 million) in a vaccine manufacturing plant in northern England, citing a reduction in UK government support. The company had planned to expand an existing facility in Speke, Liverpool, but discussions with the government led to a final funding offer lower than a previous proposal.

US, China investment continues   

The U.S. is AstraZeneca’s largest market by sales and is home to 19 manufacturing, R&D, and commercial sites. In July 2025, AstraZeneca announced plans to invest $50 billion in manufacturing and R&D in the U.S. by 2030, including a new cell therapy manufacturing facility in Rockville, Maryland and expansion of an existing specialty manufacturing facility in Coppell, Texas. In November, the drugmaker announced it will drop $2 billion to bolster production in Maryland and move its entire rare disease portfolio to the U.S.

AstraZeneca in October broke ground on a new $4.5 billion active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing facility, near Charlottesville, Virginia, which will be focused on chronic diseases. The site will produce drug substances for AstraZeneca’s weight management and metabolic portfolio, including oral GLP-1, baxdrostat, oral PCSK9, and combination small molecule products.

Despite AstraZeneca’s recent investment in the U.S., Soriot recently noted that the drugmaker has a “large presence” in China where “companies are moving incredibly fast — the competition is very intense.” Since 2023, the drugmaker has signed 16 global licensing agreements with 15 Chinese partners.

In March 2025, AstraZeneca announced a $2.5 billion investment in Beijing over the next five years to establish a new global strategic R&D center and expand partnerships in biotechnology and manufacturing.     

As part of the investment, AstraZeneca launched a joint venture with BioKangtai to develop, manufacture, and commercialize vaccines for respiratory and infectious diseases. The new facility in Beijing BioPark will be AstraZeneca’s first vaccine manufacturing site in China.