Novo Nordisk’s $2.3B investment in fill-finish factory takes on national importance in Italy

Italy’s government has appointed a special commissioner to accelerate upgrades to a fill-finish facility in Anagni, Italy, as part of Novo Nordisk’s $2.3 billion investment in the factory formerly owned by contract development and manufacturing organization Catalent.

Francesco Rocca, president of the Lazio region, will serve in the role to speed up projects related to the Anagni site located about 45 miles south of Rome, according to multiple media outlets including Reuters. 

In March, the government of Italy approved Novo Nordisk’s plans to upgrade capacity at the Anagni site, with an investment of more than 2 billion euros from 2025 through 2029 and the Danish drugmaker’s pledge to hire approximately 800 positions, increasing the total workforce to 1,500 people.

Given its potentially significant economic impact, the investment has been given national and strategic importance, as evidenced by Rocca’s appointment as special commissioner. However, critics have pointed to infrastructure challenges in the Anagni area, namely the condition of the roads needed to accommodate traffic for the construction site and when post-upgrade production ultimately commences.

“Our mission is to support those who choose to invest in the area, breaking down bureaucratic obstacles, facilitating authorizations, and offering qualified technical assistance throughout the process,” Claudio Ferracci, director general of the Consorzio Industriale del Lazio, said during Monday’s press conference announcing Rocca’s appointment. 

In December 2024, Novo Nordisk announced that the $16.5 billion acquisition of Catalent by Novo Holdings and the related $11 billion acquisition by the Danish drugmaker of three manufacturing sites from Novo Holdings was completed. 

Located in Anagni, Italy, Brussels, Belgium, and Bloomington, Indiana, the three sites are meant to boost the production of Novo Nordisk’s wildly popular blockbuster GLP-1 medications Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for obesity.