Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has announced plans to invest $50bn (€46bn) in the United States by 2030, significantly expanding its manufacturing and research footprint.

The investment is seen as a strategic response to evolving US trade and industrial policies under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The Anglo-Swedish company said the funding will support a new drug manufacturing facility in Virginia and bolster research and development (R&D) operations, as well as cell therapy production, in Maryland, Massachusetts, California, Indiana, and Texas.

Additionally, AstraZeneca will upgrade its clinical trial supply network in the US and continue developing innovative medicines.

This expansion is a key component of AstraZeneca’s ambition to achieve $80bn in annual revenue by 2030, with half of that total projected to come from the US market.

In 2024, the US accounted for over 40% of the company’s global revenue.

The move comes as the pharmaceutical industry faces increasing pressure from the Trump administration to boost domestic manufacturing.

President Trump has warned of potential import tariffs on pharmaceutical products, aiming to reduce the sector’s reliance on overseas production and lower domestic drug prices.

Historically, the industry has largely avoided such trade measures, but Trump’s renewed focus on reshoring supply chains has shifted the policy landscape.

Speaking in Washington, AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot stated that while the company is committed to supporting innovation, the global system of drug pricing must be rebalanced.

“The US cannot carry the cost of R&D for the entire world,” he said, calling for higher drug prices in other markets to help offset the burden.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, whose department is currently reviewing pharmaceutical import practices, echoed the administration’s goals.

“For decades, Americans have been reliant on foreign supply of key pharmaceutical products,” he said. “President Trump’s new tariff policies aim to end this structural vulnerability.”

While the company acknowledged that the timing of the announcement reflects the current US policy environment, it noted that much of the investment aligns with long-term infrastructure needs for future medicines.

This latest pledge builds on a $3.5bn investment announced by AstraZeneca in November 2024.

The scale of the investment brings AstraZeneca in line with Swiss rival Roche, which made a similar $50bn commitment earlier this year.

It also follows recent spending announcements by sector leaders including Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, and Sanofi.

For Irish businesses operating in the pharmaceutical supply chain or seeking opportunities in life sciences, AstraZeneca’s move is a clear signal of intensifying US focus—and may point to increased global competition for investment and talent in advanced manufacturing and biotech R&D.