AstraZeneca expands in Nijmegen: $70 million investment in sustainable medicine manufacturing

AstraZeneca today announced a $70 million investment to expand its manufacturing facility in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Oost NL and the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) supported the company in its expansion process, in close collaboration with the Province of Gelderland and the City of Nijmegen. The groundbreaking ceremony was performed by Hubert Bruls, Mayor of Nijmegen, together with Paul Bedford, Site Lead of AstraZeneca Nijmegen, and Per Alfredsson, Senior Vice President Global Biologics Operations at AstraZeneca, officially marking the start of construction.

Central role in filling, inspection and distribution

AstraZeneca’s Nijmegen facility plays a central role in the filling, inspection and distribution of biologic medicines, particularly for clinical research — from potential cancer treatments to vaccines for premature babies. The expansion will add a second fill line to the site. The number of employees will increase from 100 to approximately 130.

Investment in sustainable and accessible healthcare

This investment in the Netherlands underscores AstraZeneca’s conviction that sustainable public-private collaboration and forward-looking investment are essential to keep the Netherlands at the forefront of Life Sciences & Health (LSH), to stimulate economic growth, and to deliver life-changing medicines to patients.

Paul Bedford, Site Lead at AstraZeneca Nijmegen, said: "Our investment in Nijmegen not only strengthens AstraZeneca’s scientific and manufacturing capabilities but also sends a clear signal about the value of Life Sciences & Health in the Netherlands. By expanding our production footprint, we reaffirm our commitment to Dutch patients, healthcare professionals, and society at large. The support from Oost NL and NFIA has made the expansion process smoother — it is valuable to work with a non-commercial partner that actively supports our presence in the region."

Oost NL and the NFIA supported AstraZeneca in exploring financial instruments, identifying solutions for grid congestion, and securing the necessary permits. Susan van Boxtel, Team Manager Foreign Direct Investment at Oost NL, said: "We value AstraZeneca’s active role in the regional Pharma Delta collaboration, where knowledge institutions and business clusters work together on a talent programme and shared facilities. The expansion of a global player like AstraZeneca strengthens the pharmaceutical cluster in the Nijmegen-Oss region, and we are proud of that."

Hilde van der Meer, Commissioner of the NFIA, welcomed AstraZeneca’s Nijmegen expansion in the Netherlands: "AstraZeneca’s confidence in the Dutch Life Sciences & Health cluster is time and again demonstrated through the investments they make, not only in their facilities but also in their people and in collaboration with researchers, local businesses and the community. With this expansion in Nijmegen, AstraZeneca once again strengthens its contribution to the LSH ecosystem."

Sustainable location

AstraZeneca’s Nijmegen site is already known for its sustainability ambitions, and this expansion follows AstraZeneca’s global Ambition Zero Carbon programme: the goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. Since 2015, global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been reduced by 77.5% (2024). In addition, despite growth, 20% less energy has been used across our sites (2024).

In the Netherlands, the company is also making significant progress. In 2021, Nijmegen was the first AstraZeneca site to achieve a 99% reduction in GHG emissions. Moreover, in 2022 AstraZeneca Netherlands became the first site worldwide with a 100% electric vehicle fleet.