Biotechnology giant Amgen Inc. has announced a major investment exceeding $600 million to construct a state-of-the-art research and development (R&D) center at its global headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California. This move underscores the company’s commitment to advancing scientific innovation amid a shifting U.S. pharmaceutical landscape, where domestic investments are surging in response to potential trade policies and supply chain pressures.
A Strategic Boost for Innovation
The new facility, dubbed the “Center for Science and Innovation,” is designed to foster collaboration among researchers, engineers, and scientists across disciplines. Unlike manufacturing plants, this R&D hub will focus on accelerating the discovery of next-generation therapeutics for patients battling serious diseases, including cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, inflammatory conditions, and rare disorders. Equipped with advanced automation and digital capabilities, the center aims to provide scientists with cutting-edge tools to drive breakthroughs in biotechnology.
Amgen CEO Robert A. Bradway emphasized the investment’s significance in a company statement: “At Amgen, we’re continuing to invest in the future of American science and innovation. The center will empower our scientists with the tools and collaborative environment they need to shape the next era of scientific discovery and advance medicines that improve human health.”
Construction is slated to begin in the third quarter of 2025, with the project expected to create hundreds of new U.S. jobs in the region. Thousand Oaks, located in Ventura County just northwest of Los Angeles, has been Amgen’s headquarters since the company’s founding in 1980 as Applied Molecular Genetics Inc. This investment builds on the biotech pioneer’s long-standing presence in California, where it has pioneered treatments like Neupogen and Enbrel.
Part of a Broader U.S. Expansion Wave
Amgen’s announcement comes at a pivotal time for the pharmaceutical industry. Since the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, the company has poured more than $40 billion into U.S. manufacturing and R&D, including over $5 billion in direct capital expenditures. Recent projects include a $900 million expansion of its biotech manufacturing facility in New Albany, Ohio, in April 2025, and a $1 billion investment in a second drug substance plant in Holly Springs, North Carolina, announced in December 2024. These efforts align with a broader trend among drugmakers like Eli Lilly, Novartis, Roche, and Johnson & Johnson, who are ramping up domestic capacity amid threats from President Donald Trump’s administration to impose tariffs on imported pharmaceuticals.
The White House has highlighted the national security implications of relying on foreign drug production, noting that building new U.S. facilities can take five to 10 years and cost billions due to regulatory hurdles. Amgen’s initiatives are seen as a proactive response, potentially mitigating risks from global supply chain disruptions and incentivizing re-shoring of operations. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s August 2025 program to streamline approvals for new domestic plants further supports this momentum.
Economic and Scientific Implications
This $600 million commitment is poised to have ripple effects on California’s biotech ecosystem. The state remains a global leader in life sciences, with Amgen’s expansion reinforcing Thousand Oaks as a hub for innovation. The facility’s emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration could accelerate Amgen’s pipeline, which includes promising candidates like MariTide, an anti-obesity drug in late-stage trials that has shown up to 20% body weight loss in patients despite dosage adjustments to manage side effects.
Experts view the investment as a signal of confidence in long-term growth. “This infrastructure signals management’s belief in the company’s research pipeline and the critical role of collaborative spaces in developing complex biologics,” noted analysts in a recent report. However, challenges persist, including potential tariff-induced cost increases and the need for skilled talent in a competitive job market.
Amgen, which employs thousands across its U.S. operations, continues to leverage its 40-plus years of expertise to address unmet medical needs. With a market cap exceeding $150 billion and a portfolio of blockbuster drugs, the company is well-positioned to capitalize on this expansion. As construction ramps up, stakeholders will watch how this facility contributes to Amgen’s goal of delivering innovative therapies “for every patient, every time.”