Swiss global pharmaceutical giant Novartis plans to build a new 46,000-square-foot radioligand therapy (RLT) manufacturing site in Denton. This purpose-built RLT site will be the company’s fifth in the U.S. and first manufacturing facility in Texas, marking further progress in the company’s goal of hitting $23 billion in U.S. investment.
 
The North Texas facility is expected to create new jobs in bioengineering, advanced manufacturing, quality, and operations, bolstering economic growth in Denton and surrounding communities. Construction is scheduled to begin this year, with the site slated for completion in 2028.
 
“RLT has the potential to revolutionize cancer care,” Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan said in a statement. “The addition of our fifth RLT manufacturing site in the U.S. strengthens our ability to meet growing demand, building the capabilities needed to deliver these next-generation treatments with the speed and precision they require.”

RLT  therapy precisely delivers radiation to cancer cells

Radioligand therapy uses radioactive substances to precisely deliver radiation to cancer cells, minimizing harm to healthy cells.

The Texas site will join a comprehensive Novartis RLT manufacturing network—with existing U.S. sites in New Jersey, Indiana, and California and a recently announced site to be constructed in Florida—providing “outstanding RLT capacity from coast to coast,” the company said. The manufacturing network has a longstanding record of allowing more than 99% of doses to be administered on the planned day. Each dose of RLT is custom-made and time-sensitive, making proximity to patients and treatment centers critical, Novartis said.

Novartis said it’s improving cancer care with RLT for patients with advanced cancers. By harnessing the power of targeted radiation and applying it to advanced cancers, RLT delivers treatment directly to targeted cancer cells anywhere in the body.  

Novartis is actively investigating new applications of RLTs across cancer types and settings, with one of the deepest and most advanced pipelines in the industry, with trials in prostate cancer, breast, colon, lung, brain, pancreatic, and other cancers. Novartis said it has established global expertise, with specialized supply chain and manufacturing capabilities throughout its network of RLT production sites around the world.

Governor calls North Texas ‘a leading biotech hub’

State and local leaders touted the new site for its positive impact on the economy and health.

“Texas is a leading biotech hub and home to groundbreaking advancements in medicine,” Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement. “This significant investment by Novartis in Denton will establish their first manufacturing facility in Texas for cancer therapies and create good-paying jobs in bioengineering, advanced manufacturing, and more.”

“Working together with innovative global leaders,” he added, “we’ll continue to strengthen critical supply chains to help speed next-generation treatments to patients across Texas and the U.S.”

Area business leaders also praised the move as “an exciting win” for North Texas’ growing life sciences ecosystem and for patients across Texas and the U.S.

Dallas Regional Chamber President & CEO Brad Cheves said Novartis’ investment in Denton “powerfully underscores North Texas’ status as a destination region for companies on the leading edge of innovation.”

“Radioligand therapy represents the forefront of cancer innovation,” Cheves added, “and the decision to manufacture this breakthrough technology in the Dallas-Fort Worth region underscores the scale, talent and infrastructure that define our market.”

Cheves also pointed out the positive impact on the region’s workforce.

“Advanced nuclear medicine manufacturing demands precision, a highly skilled workforce and a supply chain that moves quickly and reliably,” he said. “With strong higher education and industry partnerships and the ability to reach more than 50 million people within an hour’s flight, DFW offers the connectivity and speed companies need to serve patients nationwide.”

Novartis’ announcement “reflects years of focused, regional collaboration to grow our life sciences sector, an effort the Dallas Regional Chamber has been proud to help lead,” Cheves added. “We’re excited to welcome Novartis to our community and congratulate the Denton City Council and the City of Denton’s Economic Development team for securing this top-tier addition to our region’s booming life sciences ecosystem.”

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