Swiss global pharmaceutical giant Novartis recently broke ground on its new radioligand therapy (RLT) manufacturing site in Denton, part of its broader $23 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing and research.
When completed in 2028, the company’s first Texas‑based manufacturing facility will bring RLT medications closer to patients across the southern United States, becoming the fifth RLT site nationwide, Novartis said.
Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan said radioligand therapy “is transforming how we treat cancer, and expanded manufacturing is essential to delivering these therapies at scale.”
“Breaking ground in Denton further strengthens our U.S. supply chain and helps ensure patients can receive these highly personalized treatments when and where they need them,” Narasimhan added in a statement.
The 46,000-square foot facility aims to boost Novartis’ position as the first company to deliver RLT at scale, creating the network capacity needed as these therapies extend into earlier stages of treatment and a broader range of cancers. Announced earlier this year, the Denton facility is expected to create new U.S.-based Novartis jobs in bioengineering, advanced manufacturing, quality, and operations, supporting economic growth in Denton and surrounding communities, the company said.
Swiss ambassador, U.S. Department of Commerce official took part in groundbreaking
Taking part in the groundbreaking in Denton were U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Jeffrey Kessler; Swiss Ambassador to the U.S. Ralf Heckner; Texas State Senator Brent Hagenbuch; Texas State Representative Andy Hopper; and Denton Mayor Gerard Hudspeth. They joined Novartis leadership, employees, and community partners to celebrate the start of construction.
“I’m pleased to welcome Novartis to Denton as their newest manufacturing location for their cancer therapies,” Texas State Senator Brent Hagenbuch said in a statement. “Their decision establishes a strong partnership and reflects the unique opportunity Denton provides to a well-educated workforce, and the unique access the new plant location will provide to the vibrant North Texas economy and rapidly growing state population.”
Producing medications for U.S. patients in the U.S.
The Texas facility strengthens the Novartis coast-to-coast RLT manufacturing network, with existing US sites in New Jersey, Indiana and California, and another new site being added in Florida. Together, the facilities make up the largest U.S. RLT manufacturing network, further bolstering the company’s longstanding track record of enabling over 99% of doses to be administered on the planned day of treatment.
Each dose of RLT is custom-made and requires precise coordination, the company said, making manufacturing reliability and proximity to treatment centers key factors in providing timely treatment.
At the groundbreaking, Kessler said the Trump Administration “is delivering historic wins for the American people—lowering drug prices, revitalizing manufacturing, creating jobs, and attracting massive new investments. Novartis’s groundbreaking today is the latest example of the Administration’s successful policies at work.
In April 2025, Novartis said it was designating $23 billion over five years to grow its U.S. research and manufacturing footprint. Seven new and three expanded facilities across the country are already under construction—part of the company’s goal of manufacturing all key medicines for U.S. patients in the U.S, supporting supply resilience and dependable delivery of medicines.
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