The Texas Construction News staff writer
DENTON – Novartis has broken ground on its first Texas-based manufacturing site, a new 46,000-sq. ft. radioligand therapy (RLT) facility located in Denton.
The project marks the latest milestone in the pharmaceutical giant’s broader $23 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing and research infrastructure. Scheduled to become fully operational in 2028, the purpose-built site will expand Novartis’ coast-to-coast RLT network to five locations nationwide, bringing targeted advanced cancer treatments closer to patients across the southern U.S..
The facility is expected to create a wave of high-paying local jobs in bioengineering, advanced manufacturing, quality control, and clinical operations, bolstering the economic landscape of Denton and its surrounding communities.
A groundbreaking ceremony featured a contingent of local, state, and national officials, including 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.
“RLT has the potential to revolutionize cancer care,” Vas Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis, said of the expansion. “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.”
