Novartis Expands Radioligand Therapy Manufacturing with New Facility in California
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Novartis has opened a new 10,000-square-foot radioligand therapy (RLT) manufacturing facility in Carlsbad, California, marking a major step in its US expansion strategy.
The site forms part of the company’s previously announced US$23 billion investment in infrastructure over the next five years.
The new facility enhances Novartis’ capacity to meet the growing demand for radioligand therapies and strengthens its global supply chain network. The Carlsbad site has been filed with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an additional point of supply, with commercial production expected to commence following approval.
Radioligand therapies represent a precision approach to cancer treatment, combining tumour-targeting molecules with therapeutic radioisotopes to deliver radiation directly to cancer cells while minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Given the short half-life of radioactive materials, local manufacturing is essential to ensure timely delivery to treatment centres and patients.
This facility is Novartis’ third RLT manufacturing site in the United States, reinforcing its leadership in the field. The Carlsbad site is purpose-built for the production of FDA-approved radioligand therapies and includes capacity for future expansion.
The investment also supports the company’s broader plan to strengthen its US presence. Additional RLT facilities are being developed in Florida and Texas, alongside the expansion of existing sites in North Carolina, Indiana, and New Jersey. Novartis is also establishing a new research and development centre in San Diego, intended to serve as its second global R&D hub.
These initiatives reflect the company’s ongoing commitment to innovation and to building advanced manufacturing capabilities within the United States. Across its US operations, Novartis expects to invest nearly US$50 billion over the next five years, further consolidating its position in the biopharmaceutical sector.
Novartis continues to expand its RLT research pipeline, exploring applications across multiple cancer types including prostate, breast, lung, brain, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers.
Source: novartis.com
