Novartis Inaugurates New 10,000-Square-Foot Radioligand Therapy Manufacturing Facility In Carlsbad, Strengthening U.S. Cancer Care Infrastructure Under $23 Billion Investment Plan

Novartis, a global leader in innovative medicines, has officially inaugurated its new 10,000-square-foot radioligand therapy (RLT) manufacturing facility in Carlsbad, California. This state-of-the-art facility marks a significant milestone in the company’s ongoing $23 billion investment initiative in U.S. infrastructure over the next five years. The Carlsbad site will play a vital role in enhancing Novartis’ capacity to meet the increasing demand for RLT, while strengthening its world-class supply chain and manufacturing network.

The new facility has already been filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an additional domestic point of supply. Commercial production is expected to begin once regulatory approval is received. The Carlsbad plant is purpose-built to manufacture Novartis’ FDA-approved radioligand therapies and is designed with future scalability in mind, reinforcing the company’s position as the global leader in RLT.

Radioligand therapy is an innovative form of precision medicine that merges a tumor-targeting molecule (ligand) with a therapeutic radioisotope. This approach enables the delivery of radiation directly to cancerous cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Since each dose of RLT is customized and time-sensitive, proximity to treatment centers and transport hubs is essential to ensure timely delivery to patients.

“At Novartis, we tackle the toughest challenges in medicine by doing what’s never been done before for patients,” said Vas Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis. “Radioligand therapy is a breakthrough we’ve unlocked at scale, made possible by reimagining how innovation reaches patients. As the global leader in RLT for more than seven years, we’ve advanced this technology with a deep belief in its power to transform cancer care. The opening of our Carlsbad facility underscores our strong commitment to the U.S. and dedication to bringing this pioneering treatment to patients across the country.”

Novartis is currently the only pharmaceutical company with a dedicated commercial RLT portfolio. The Carlsbad facility is the company’s third RLT manufacturing site in the United States, joining an expanding global network that reflects Novartis’ unmatched expertise in developing, producing, and delivering radioligand therapies to patients worldwide.

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H., lauded the company’s contribution to domestic production capacity, stating, “We commend Novartis for supporting our broader mission of bringing manufacturing capacity in the United States. Our unique partnership approach is working.”

Carlsbad City Council Member Melanie Burkholder also emphasized the facility’s local impact, noting, “Novartis is transforming the future of cancer care—and it's happening right here in Carlsbad. This new advanced RLT production facility is a major milestone for our region, strengthening California’s position as a hub for life sciences innovation. It will bring exciting new opportunities for our community, including more engineering and manufacturing jobs. I'm proud our local community will be part of the future of cancer care.”

The opening in Carlsbad is part of Novartis’ broader U.S. expansion strategy, which includes building two additional RLT manufacturing facilities in Florida and Texas, expanding existing sites in Durham (North Carolina), Indianapolis (Indiana), and Millburn (New Jersey), and establishing a second global R&D hub in San Diego, California. The latter will serve as a cutting-edge biomedical research innovation center.

Altogether, Novartis expects to invest nearly $50 billion in its U.S. operations over the next five years—demonstrating its long-term commitment to bolstering the nation’s healthcare ecosystem and advancing medical innovation. Radioligand therapy remains a cornerstone of Novartis’ cancer care strategy. By combining targeted radiation with advanced ligand design, RLT offers a precision-based approach that directly attacks cancer cells while limiting collateral damage. 

Novartis continues to expand its research efforts into new indications, with one of the most comprehensive pipelines in the industry spanning prostate, breast, colon, lung, brain, and pancreatic cancers, among others. The company’s integrated global network of RLT facilities ensures patients worldwide have access to these transformative therapies, reinforcing Novartis’ mission to reimagine medicine and improve lives through innovation.