Pharma company to invest $54.2M in Richmond R&D facility

Pharmaceutical company Haleon will invest $54.2 million to upgrade its research and development facility in Richmond and launch an internship program in partnership with state government and Virginia Commonwealth University, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday.

The physical upgrades at the facility, located at 1211 Sherwood Ave., will allow United Kingdom-based Haleon to accommodate new technologies and expand its research capabilities, according to a news release. Youngkin discussed the project with Haleon leadership in London in July 2024.

“Haleon’s choice to expand its research capabilities and upgrade its Richmond facility strengthens the commonwealth’s pharmaceutical sector and highlights why Virginia is America’s Top State for Business,” Youngkin said in a statement.

Haleon and the Commonwealth of Virginia are launching the Haleon-Commonwealth Consumer Healthcare Internship Program for Advanced Life Sciences in partnership with VCU. Haleon and the state are supporting the five-year program with equal investments.

The internship will have paid work opportunities for undergraduate VCU students in the pharmaceutical science degree program launched in May 2024 and summer internships for undergraduate and graduate students for all Virginia higher education institutions.

Haleon’s Richmond roots date back to the 1960s, and its site has grown through mergers and acquisitions. Haleon launched as an independent company focused on consumer health in July 2022, when it completed its demerger from GlaxoSmithKline. GSK previously announced it would expand its Consumer Healthcare center, now Haleon’s Richmond facility, in 2019.

The site specializes in research and development and holds Haleon’s R&D Center of Excellence. Multiple Haleon brands were either created at the site or have grown from it, including Advil, Emergen-C and Robitussin.

Haleon’s Richmond site has added 100 team members since 2020. The R&D Center of Excellence holds technical functions including consumer science, formulation development, process scale up, analytical test method development, microbiology, product stability, packaging design and clinical supplies.

“Today’s announcement is a significant milestone for Haleon,” Haleon North America President Lisa Paley said in a statement. “Our investment in the modernization of the lab space at our research and development facility is an investment in delivering on our mission of everyday health with humanity as well as the Richmond community.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Richmond and the Greater Richmond Partnership to secure the project for Virginia. Youngkin approved a $950,000 Virginia Investment Performance Grant, a performance-based incentive for existing Virginia companies making continued capital investment.

Haleon reported 11.3 billion pounds — about $14.09 billion — in 2023 revenue.