Montgomery County plays a central role in the Capital Region’s role as the nation’s third-largest biopharma cluster, according to a recent national industry ranking. The Capital Region, which includes Montgomery County along with surrounding jurisdictions in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia, was ranked third among U.S. biopharma hubs in Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News’ 2025 Top 10 U.S. Biopharma Clusters report, reflecting the scale of the region’s life sciences ecosystem, workforce, and concentration of research institutions and companies.
Montgomery County serves as the anchor of the region’s biopharma ecosystem, home to more than 350 life sciences companies and a large share of the region’s research, development, and manufacturing activity. Global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies including AstraZeneca, Novavax, and United Therapeutics have a significant presence in the County, contributing to its role as a national center for drug development, vaccines, and advanced therapies.
The County’s proximity to federal research and regulatory institutions, including the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, has long been cited as a key driver of the region’s life sciences growth. Those agencies support collaboration across government, academia, and industry while shaping regulatory and scientific standards for the sector.
The County’s highly skilled residents also play a large role in drawing companies to the area. Montgomery County is home to one of the highest concentrations of PhDs in the country and supports a life sciences workforce of approximately 22,000 employees.
Recent investments also underscore the County’s continued importance to the region’s biopharma economy. Just last year, not only did AstraZeneca open a $300 million cell therapy manufacturing facility in Rockville, complementing its U.S. headquarters in Gaithersburg and expanding the County’s role in advanced biomanufacturing but the company also announced a $2 billion investment in the state of Maryland, including the expansions of its operations in Montgomery County by building a state-of-the-art clinical manufacturing facility in Gaithersburg. The project is expected to generate 100 new jobs while expanding its research and development presence. Additionally, Samsung Biologics announced it will acquire the Human Genome Sciences facility in Rockville, marking the company’s first U.S.-based manufacturing site and retaining more than 500 existing employees.
As competition among global brands intensifies, Montgomery County’s unique combination of infrastructure, strategic location and highly educated talent continues to stand out at the center of the Capital Region’s biopharma sector.
