Roche Announces $550M Investment in Indianapolis CGM Manufacturing Hub

Roche, the Swiss pharmaceutical giant, has unveiled plans for a significant expansion of its Indianapolis diagnostics campus, with a $550 million investment aimed at transforming the site into a U.S. manufacturing and distribution hub for its wearable diabetes blood sugar sensors. This move comes as part of a larger $50 billion commitment to expand the company's U.S. footprint in research, development, and production by 2030.

Expansion Details and Timeline

The Indianapolis facility, which currently serves as the international headquarters for Roche's diagnostics division, will undergo a major transformation over the next five years. The expansion is expected to generate hundreds of highly-skilled manufacturing jobs and thousands of construction jobs.

Richeal Cline, head of global operations for Roche Diagnostics, stated, "Our goal is to initiate production within three years, followed by preparing for future generations of that CGM solution." The company plans to refurbish an existing building for the manufacturing space and may construct new buildings to meet future demand.

Focus on Continuous Glucose Monitoring Technology

The centerpiece of this expansion is Roche's Accu-Chek SmartGuide continuous glucose monitor (CGM), which received European approval in July 2024 for use in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients. This 14-day system incorporates artificial intelligence-powered prediction software, offering advanced features such as estimating users' glucose levels over two hours and assessing nocturnal hypoglycemia risk.

While the Accu-Chek SmartGuide CGM is not yet cleared for use in the U.S., Roche spokesperson Jen Dial indicated that the company is committed to "diligently navigating the necessary development, manufacturing scale-up, and regulatory processes to bring this product to the U.S."

Economic Impact and Incentives

The expansion is expected to create 650 new jobs at the Indianapolis site. In support of this investment, Roche will receive a 10-year property tax abatement from the city of Indianapolis and approximately $20 million in tax credits from the state of Indiana, according to Brad Moore, CEO of Roche Diagnostics North America.

This expansion is part of a broader investment strategy by Roche, which includes a recently announced $700 million project to build a new pharmaceutical fill-and-finish plant for its Genentech unit near Raleigh, North Carolina, focused on next-generation obesity drugs. Additionally, the company has pledged nearly $300 million to establish a biomanufacturing hub in Shanghai for the production of its eye medication Vabysmo for the Chinese market.