Biopharmaceutical companies spend nearly $8B in Pennsylvania

According to We Work for Health Pennsylvania, the state’s 16 biopharmaceutical companies spent $7.9 billion in the state in 2018 and employed 253,876 Pennsylvanians, while supporting 7,294 vendors and suppliers.

The organization examined the companies for total expenditures paid to U.S vendors and their business relationships with vendors.

At the turn of the century, the life sciences industry in Pennsylvania centered on large, campus-style pharmaceutical companies. Today, the industry includes startup biotech companies, medical device companies, and contract service organizations that established research and manufacturing operations in traditional flex buildings.

These companies’ investments in research and medical innovation can lead to breakthrough cures and treatments and prevention against drug-resistant superbugs.

“The commonwealth’s biopharmaceutical industry — and, by extension, the life sciences sector as a whole — is driven by innovation, unparalleled talent, and world-class educational, health care, and hospital systems,” Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin said. “Under Gov. Tom Wolf’s leadership, the industry is supported by strategic investments in venture capital, technology, and infrastructure. This industry has been a critical partner in improving the health of Pennsylvania’s communities and economy, and that’s never been more evident than today, as we work together to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.”