Novartis to build new radioligand therapy factory in Denton, Texas

Novartis, continuing its string of expansions for radioligand therapy manufacturing, announced February 25 that it would build a new 46,000-square-foot facility in Denton, Texas. According to a company release, the Denton plant will be the company’s fifth dedicated to radioligand therapy, or RLT.  

Construction is slated to start this year, with the plant becoming operational in 2028. Once finished, the factory will produce drugs that serve targeted radiation to advanced cancers. Novartis is currently pursuing RLT trials for prostate, breast, colon, lung, brain and pancreatic cancers.

Novartis announced in 2025 it planned to spend $23 billion through 2030 expanding its U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturing operations. In November of that year, the Swiss pharmaceutical company said it would spend $771 million expanding and building new factories in North Carolina, and in January the company announced the location of its fourth RLT factory would be Winter Park, Florida. The company has recently broken ground on 4 new factories and research sites.

In a statement, Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan said the Denton factory would build capacity for the novel medications. The company said the Dallas-Fort Worth area factory will eventually serve patients in the Southern United States.

What people are saying

“RLT has the potential to revolutionize cancer care,” said Vas Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis. “The addition of our fifth RLT manufacturing site in the US strengthens our ability to meet growing demand, building the capabilities needed to deliver these next-generation treatments with the speed and precision they require.”

“Texas is a leading biotech hub and home to groundbreaking advancements in medicine,” said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. “This significant investment by Novartis in Denton will establish their first manufacturing facility in Texas for cancer therapies and create good-paying jobs in bioengineering, advanced manufacturing, and more. Working together with innovative global leaders, we will continue to strengthen critical supply chains to help speed next-generation treatments to patients across Texas and the US.”

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