UK pharmaceutical company Haleon expanding R&D facility in Richmond

The UK-based pharmaceutical company Haleon will invest $54.2 million to upgrade its R&D facility in Richmond, which has helped birth or grow products such as Advil, Emergen-C and Robitussin.

In addition to the physical investments, Haleon, which spun off from parent company GSK in 2022, is launching the Haleon-Commonwealth Consumer Healthcare Internship Program for Advanced Life Sciences in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University.

The five-year program is being supported by equal investments from Haleon and the state, according to the office of Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who met with Haleon leadership in London in July to discuss the project.

The new consumer healthcare-focused internship will provide paid opportunities for undergraduate VCU students in the school’s new Pharmaceutical Science degree program, as well as summer internships from undergraduate and graduate students from all of Virginia’s institutions of higher education.

“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. “Virginia is a leader in healthcare innovation and this investment by Haleon underscores the Commonwealth’s pro-business environment.”

With roots in Central Virginia dating back to the 1960s, the company’s Richmond facility has specialized in research and development for decades. In recent years, the site has expanded its scope, growing headcount with 100 new team members since 2020.

Haleon Richmond site is home to its R&D Center of Excellence with critical technical functions collocated at the site 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,” said Haleon North America President Lisa Paley. “Our investment in the modernization of the lab space at our Research & Development facility is an investment in delivering on our mission of everyday health with humanity as well as the Richmond community.

“We are further excited by our partnership with the Commonwealth to co-fund a five-year paid internship program, with the State of Virginia to build Richmond as a Life Science Hub and develop the future workforce. Haleon is proud to give back to the community we call home,” Paley said.