The biotechnology company Genentech is pouring $750 million into a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Hillsboro that is expected to create 450 new jobs in manufacturing and construction.

State dollars will be spent to help secure the deal, but state officials declined to say what amount is being discussed. A press release from Gov. Tina Kotek’s office announcing the expansion Thursday noted a forgivable loan from the Governor’s Strategic Reserve Fund will help offset some of the early capital investment costs. The money from the fund comes from lottery revenue. A spokesman for Kotek’s office said final details are not yet available and are still being negotiated. The company hasn’t submitted an application to the city of Hillsboro for an Enterprise Zone property tax exemption.

Genentech discovers, develops and manufactures prescription medicines, according to its website. The company focuses on cancer, ophthalmology, neurology and infectious diseases. It recently built a $2 billion manufacturing facility in North Carolina and the Hillsboro announcement comes as the company doubles down on its effort to create more domestic manufacturing options.

The company’s Hillsboro campus was built in 2006. The expansion is expected to be complete by 2031. The new facility will support drug delivery devices, such as pre-filled syringes and autoinjectors, according to the company’s website. When Genentech first arrived in Washington County, it inked a long-term property tax exemption through the Strategic Investment Program, a state tool that is administered on a county basis. Washington County officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Kotek, who is seeking re-election to another four-year term, said the latest announcement marks progress in her initiative to boost the state’s economy through her “prosperity roadmap,” an effort she started in December 2025.

“My administration is focused on strengthening our economic foundation, creating new good-paying jobs, and ensuring families and communities across the state benefit from new opportunity,” Kotek said in a statement. “Genentech’s decision to expand its campus in Hillsboro reflects Oregon’s strength in advanced manufacturing and innovation.”

Kotek’s office said the state continues to grow its “life sciences sector” with firms like Genentech, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Lonza, which she said generated $21.2 billion in economic impact in 2023.

Business Oregon Director Sophorn Cheang said the company’s decision to invest in Hillsboro comes after a year of working closely with the company. In a statement, Cheang described Genentech as “a global leader in biotechnology” and said having the company continue to grow in Oregon “sets the stage for where we’re headed next.”

This story may be updated.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/08/20/genentech-plans-expansion-hillsboro/