Governor Josh Shapiro announced the Commonwealth has secured a $4.1 million investment from Apozeal Pharmaceuticals Inc.(opens in a new tab) (Apozeal) to expand its drug manufacturing operation in Bucks County. The Shapiro Administration is supporting the project with a $1.1 million state investment, which will help create at least 70 new, high-quality jobs over the next three years and retain 22 existing positions.
Apozeal currently owns 11 FDA-approved Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) products along with several over-the-counter (OTC) items for cough, cold, pain, and fever. At present, the company produces four of those products. Through this expansion, Apozeal will add new production lines at its 70,000-square-foot, FDA-registered facility in Levittown, enabling it to manufacture the remaining seven ANDA products and additional OTC products.
“Pennsylvania is a leader in biotech and life sciences with a talented workforce, access to key markets, and significant laboratory infrastructure,” said Shapiro. “Apozeal’s continued growth in our Commonwealth strengthens this legacy while creating more opportunity for Pennsylvanians. My Administration is committed to supporting the life sciences industry and the thousands of Pennsylvanians working in this doing critical, life-saving work industry.”
Apozeal Pharmaceuticals received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) that includes a Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) loan of $925,000, a $150,000 Pennsylvania First Grant, and a $100,000 WEDnet grant to train its workers.
“Life sciences is one of the five key sectors outlined in our Economic Development Strategy, and we’re focused on ensuring this industry continues to thrive in Pennsylvania,” said DCED Secretary Rick Siger. “Apozeal’s investment is another great example of the growth we’re supporting across the Commonwealth.”
Apozeal Pharmaceuticals traces its roots back to Biopharm Inc., a contract drug manufacturer founded by pharmacists in 1992. In 2018, Biopharm’s assets were acquired by Torrent Pharmaceuticals Inc. In 2023, Apozeal acquired the Levittown facility with the goal of manufacturing its FDA-approved products domestically — aiming to produce 100% of its products in the United States.
“We’d like to thank Governor Shapiro and his team for their support and investment of $1.1 million towards this expansion,” said Sadath Shareef, Chairman and CEO of Apozeal. “Their support was instrumental in helping bring this project to life. Through this expansion, we are bringing 70 new jobs to the region, and will have the opportunity to greatly expand our product line.”
Leading the Nation in Life Sciences
Pennsylvania’s life sciences sector is a national powerhouse, employing more than 100,000 people across nearly 3,100 companies and world-renowned research institutions. Over the past five years, Pennsylvania researchers and companies have secured over 10,700 new life sciences patents — the fourth-highest total in the country.
This sector is expected to create more than 6,500 new jobs across the Commonwealth over the next decade, with nearly 60 percent of that growth concentrated in research and development.
This project was coordinated by Shapiro’s BusinessPA(opens in a new tab) team, an experienced group of economic development professionals dedicated to helping businesses succeed in Pennsylvania through tailored guidance, strategic partnerships, and financial resources. Whether based in the Commonwealth, another state, or across the globe, the team moves at the speed of business to set up companies for long-term growth and success here in Pennsylvania.
Since taking office, the Shapiro Administration has secured over $25.6 billion in private sector investments, creating over 12,400 jobs. In July, Governor Shapiro announced(opens in a new tab) the Commonwealth had secured a $20 billion investment from Amazon, the largest single private investment in the state’s history.
From day one, Shapiro has worked to spur economic development in Pennsylvania, creating the Economic Development Strategy, securing historic funding for site development, main streets, small businesses, and more, and speeding up the Commonwealth’s permitting, licensing, and certification processes.
Shapiro is calling for a $50 million investment(opens in a new tab) to spur innovation across the Commonwealth in his 2025-26 proposed budget(opens in a new tab) — including a $30 million initiative to grow life sciences jobs and $20 million in annual support for large-scale innovation. His budget proposal also includes:
- $12.5 million dedicated to WEDnetPA to expand our workforce and close critical workforce gaps
- $2 million for the creation of Career Connect to build internships at Pennsylvania companies
- $10 million for AdvancePA tax credits to create high quality jobs across PA
- $3.5 million to create and launch the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Competitiveness Challenge to provide different geographic regions with the resources they need to plan and implement localized economic development strategies.
- $5 million investment for grants to qualifying institutions doing research on neurodegenerative diseases, building on last year’s progress after securing $1.9 million to create the first Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Division within the Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA
- Expediting the Corporate Net Income Tax (CNIT) cuts by two years, reducing the current tax rate each year by 0.75 percent
Credit: Submitted
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