Bend Bioscience Announces Strategic Expansion in Gainesville
Another Gainesville-Hall County existing industry advancing workforce growth and community investment
Wednesday, September 3, 2025 – Gainesville-Hall County, Georgia: Bend Bioscience, a leading US-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), will invest approximately $20 million in its Gainesville facility. The expansion is in alignment with a projected 10% increase in workforce, deepening the company’s commitment to innovation in pharmaceutical manufacturing in the US while investing in the long-term growth of Georgia’s life sciences sector.
Following the April 2025 announcement of new commercial-scale equipment being added to the company’s 120,000-square-foot site, this significant facility expansion is now underway. This initiative includes the buildout of an additional 12,000 square feet, representing a 20% increase in manufacturing space and a roughly 10% growth in total site footprint. This estimated $20 million expansion is anticipated to drive a nearly 10% increase in headcount, which will bring new high-value job opportunities to Gainesville and support the region’s continued emergence as a hub for advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing.
“Bend Bioscience’s specialized expertise advances medical care, supports high-skill jobs, and enhances Georgia’s innovative life sciences industry,” said Deputy Commissioner of Global Commerce Misti Martin, Georgia Department of Economic Development. “When companies choose to expand in Georgia, it speaks to the environment we have built for business. Bend’s growth reflects the opportunities that Georgia’s collaborative and solutions-oriented approach creates for companies growing in communities across the State.”
“Bend Bioscience is proud to deepen our roots in Gainesville,” said Owen Murray, CEO of Bend Bioscience. “We see tremendous value in not only advancing pharmaceutical science but also in investing in the communities that make our mission possible. This expansion strengthens our operational capabilities while creating career opportunities that support Gainesville’s growing biotech ecosystem.”
At the heart of this growth is the installation of state-of-the-art technologies, including a GEA PSD-4 spray dryer and Gerteis roller compactor, which significantly enhances the facility’s ability to produce complex oral dosage forms, including spray dried dispersions and multi-particulate delivery systems. These capabilities complement the expertise at the other Bend Bioscience sites in Florida and Oregon and extend the company’s ability to serve customers from early development to commercial supply — all within the US.
"For more than 40 years, Gainesville has been home to pharmaceutical innovation, and the Bend Bioscience facility was the very beginning of our community’s growth into life sciences,” said Mayor Sam Couvillon, City of Gainesville. “Bend Bioscience’s investment takes that legacy to the next level. We are proud to see Gainesville at the forefront of advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing, where innovation meets opportunity. This expansion not only strengthens our local economy but also provides high-value careers for our residents, reinforcing Gainesville as a place where businesses and families can thrive."
In alignment with the expansion, Bend Bioscience will soon be launching a new apprenticeship program in collaboration with Lanier Technical College. Designed to prepare students for careers in pharmaceutical sciences, the program will immerse local participants in hands-on training and pharmaceutical manufacturing foundational skills. This initiative reflects the company’s ongoing investment and commitment to workforce development and regional educational advancement.
“By partnering with local institutions and creating new jobs, we’re building a future where cutting-edge pharmaceutical high science and community prosperity go hand-in-hand,” added Murray.
"Bend Bioscience’s decision to expand in Gainesville reflects the confidence that world-class companies have in our workforce, our community, and our business climate,” said Tim Evans, president and CEO of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce. “This $20 million investment and new apprenticeship program with Lanier Technical College demonstrate how economic development and education go hand-in-hand to create opportunities for long-term growth. The Greater Hall Chamber is proud to support Bend Bioscience as they grow and continue to make a lasting impact in Hall County."
Bend Bioscience’s expanded Gainesville site will serve as a U. center of excellence for commercial oral solid dose forms and modified release technologies, with capabilities that include DEA Schedule I-V handling, high-potency compound processing, analytical services, tech transfer, and packaging solutions. With construction underway and equipment installation aligned to customer timelines, the expanded site is expected to be operational in early 2027.
