How South Carolina Became the Southeast’s Fastest Growing Biotech Hub

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South Carolina just landed a $1.5 billion investment and more than 1,200 jobs, as Octapharma Plasma relocates its U.S. headquarters from Charlotte to Rock Hill and builds its first U.S. manufacturing facility there. Leaving an established base for somewhere newer is a bet, and Octapharma isn’t alone. It’s the latest data point in a five-year run that has landed South Carolina on GEN’s list of Next10 Emerging Biotech Hubs, ecosystems built for established manufacturers and growth-stage companies alike, not a copy of hubs elsewhere.

Manufacturers are choosing South Carolina to expand, drawn by talent, a business-friendly climate, and quality of life. In Charleston, SHL Medical’s $220 million, 300-job drug-delivery facility, producing autoinjectors and pen injectors for pharmaceutical partners worldwide, is one recent example. Suppliers are also increasing their investments. Charles River Laboratories has expanded its Charleston County operations with advanced cleanroom and automation capabilities, helping ensure biologics and vaccines reach patients faster and more safely.

In Columbia, the Ritedose Corporation, a leading Blow-Fill-Seal CDMO for generic pharmaceuticals, is on track to produce over two billion doses per year with its new 225,000-square-foot distribution center, part of an $81 million investment that has created 100 additional jobs.

The pipeline behind that scale starts at South Carolina’s research universities. Clemson University is advancing precision medicine and bioengineering through its Institute for Human Genetics, which excels at disease modeling, genomics, and drug discovery; and its Biomedical Engineering Innovation Campus, which brings together world-renowned bioengineers, Prisma Health clinicians, and innovative startups in a 31,000-square-foot facility.

As the state’s only NCI-Designated Cancer Center, the Medical University of South Carolina attracts nationally-recognized researchers and federal funding. With plans to double its research faculty and build a new facility for its cellular therapy program, the university ranks in the top 15% most innovative institutions nationwide on the CURE Innovation Index. And the University of South Carolina opened a 65,000-square-foot Brain Health Center, part of a $350 million investment bringing clinical care, imaging, and research together for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

That talent pipeline is also pulling in companies that didn’t start here. GNQ Insilico, a techbio company using artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and digital twin technology to predict how patients respond to treatment, moved its U.S. headquarters and lab from Silicon Valley to Greenville. “We want Greenville to know that we are building something enduring here,” said GNQ founder and CEO Rehan Huda. This is not a temporary outpost, but a long-term bet on the state’s talent, collaboration, and business climate.

People often ask why MassBio, based in the country’s most established life sciences hub, chose to partner with South Carolina at all. The answer traces back to its visionary leadership, who saw this ecosystem taking shape years before most people noticed and wanted their resources to give good science a real chance beyond Boston. That’s the thinking behind Drive, the accelerator powered by SCbio and Massbio. Drive has connected emerging life sciences companies with mentors from partners such as Eli Lilly and Company and Labcorp. Since launching in 2022, it has supported 70 early-stage companies that have raised $137 million and created nearly 100 jobs.

And it’s a pattern that holds: companies that locate here tend to expand here, and it’s exactly why South Carolina made this list. PAI Pharma, a Greenville-based leader in oral liquid medications, has invested millions in expansions since arriving decades ago; AmbioPharm has grown its Aiken County peptide operations too.

A hub doesn’t stay “emerging” forever. The window to get in early is now. Join us in South Carolina, where we’re building the life and the science that propel the future.

Why South Carolina?

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