Novo Nordisk: anti-obesity drug factory in Frosinone, 1,500 jobs and record investments

An investment of over two billion to build a centre of excellence for the production of drugs against obesity and diabetes in Anagni (Frosinone). All with the creation of 1,500 new skilled jobs. The ambitious programme of the Danish multinationalNovo Nordisk was presented yesterday at a press conference held by the President of the Lazio Region, Francesco Rocca, together with the Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso. Rocca himself, in accordance with the rules laid down in the Asset decree, was appointed extraordinary commissioner by decree of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, at the proposal of Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano, with the aim of ensuring administrative speed and institutional coordination: the plan is to have the site operational by 2029.

It all began in the midst of the Covid period when the American multinational Catalent, in its Anagni plant where vaccines are infused, announced a 100 million investment for a development centre on the innovative production of biological raw materials, with the renewal of contracts for 100 young researchers. An investment that then evaporated due to bureaucratic delays. In 2024, the site was then acquired for USD 16.5 billion by Novo Nordisk, which decided to bet big on Anagni: the site will join the production centres in Bloomington (USA) and Brussels (Belgium), becoming one of Novo Nordisk's three global hubs, thanks to the introduction of advanced automation and robotics technologies. This is Novo Nordisk's largest investment in the last hundred years outside Denmark.

The industrial plan, named 'Novo Nordisk Fill and Finish Expansion Anagni', was recognised by the Italian government as being of national strategic interest on 13 March 2025. The initiative will be accompanied by policies to support the innovation ecosystem, through synergies between companies, universities, and research centres, with advanced training courses and shared technology platforms. To support the development of the industrial hub, the Lazio Region approved, on 3 June, an agreement with Astral (Azienda Strade Lazio) and the Municipality of Anagni for the completion of the road axis in the Selciatella area, with an investment of over EUR 2.9 million to improve the accessibility and competitiveness of the area.

"The export of the pharmaceutical sector in Lazio is worth 12 billion and growing," said Francesco Rocca. "As commissioner," he stressed, "I will have important powers, there are road works to be carried out, we must work as a team. The choice of Novo Nordisk is a fundamental credibility test because there are other companies looking at us'.

"Last year Italy became the most attractive country, in the European context, for foreign investment, with over 35 billion euro of foreign investment in the green field, much more than France or Germany," said Adolfo Urso. "We have installed the extraordinary government commissioner, the president of the region, Francesco Rocca, who will have the powers to give all the necessary authorisations on the model of the Morandi bridge. Also for this reason,' the minister added, 'last year Italy became the most attractive country for foreign investment in the European context.