Pharma Company To Boost Albemarle County with $200M Investment & 200 New Jobs

Afton Scientific announced that the company will invest over $200 million in Albemarle County, creating more than 200 jobs. The company specialises in the sterile filling of small-volume injectable drugs for clinical trials, small-batch commercial products, and pre-sterilized vials and kits. Over the past three decades, the firm has globally established 18 clients.

Afton Scientific operates a 35,000-square-foot warehouse and a 4-acre facility on Avon Street in the county near Charlottesville for labs and administration. The expansion will enable newer manufacturing technologies to develop more therapies for various diseases.

Afton Scientific aims to strengthen its roots in Virginia with a grant from the Commonwealth Development Opportunity Fund, which is already approved by Governor Youngkin. Moreover, the company seeks assistance from the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, which will help recruit and train new staff.

While announcing the news on Wednesday, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said, “Afton Scientific’s multi-million dollar expansion in Albemarle County is a powerful testament to Virginia’s thriving life sciences industry. This investment strengthens our healthcare innovation sector — particularly in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Companies like Afton Scientific showcase why Virginia was named America’s Top State for Business in 2024.”

Jim Andrews, chairman of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, also stated that Afton Scientific's new investment highlights the area's appeal for biotechnology growth. The county boasts both the University of Virginia's North Fork Discovery Park and the Fontaine Research Park, which are home to several biotech companies.

Andrews commented, “This project strengthens the industry locally by bringing in significant outside capital investment to expand a home-grown company. This aligns with our strategic focus on sustainable economic development and improving our community’s quality of life. Together, we are driving long-term prosperity for our region.”

Afton Scientific was established in 1991 and is run by Thomas Thorpe’s expertise, who earned an MBA degree from UVA's Darden School of Business and a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Connecticut.

“This announcement represents an exciting advancement in providing critical, life-saving therapies to more Americans, and Afton Scientific is thrilled about our expansion in Central Virginia, where we’ve grown the company since day one. The involvement of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and Albemarle County, and the Commonwealth’s support for local businesses was critical to our ability to bring advanced manufacturing jobs and economic growth to the area,” said Thorpe.

Sen. Creigh Deeds, a Charlottesville Democrat, mentioned, “Afton Scientific is engaged in groundbreaking work, and we are fortunate to secure their commitment to growing in our community. This investment not only secures valuable jobs in the Charlottesville area, it provides hope for improved health outcomes.”