Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has announced that it will be investing more than $55bn into the US over the next four years.

The commitment marks a 25% increase to J&J’s US investments in the past four years and is aimed at boosting its manufacturing, research and development (R&D), and technology capabilities.

The funds cover a new 500,000-square-foot biologics manufacturing facility in Wilson, North Carolina, which the company broke ground on in conjunction with the announcement.

The Wilson site, worth more than $2bn, is designed to expand J&J’s capacity to deliver medicines for patients with cancer, immune-mediated and neurological diseases, and is expected to create over 500 jobs for specialised employees and contractors.

The increased investment also includes three new advanced manufacturing facilities, and the expansion of several existing sites across the company’s Innovative Medicine and MedTech businesses.

Alongside the new sites, J&J said it will be investing in R&D infrastructure in areas such as oncology, neuroscience, immunology, cardiovascular disease and robotic surgery, as well as in technology to help accelerate drug discovery and development.

J&J’s chief executive officer, Joaquin Duato, said the investments will “accelerate [the company’s] nearly 140-year legacy as an American innovation engine tackling the world’s toughest healthcare challenges”.

“Our increased US investment begins with the groundbreaking of a high-tech facility in North Carolina that will not only add US-based jobs but manufacture cutting edge medicines to treat patients in America and around the world,” Duato added.

The groundbreaking on the Wilson facility was marked by an event that featured perspectives from “key company leaders and national, state and local officials on the impact of this investment for patients and the community at large,” J&J outlined.

Jennifer Taubert, executive vice president, worldwide chairman, Innovative Medicine, J&J, said: “This state-of-the-art biologics facility in North Carolina will help J&J to accelerate the delivery of our portfolio and pipeline of transformational medicines for patients.

“This $2bn investment will bring more than 5,000 high-wage manufacturing and construction jobs to North Carolina and the partnerships we are forging in the community will support local educational initiatives to develop the workforce of the future.”