by Steve Walentik | Jan 27, 2025
The Missouri Department of Economic Development is providing $9.55 million in new funding to the API Innovation Center (APIIC) and the University of Missouri–St. Louis to reshore active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production, enhance national health security, and position Missouri as a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub. The investment will support research and development at APIIC’s new state-of-the-art lab in the Science Learning Building on UMSL’s campus, which will open next month.
The funding builds on a $9.45 million Advanced Manufacturing Resiliency Grant awarded in 2023, which helped establish operations and development of critical drug molecules. Missouri’s commitment has attracted federal support, including funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to advance national health security. APIIC is developing six critical pharmaceutical molecules for cancer, asthma, and anxiety treatments. Missouri’s investments are projected to generate $1.2 billion in regional economic growth over the next five years.