Virginia Economic Review

Alexandria is known for Old Town’s historic shops and homes that are as inviting as they are immaculately preserved.

As the world continues to struggle with drug supply chains and critical shortages, clusters of activity have emerged to move the needle of medication affordability and accessibility.

John Newby is the CEO of Virginia Bio, the nonprofit statewide trade association that serves and promotes the life sciences industry in Virginia.

Would more men try to prevent unintended pregnancies if their choices for contraception went beyond a condom or vasectomy?

Recent major biopharmaceutical announcements have sent a clear signal from the industry: Virginia is the future of biopharma manufacturing.

Best Medical International manufactures a crucial product that helps its users battle devastating cancers. Now, with an assist from VEDP, the company is getting its products into the hands of people who desperately need them.

A pharmaceutical manufacturing innovation that came out of a Virginia university is changing the way medicines are made. The Commonwealth’s universities and the rest of its biopharma research community are making sure Virginia is ready to make the medicines of the future.

In October 2025, shovels went into the ground in Elkton, marking the start of a $3 billion pharmaceutical expansion project that will add 400,000 square feet to Merck’s existing campus.

Dave Maraldo is the senior vice president of Human Health Manufacturing Operations at Merck, one of the five largest biopharmaceutical companies in the world.

Merck’s expansion at its Rockingham County site, announced in late 2025, represents the continuation of a long, mutually beneficial tenure in the Commonwealth.

A lot changed in Virginia’s life sciences industry in the space of about a month last fall. Between Sept. 16 and Oct. 20, biopharmaceutical manufacturing giants Eli Lilly and Company, AstraZeneca, and Merck & Co.

Food and beverage and pharmaceutical companies rely on Virginia’s cold chain infrastructure to succeed.

It’s not the first time Washington Dulles International Airport, having served record numbers of passengers the past two years, has eyed an expansion of its operations, infrastructure, and ultimately, air cargo volume. But this time, circumstances are different.

When President Donald Trump announced in June he would “unleash drone dominance,” it’s no surprise that the Commonwealth looked to NASA and its 108-year-old Langley Research Center in Hampton for guidance.

Virginia’s transportation network faces congestion issues that come with population growth, and air travel is no exception.

Connections are an essential foundation of business success — and businesses trust Virginia’s infrastructure to provide a multimodal transportation system that reliably connects them to suppliers, customers, and partners.

Patrick O’Connell is a self-taught chef and visionary behind the Inn at Little Washington, the first and only three-Michelin-starred restaurant in the D.C. region.

Virginia’s moderate, four-season climate is a draw for residents of all interests. From the mountains to the beach, Virginians can experience summer heat, winter snow, and everything in between without leaving the Commonwealth.