In New Jersey, pharmaceutical companies operate from Princeton to Parsippany. These companies represent establishments spanning from 1849 to 2021, demonstrating the evolution of pharmaceutical operations in New Jersey. Here’s a closer look at some of them.

Abbott Laboratories Pharmaceutical Products established operations in 1888, making it one of the companies with the longest presence.

Johnson & Johnson employs 138,000 people worldwide, with its New Brunswick headquarters located on Johnson & Johnson Plaza. J&J completed its $14.6 billion acquisition of Intra-Cellular Therapies in April 2025.

Merck & Co. Inc. operates from Rahway with about 75,000 global employees. The company announced plans to acquire Verona Pharma in July 2025. Bristol-Myers Squibb maintains its presence in Princeton with approximately 30,000 employees worldwide under CEO Christopher Boerner’s leadership.

Organon & Co. represents a transformation story. Founded in 1923 in the Netherlands, Schering-Plough acquired it in 2007, and the company then became part of Merck & Co. Inc. in 2009. In June 2021, Organon spun off as an independent company, now operating from Jersey City with 10,000 employees.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries appointed Richard Ascroft as North America chief executive officer in June 2025.

Sanofi relocated from Bridgewater to Morristown in May 2025, maintaining its 100,000 employee workforce.

Novartis announced plans to acquire Regulus Therapeutics for up to $1.7 billion, with the deal expected to close in the second half of 2025.

Comcast Business and Provident Bank are Premium Publication Sponsors of NJBIZ’s 2025 Book of Lists. Hackensack Meridian Health is the Chapter Sponsor of the Health Care & Pharmaceuticals chapter.

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Claude.ai assisted with the creation of this article based on NJBIZ data.