Bright Path Applauds Presidential Proclamation Imposing Tariffs on Imported Pharmaceuticals

DARPA-validated company is already manufacturing essential medicine APIs entirely on U.S. soil

MESA, Ariz., April 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bright Path, a U.S.-based advanced pharmaceutical manufacturer, today welcomed President Trump's proclamation imposing tariffs of up to 100 percent on imported patented pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. The proclamation, which the President signed today citing threats to national security from foreign pharmaceutical dependence, validates the mission Bright Path has been executing for six years: building a fully domestic manufacturing capability for essential medicines with zero foreign inputs or dependencies.

"Today's action sends the clearest signal yet that America is serious about manufacturing its own medicines," said Tony Quiñones, Founder and CEO of Bright Path. "We didn't wait for tariffs to start building. We've spent six years designing our own reactors, writing our own software, and proving that the United States can produce its own essential medicines. Our factory is built and our technology is validated. We've already done what most companies are still promising."

The presidential proclamation finds that pharmaceutical imports threaten U.S. national security, noting that approximately 53 percent of patented pharmaceutical products distributed domestically are produced outside the country and only 15 percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients are manufactured in the United States. The proclamation establishes a 100 percent ad valorem duty on imported patented pharmaceuticals and APIs, with reduced rates for companies that commit to onshoring production to U.S. soil. Tariffs take effect beginning July 31, 2026.

Bright Path's manufacturing platform uses the company's patented Spinning Tube-in-Tube (STT®) continuous flow reactor technology, which the company designs, fabricates, and assembles entirely in-house. STT® technology can produce medicines in less time, at lower cost, and at higher quality than traditional batch approaches, while also enabling faster regulatory review and rapid changeover between drug syntheses. The platform has been validated through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) EQUIP-A-Pharma program, under which Bright Path has achieved all contract milestones across three successive awards. The company has filed Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) with the FDA for lidocaine and carboplatin, two essential hospital medicines that appear on the FDA drug shortage list.

The company's advanced manufacturing platform is capable of addressing 87 percent of the World Health Organization's Essential Medicines List, producing over 13.4 million vials per year at full capacity, and achieving 281 percent higher yield than conventional batch manufacturing. The entire production process, from key starting materials through finished dosage form, takes place at the company's Falcon Field facility in Mesa, Arizona.

"The President's proclamation makes clear what we've known for years: depending on foreign supply chains for life-saving medicines is a national security risk we can no longer afford," Quiñones continued. "More than 80 percent of the active ingredients in our essential medicines come from overseas, much of it from countries that may not have America's best interests in mind. Drug shortages emerge fast. Our manufacturing has to be just as fast, and our regulatory frameworks need to keep pace with the technology. We are fully operational and ready to scale."

The proclamation establishes a tiered tariff structure that incentivizes domestic production, offering reduced duty rates for companies with approved onshoring plans and preferential treatment for those that commit to manufacturing pharmaceuticals and APIs on American soil. Bright Path's Mesa facility represents exactly the kind of domestic manufacturing infrastructure the proclamation is designed to encourage, with a fully integrated production line that eliminates reliance on foreign suppliers at every stage of the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Bright Path has partnered with DARPA and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) through the Center for Industrial Base Management and Supply Chain (IBMSC). The company is a member of the FDA's Emerging Technology Program and has submitted its application to the BioMaP Consortium for expanded domestic manufacturing capacity.

About Bright Path

Bright Path's manufacturing platform uses the company's patented Spinning Tube-in-Tube (STT®) continuous flow reactor technology, which the company designs, fabricates, and assembles entirely in-house. Bright Path is a direct recipient and partner of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which selected the company for its EQUIP-A-Pharma program to advance domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing capability. The platform has been validated through that program, under which Bright Path has achieved all contract milestones across three successive awards. The company has filed Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) with the FDA for lidocaine and carboplatin, two essential hospital medicines that appear on the FDA drug shortage list.

Contact: Bruce Fryer, [email protected]

SOURCE Bright Path