Eli Lilly and Company invests $6.5 billion to build pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Texas
Eli Lilly and Company has announced plans to build a new $6.5 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing facility at Generation Park in Houston, Texas. The company, which develops and manufactures medicines across multiple therapeutic areas, will create 615 permanent high-wage jobs as part of the project, along with 4,000 construction jobs during the build phase.
The facility, expected to be operational within five years, will manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for Lilly’s pipeline of small molecule medicines, including treatments for cardiometabolic health, oncology, immunology, and neuroscience. Importantly, the site will be among those manufacturing orforglipron, the company’s first oral, small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, which Lilly expects to submit to global regulatory agencies for obesity by the end of this year.
The Houston site will feature technologies such as machine learning, AI, digitally integrated systems, and advanced data analytics to support efficient and reliable production. Digital automation will be embedded throughout the facility to streamline operations and ensure a consistent supply of medicines. Lilly also plans to collaborate with local universities and invest in educational programs across Texas to build a strong talent pipeline.
The new site, located on commercial property in Generation Park in the Lake Houston area, was chosen from more than 300 applications based on workforce potential, local incentives, access to utilities and transportation, and overall business environment. For every dollar Lilly spends in the area, the company estimates up to four dollars of local economic stimulation, further multiplying the economic impact of this investment.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, David A. Ricks, Lilly chair and CEO, said, “Our new Houston site will enhance Lilly's ability to manufacture orforglipron at scale and, if approved, help fulfill the medicine's potential as a metabolic health treatment for tens of millions of people worldwide who prefer the ease of a pill that can be taken without food and water restrictions. This significant U.S. investment and onshoring of our API production capabilities will ensure faster, more secure access to orforglipron and to other life-changing medicines of the future."
Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, added, “Texas is the economic engine of America because we foster innovation and empower businesses to succeed. Texas is proud to welcome Lilly to Houston as they make one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing investments in our nation's history and provide good, high-paying jobs to hardworking Texans. With our highly skilled workforce, low taxes, and world-class, business-friendly climate, Texas is the best place for companies like Lilly to grow. This $6.5 billion facility will not only bolster Houston's economy, it will boost our life sciences sector and help cement Texas as a global leader in health care innovation.”
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