Eli Lilly & Co. announces $1.2 billion Puerto Rico investment for GLP-1 drugs, oral medicine

Eli Lilly & Co. announced October 29 that it would spend $1.2 billion to add production operations, including production of a GLP-1 diabetes and obesity drug, at its existing Lilly del Caribe campus in Carolina, Puerto Rico. A company release said the new investment would add 100 new jobs at the site and produce a new oral medicine for diabetes and obesity.

In a statement, the pharmaceutical giant said it would improve production capacity at the plant, upgrade technology, and add at least one new medication, an oral GLP-1 drug called orforglipron. In a statement announcing the plant expansion, Lilly said it planned to submit the drug for approval by regulatory agencies before the end of the year.

Lilly also said the new plant would also feature advanced oral medicine manufacturing technology including dock-to-dock automation, paperless manufacturing, process analytics, and spray-dried dispersion, which improves the body’s absorption of oral medicine.

Construction on the new factory will begin in 2026 and start producing medicine two years later, the company said.

What people are saying

"After sixty years, Lilly del Caribe continues to play an important role in making life-changing medicines for people in the U.S. and beyond," said Edgardo Hernandez, executive vice president and president of Lilly Manufacturing Operations. "Our continued investments in capacity, infrastructure, advanced technologies and highly specialized jobs will further cement the site's significance in Lilly's global manufacturing network. Our progress builds on the dedication and expertise of our local team, helping us deliver new medicines for patients around the world."

"This announcement reflects the very essence of our public policy, which is to position Puerto Rico as a strategic hub for advanced manufacturing, innovation and national economic security," said Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, Governor of Puerto Rico. "Lilly's multimillion-dollar expansion is a resounding vote of confidence in our people, our infrastructure and our long-term competitiveness within the U.S. supply chain. It demonstrates that global companies can continue to grow and thrive here, while Puerto Rico contributes in a meaningful way to the resilience of the nation's most critical industries." 

"This historic investment stands as proof of what can be achieved when the private sector and government work hand in hand toward a shared vision of competitiveness and economic growth," said Sebastian Negron Reichard, Secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce, Puerto Rico. "For over sixty years, Lilly has trusted Puerto Rico, its people, its talent and its potential. Today, that trust translates into new capacity, advanced technologies, investment and long-term economic value for our island. This is exactly the kind of partnership that defines our economic development strategy and strengthens Puerto Rico's position as a global leader in life sciences manufacturing."

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