Eli Lilly and Company has broken ground on an active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas. The company, which manufactures medicines, is investing $6.5 billion into the project. It expects the facility to create more than 600 high-wage jobs. In addition, Lilly expects the project to create about 4,000 construction jobs while the site is being built and brought online.

The facility will manufacture Foundayo (orforglipron), Lilly's first synthetic oral GLP-1 medicine, along with other small-molecule medicines and advanced therapeutics. The site will also focus on oligonucleotides, a class of medicines that can work at the genetic level to switch off the production of specific proteins.

The Houston site will use machine learning, artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics to support right-first-time execution. Digital automation will be embedded throughout the site to streamline operations and support a reliable supply of medicines.

Eli Lilly funds pharma manufacturing education programs 

The company is also providing $12.5 million to support its relationship with San Jacinto College, which fosters advanced chemical synthesis manufacturing careers. The funds will go to initiatives including training pathways and expanded equipment and facility capacity for technicians, operators, maintenance professionals and other manufacturing personnel. Lilly is separately providing a $2.5 million charitable donation to the San Jacinto College Foundation for scholarships.

"We're hiring across the greater Houston area to help residents build careers close to home,” said Edgardo Hernandez, executive vice president and president of Lilly Manufacturing Operations, in a Sept. 21 press release.

"Texas is the global hub for life sciences,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “This $6.5 billion Lilly investment in Houston is the largest active pharmaceutical ingredient project in Texas history and will create more than 600 high-wage jobs, right here in Texas. Texas will produce these medicines at home so we can deliver life-changing treatments to millions of Americans."

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