Eli Lilly is making a major investment to enhance its drug manufacturing capabilities, announcing plans to build a $4.5 billion facility in Lebanon, Indiana. The new center, named the Lilly Medicine Foundry, will serve a dual purpose: developing innovative manufacturing techniques while also producing medicines for clinical trials. This facility is set to open in late 2027 and will be located near the company’s $9 billion pharmaceutical complex, where it manufactures active ingredients for its leading drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound.
The Lilly Medicine Foundry will be the first of its kind, integrating research and production in a single location. Eli Lilly sees this as a crucial step in improving the efficiency and scalability of its drug manufacturing processes. The company’s CEO, David Ricks, emphasized that the facility will help accelerate the journey of new drug molecules from laboratory research to commercial production, enabling faster delivery of medicines to patients.
Lilly’s recent success with obesity and diabetes treatments, particularly Mounjaro and Zepbound, has given the company the financial flexibility to make these bold investments. The popularity of these GLP-1 drugs, expected to generate $50 billion by 2028, has pushed Lilly to explore new ways to expand its product pipeline. In addition to obesity treatments, the company is focusing on other therapeutic areas, including Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, and neurodegenerative conditions, with plans to leverage its manufacturing expertise for future innovations.
The new foundry will create 400 full-time jobs, including roles for engineers, scientists, and lab technicians. This facility will further support Lilly’s ambition to become a leader in drug manufacturing while also boosting the company’s broader research efforts. Since 2020, Lilly has invested over $23 billion in the U.S. to expand its manufacturing footprint, underscoring the company’s commitment to advancing healthcare through both scientific discovery and technological innovation.

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