Drugmaker planning US$4.5bn research and manufacturing facility

Aerial render of the Lilly Medicine Foundry in Indiana, US. (Image courtesy Eli Lilly and Company)

Dubbed the Lilly Medicine Foundry, the facility represents more than $13 billion in commitments for its Indiana operations since 2022.

The company added the new site will “innovate new production methods and scale global access to clinical supply for Lilly’s growing pipeline.”

Lilly’s most recognisable products include antidepressants (Prozac, Cymbalta) and diabetes and obesity drugs (Mounjaro, Zepbound).

The Foundry will be located in Lilly’s LEAP District, which was first developed about two years ago as a two-site project. The scheme broke ground in 2023, with US-based EPC company Fluor Corporation overseeing the first phase.

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Earlier this year, the company announced a major investment of $5.3 billion to the LEAP District to boost its production capacity, which it said was the largest single investment in active pharmaceutical ingredients production in US history. Specifically, the firm stated it wishes to bolster production of Zepbound (tirzepatide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) to treat diabetes and obesity.

“We’re continuing to invest in state-of-the-art infrastructure to support our growing pipeline,” said David A. Ricks, Lilly’s chair and CEO. “In addition to supplying high-quality medicine for our clinical studies, [the Lilly Medicine Foundry] will further strengthen our process development and scale up our manufacturing capabilities to speed delivery of next-generation medicines.”

Lilly added that the State of Indiana will support the new site with infrastructure improvements for roads, water, electricity and other utilities.

“The state will also offer economic incentives tied to Lilly’s investment and employment goals in Lebanon,” added the company.

Lilly expects to create 400 full-time jobs for highly skilled workers upon the facilities completion in 2027. Fluor estimated the construction project at LEAP District could employ as many as 5,000 labourers.

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