Eli Lilly is building a $4.5 billion facility in Indiana that will combine research and production, aiming to enhance manufacturing efficiency and accelerate the development of clinical trial medicines, the drugmaker said Oct. 2.
Four things to know:
- The Lilly Medicine Foundry, set to open in 2027, is being constructed in Lebanon, Ind., near another multibillion-dollar manufacturing site that produces tirzepatide, the active ingredient in its blockbuster GLP-1 drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound.
- Eli Lilly described the new center as a first-of-its-kind facility that will combine research and manufacturing in a single location.
"This unique facility will give Lilly the ability to research new ways of producing medicines, while also scaling up manufacturing of medicines for clinical trials," the company said in a news release.
Technologies and production methods developed at the center will be put into use at Lilly's other manufacturing sites.
- The Medicine Foundry will focus on manufacturing various molecular therapies, including biologics, as well as genetic medicines, according to CNBC. The drugmaker anticipates the new center will bring 400 full-time jobs to the region.
- The investment comes as the company expects to see $50 billion in total sales by 2028 from its blockbuster GLP-1 drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound. The company is using major revenue gains to invest in the development of new medicines and the next generation of weight-loss drugs, executives told CNBC
"Neuropsych is a huge unmet need," Mr. Ricks told the news outlet. "Addiction and mental health, but also neurodegenerative conditions, so we're investing heavily there. And perhaps the gains we've made in obesity can help fund the research in new areas."
Orforglipron, an experimental obesity drug in pill form, has shown promising results in mid-stage trials.