Lilly pumping $1.45bn into its biomanufacturing network

Eli Lilly will invest $1 billion and create nearly 600 jobs at a site in North Carolina. Concurrently, the firm will build a $446 million biologics plant in Ireland.

The new facility in Concord, North Carolina will make injectable products and devices, supporting the company’s capacity for its product portfolio and future pipeline.

The investment will create nearly 600 jobs and was welcomed by North Carolina state governor Roy Cooper who stated that “Lilly’s choice brings more good jobs to North Carolina from one of our most important industries” and that the state of North Carolina “has become a premier hub for the world, thanks to our exceptional workforce and commitment to education.”

Image: Stock Photo Secrets

Recent biomanufacturing investments in North Carolina include a $68 million cell therapy plant from Cellectis, Fujifilm’s $1.8 billion mammalian investment in Holly Springs, and Thermo Fisher’s $154 million expansion in Greenville.

Tucked away in the same press release, Lilly has revealed it plans to invest a further €400 million ($446 million) in its biomanufacturing network through a new plant in Limerick, Ireland.

The proposed project, which is subject to planning approval, is expected to create more than 300 new jobs in the region and was described as “fantastic news” by Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

“Lilly produces crucial healthcare products which are making a huge difference to the lives of patients around the world fighting some of the world’s most serious illnesses,” he said. “This new manufacturing center is a significant expansion of that work and I wish the entire team the very best with the project.”

Like North Carolina, Ireland is a hotbed of biomanufacturing investment. Recent projects include Pfizer bolstering its Grange Castle, Dublin plant, Takeda expanding a cell therapy production site, and WuXi Biologics choosing Dundalk, County Louth for a $240 million plant to support its vaccine business.

For Lilly, the double investment is the latest support for its inhouse manufacturing capacity. The firm invested $470 million in 2020 to build an injectable drug manufacturing facility in Durham County, North Carolina months after pumping $400 million into its biomanufacturing site in Indianapolis.