- Lilly plans a $1.2 billion investment to expand its Puerto Rico facility.
- The project will create 100 manufacturing and 1,000 construction jobs.
- Construction begins in 2026, with production starting by 2028.
- The facility will produce orforglipron, an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist.
Investment Overview
Eli Lilly and Company announced a $1.2 billion investment to expand and modernize its Lilly del Caribe manufacturing site in Carolina, Puerto Rico. This expansion aims to integrate advanced technologies and increase production capacity for oral solid medicines in areas such as cardiometabolic health, neuroscience, oncology, and immunology.
Job Creation and Economic Impact
The project is expected to generate up to 1,000 construction jobs and 100 high-tech manufacturing positions. This investment is part of Lilly's broader $50 billion capital commitment to enhance U.S. manufacturing capacity, with additional sites planned in Texas and Virginia.
Technological Advancements
The facility will incorporate advanced technologies, including dock-to-dock automation, paperless manufacturing, process analytical technology, and spray-dried dispersion. These innovations aim to improve the absorption of oral medicines.
Production Timeline
Construction of the expanded facility is set to begin in 2026, with plans to start producing medicines by the end of 2028. The site will manufacture orforglipron, Lilly's first oral, small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, which is expected to be submitted for regulatory approval for obesity treatment by the end of the year.
