Latest News

Lilly invests further $5.3 bln in brand-new Indiana site as obesity drug need soars

Eli Lilly said on Friday it has actually invested another $5.3 billion in its brand-new Lebanon, Indiana producing plant, more than doubling its previous investment, as it scrambles to meet skyrocketing demand for its weightloss and diabetes drugs.

The brand-new financial investment, which brings the overall to $9 billion, will assist improve production of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for Lilly's powerful weight-loss drug Zepbound and diabetes treatment Mounjaro, the business said.

Today's statement tops the biggest production financial investment in our company's history and, our company believe, represents the single largest financial investment in artificial medication API producing in U.S. history, said Lilly CEO David Ricks.

Zepbound and Mounjaro, both known chemically as tirzepatide, remain in lack in the U.S. and anticipated to have actually restricted schedule across many doses through the 2nd quarter of this year.

Zepbound was presented in the U.S. in late 2023. Lilly has considering that offered more than 1.2 million prescriptions of the drugs, according to data from IQVIA.

The Indianapolis-based business anticipates supply of Zepbound to stay quite tight in the near and midterm as it increases capacity, it said on a financier call last month.

Lilly has actually dedicated a total of $16 billion to developing new manufacturing websites given that 2020, including $2.5 billion for a. plant in Germany, and another $1.2 billion to upgrade existing. facilities, it stated.

The company has previously stated it anticipates the Lebanon site. to start making medicines towards the end of 2026, however for its. new Concord plant and broadened facilities in Durham, both in. North Carolina, to start increasing products of Zepbound and. Mounjaro when they end up being functional this year.

Danish rival Novo Nordisk has actually also invested. billions in manufacturing to increase supply of its popular. weight-loss drug Wegovy, announcing it would take control of 3. sites from contract producer Catalent for $11 billion.

Lilly announced last month that it will obtain a. manufacturing facility from Nexus Pharmaceuticals to produce. injectable medications.

The business said it expects to add 200 full-time jobs for. extremely proficient employees such as engineers, scientists, operating. workers and lab professionals to its Lebanon plant as part of. the brand-new investment.

(source: Reuters)