Lilly to build $6B plant in Alabama in 3rd of 4 big US investments
Lilly’s planned Huntsville site is part of the drugmaker’s commitment to add four U.S. manufacturing sites through a $27 billion reshoring investment unveiled early this year.
Lilly’s planned Huntsville site is part of the drugmaker’s commitment to add four U.S. manufacturing sites through a $27 billion reshoring investment unveiled early this year.
The decision is the latest in a series of moves to make its GLP-1 blockbuster more widely available and affordable.
The Indianapolis-based drugmaker said the coverage would be administered by third-party administrators to provide employers “transparent, flexible cost-sharing options” for their workers.
It’s just the latest landmark for Indianapolis-based Lilly, which was catapulted into the top spot as the world’s largest health care company by market capitalization in 2023.
Since the first biotech incubator site opened in 2019, participating startups have collectively raised more than $3 billion.
As GLP-1 drugs for weight loss and diabetes drugs such as Zepbound and Mounjaro generate billions in sales, researchers at Eli Lilly and Co. and other pharma companies are exploring their potential for other purposes.
David Ricks, speaking Thursday during a panel at the annual BioCrossroads Life Sciences Summit, also called for Purdue and Indiana universities to upgrade their lab facilities.
Lilly’s shares have taken off in the wake of several significant deals and after it received fast-track regulatory review for highly anticipated weight-loss pill orforglipron.
The announcement comes on the heels of a deal with the Trump administration to expand access to weight-loss drugs and reduce costs for patients on government-funded insurance and those paying out of pocket.
Thursday’s announcement is the latest attempt by the Trump administration to rein in soaring drug prices in its efforts to address cost-of-living concerns among voters.
The deal is seen as one of the most significant in the administration’s current drug-pricing push, given the potential effect on public health and spending on health care.
The facility is expected to produce oral medications, including Lilly’s highly anticipated GLP-1 pill for weight loss, orforglipron.
Eli Lilly and Co. is funding and participating in an Indiana University study that examines the health outcomes of people on weight loss drugs, including Lilly medications.
With quarterly revenue up 54% from a year ago, Eli Lilly raised it guidance for the year, with the company now expecting revenue in the range of $63 billion to $63.5 billion.
Through its LillyDirect pharmacy, Eli Lilly plans to offer steep discounts on single-dose vials of Zepbound by partnering with the nation’s largest retail chain.
Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. said the improved facility in Carolina, Puerto Rico, will make orforglipron, Lilly’s highly anticipated weight loss pill.
The move continues the Indianapolis-based drugmaker’s investments in age-related diseases.
Per the agreement, the Indianapolis-based drugmaker will continue to manufacture the drug, which India-based Cipla will sell under a new brand name.
Indiana’s growing partnership with Portugal includes imports like rubber, plastics and chemicals, the latter of which is driven largely by pharmaceuticals, according to a Portuguese trade representative.
Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said talks over the price of weight-loss drugs are still ongoing.