FOGELSVILLE, Pa. – Eli Lilly and Co. broke ground Thursday, November 12, on a $3.5 billion manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, expanding its U.S. production capacity for next-generation injectables, including the investigational obesity treatment retatrutide.
The facility in Fogelsville is one of 10 new U.S. manufacturing sites Lilly has announced since 2020 and one of four dedicated to injectable medicines and medical devices. The investment is part of the company’s $50 billion initiative to expand domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing.
“Obesity is one of the biggest health challenges of our time, and the science to treat it is moving quickly. Retatrutide is one of several next-generation medicines we’re developing that could help millions more people living with obesity, type 2 diabetes, or both. This $3.5 billion investment means we’ll be able to make these medicines in Pennsylvania for people here at home and around the world,” said David A. Ricks, Lilly’s chair and CEO.
The Lehigh Valley facility is expected to become operational by 2031, creating 850 high-wage jobs, including positions for engineers, scientists, operations personnel, and laboratory technicians. Approximately 2,000 construction jobs are also expected during the facility's construction and startup.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro welcomed the investment as a major expansion of the state’s life sciences industry.
“Today marks another historic milestone in Pennsylvania’s thriving life sciences sector and reinforces my Administration’s commitment to advancing innovation, strengthening the economy, and creating good-paying jobs across the Commonwealth. We secured this historic, life-changing investment thanks to Pennsylvania’s world-class workforce, research institutions, infrastructure, and resources, and my Administration will continue working hard to ensure Pennsylvania remains a place where groundbreaking discoveries can translate into meaningful economic opportunities and results for patients and families,” Shapiro said.
The facility will integrate advanced manufacturing technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital automation, and data analytics, to improve production efficiency and uphold pharmaceutical quality standards.
Lilly said the site will use digitally integrated systems and automated processes to support consistent manufacturing and reliable supply of injectable medicines.
“Before a dose of medicine leaves one of our sites, each production run goes through more than 5,000 documented steps, and each unit is imaged and inspected more than 70 times to check for defects. These are just a few examples of the quality control we take to protect our patients. Lehigh Valley will build on that discipline with next-generation automation and digital systems, so we can do things right the first time and help patients count on their medicines for years to come, made in Pennsylvania,” said Edgardo Hernandez, executive vice president and president of Lilly Manufacturing Operations.
Retatrutide is an investigational once-weekly treatment that activates three hormone receptors: glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and glucagon.
The drug is under evaluation in several Phase 3 clinical trials for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea, cardiovascular outcomes, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Retatrutide remains investigational and cannot be legally sold or marketed for human use.
As part of its expansion, Lilly is also collaborating with the Upper Macungie Township Community Fund on a proposed community initiative focused on nutrition, healthy living, access to fresh food, and health resources. The company plans to contribute up to $1 million over five years to support programming at the Upper Macungie Community Center.
“We are thrilled to be able to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Lilly facility in Upper Macungie Township. The Board of Supervisors, staff and residents of Upper Macungie are excited to welcome Lilly to our community. We are all looking forward to seeing what we can do, together, to make every day better in Upper Macungie,” said Jeff Fleischaker, chairman of the Upper Macungie Township Board of Supervisors.
U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick also highlighted the facility’s expected economic impact.
“Lilly’s $3.5 billion investment in the Lehigh Valley is another major win for Pennsylvania, bringing 850 high-paying jobs, strengthening American manufacturing, and cementing the Commonwealth’s position as a leader in life sciences and innovation. When I talk about building a pro-growth environment in Pennsylvania, this is the type of investment I am working to attract,” McCormick said.
Lilly’s broader U.S. manufacturing expansion includes five sites dedicated to active pharmaceutical ingredient production, four facilities for injectables and devices, and one genetic medicines facility in Indiana.
The Pennsylvania site is pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification as part of the company’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing.
To learn more, visit Lilly.com and Lilly.com/news, or follow on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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