[Rendering courtesy of Eli Lilly]
The company plans to integrate advanced technologies and expand production capacity within the existing campus at its Lilly del Caribe plant in Carolina, Puerto Rico. It hopes to support its growing portfolio of oral solid medicines in cardiometabolic health, neuroscience, oncology and immunology.
Lilly said its facility’s capabilities include manufacturing orforglipron, its first oral, small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist. It plans to submit this to global regulatory agencies for obesity by the end of the year.
The company said its expansion underscores Puerto Rico’s role in its manufacturing agenda as part of a wider investment in U.S. manufacturing. Earlier this year, the company announced its plans to bolster domestic medicine production across therapeutic areas. That included the building of four new pharmaceutical sites in the U.S. Recent expansions include investments in Virginia and Texas.
Lilly said it plans for the facility to deploy highly advanced technologies in oral solid medicine manufacturing. That includes dock-to-dock automation and material flow, paperless manufacturing, process analytical technology and spray-dried dispersion.
The company expects to create up to 1,000 construction jobs and 100 additional high-tech manufacturing positions. It expects to begin construction in 2026, with plans to start producing medicine by the end of 2028.
“After sixty years, Lilly del Caribe continues to play an important role in making life-changing medicines for people in the U.S. and beyond,” said Edgardo Hernandez, EVP and president of Lilly Manufacturing Operations. “Our continued investments in capacity, infrastructure, advanced technologies and highly specialized jobs will further cement the site’s significance in Lilly’s global manufacturing network. Our progress builds on the dedication and expertise of our local team, helping us deliver new medicines for patients around the world.”
Tell Us What You Think!