Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly unveiled plans this afternoon to invest $6 billion in a new manufacturing facility in Huntsville.
The Indiana-based Lilly firm plans to make key ingredients for anti-obesity drugs at the new plants, the third of four it is announcing this winter.
Lilly describes the project as a “next-generation synthetic medicine active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) facility” to make “small molecule synthetic and peptide medicines.”
“Importantly, the site will be among those that will manufacture orforglipron, Lilly’s first oral, small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, which the company expects to submit to global regulatory agencies for obesity by the end of this year,” Lilly said in a press statement.
Construction is expected to begin in 2026 and to be complete in 2032.
The firm plans to hire some 450 engineers, scientists, operations personnel and lab technicians.
“Huntsville’s track record of science and innovation, supported by advanced manufacturing expertise and a skilled workforce, makes Alabama an ideal location for Lilly to expand domestic manufacturing capacity for next‑generation medicines,” said David A. Ricks, Lilly chair and CEO. “Today’s investment continues the onshoring of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production, strengthening supply chain resilience and reliable access to medicines for patients in the U.S.”
Gov. Kay Ivey welcomed the project — the largest single industrial investment in Alabama — saying, “Our roots in the biosciences industry run deep, and Alabama’s contributions to this burgeoning sector continue. We are proud to welcome Lilly’s new U.S. manufacturing facility, which we are thrilled is the largest initial investment in our state’s history.”
The new facility will be in Greenbrier South, close to the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology.
