Eli Lilly Plans More Than $3.5 Billion Investment in New Injectable Drug Plant in Pennsylvania
Key Facts
Eli Lilly plans to invest more than $3.5 billion in an injectable drug manufacturing facility in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, as part of a project it announced on January 30, 2026. The state administration scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony in Fogelsville for November 12, 2026, at 3:30 p.m., with Governor Josh Shapiro expected to speak. But the announcement of the date does not confirm that the ceremony took place or establish that construction began that day. The company says the facility will produce next-generation weight-loss treatments, including the experimental drug retatrutide. According to Lilly’s estimate when it announced the project, the site is scheduled to begin operations in 2031.
The project is one of 10 U.S. manufacturing sites Lilly has announced since 2020, according to the company. Four of those sites are dedicated to injectable drug production and device manufacturing, including the Lehigh Valley site. That classification places the facility within the company’s expansion of manufacturing for injectable treatments and related products, without indicating that the announced sites have begun operating. Lilly expected construction to start in 2026, with the project providing 2,000 construction jobs. The company also expects the facility to provide 850 permanent jobs in the region once it is operating.
Retatrutide is an experimental drug that targets three hormone receptors—GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon—according to Lilly’s description, and has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The company said it remains under evaluation in clinical trials, so its inclusion among products that could be made at the site does not mean it is approved or commercially available. In the Phase 3 TRIUMPH-2 trial, Lilly said participants with obesity or overweight and type 2 diabetes lost an average of up to 20.8% of their body weight at the 12 mg dose over 80 weeks. According to its July 2026 announcement, the company plans to submit a biologics license application for the drug to the FDA in the first quarter of 2027. TRIUMPH-5, which compares the drug with tirzepatide in adults with obesity, includes 800 participants in Phase 3; its estimated primary completion date was November 2026 and its study completion date was December 2026.
The scale of the project reflects a long-term manufacturing commitment in a region Lilly said it selected from among more than 300 applications. The company said the Lehigh Valley’s proximity to science, technology, engineering and mathematics universities, its tech manufacturing economy and existing infrastructure contributed to the site selection. Pennsylvania announced when the investment was unveiled that it would provide $100 million to support the facility project. The announcement comes amid growth in Lilly’s business: its global revenue reached $24.4 billion in the third quarter of 2026, up 39% from the same period a year earlier. The company attributed revenue growth to a 53% increase in sales volume, alongside a 15% decline in realized prices.
In detail, global Mounjaro revenue rose 65% to $10.7 billion in the third quarter of 2026, while U.S. Zepbound revenue increased 48% to $5.3 billion, according to Lilly. The company’s results showed revenue of $24,397 million, compared with $17,601 million in the third quarter of 2025, while reported net income rose 16% to $6,451 million. In the stock market, Lilly shares closed at $1,437.29 on November 11, according to EL7 data; the provided data do not include a verified price or trading range for November 12. The stock also rose on a closing basis from $1,364.73 on November 5 to $1,437.29 on November 11. These prices are dated before the news session and do not measure the market’s reaction on November 12.