US – American pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company has announced plans to invest US$450 million to expand the manufacturing capacity at Research Triangle Park facility in North Carolina, US.
The expansion plans include the installation of additional parenteral filling, device assembly and packaging capacity to meet the rising demand for Lilly’s incretin-based diabetes treatments and medicines.
The move is expected to create at least 100 new jobs, primarily comprising manufacturing personnel who will produce incretin treatments and medical devices. Eli Lilly expects the new facility to come online in 2027.
Lilly Manufacturing Operations executive vice president and president Edgardo Hernandez said: “As we move into 2023, Lilly is focused on finding innovative solutions to meet the growing demand for our medicines.
“Expanding our operations at Research Triangle Park will accelerate the rate at which we can produce medicines that patients rely on to address serious health challenges like diabetes.
“We’re on track to achieve the goal we shared in November 2022 of doubling incretin capacity by the end of this year, but this investment is key to ensuring even more patients will have access to medicines they need in the future.”
This expansion will be essential for maintaining the supply of current Lilly products and setting up the global distribution of the next pharmaceuticals, the US-based pharmaceutical firm added.
The workforce in North Carolina has experience in pharmaceutical making, and Lilly has forged alliances with regional organizations to give residents the chance to pursue the training required to create medications.
Since 2020, the company has committed roughly US$4 billion to new manufacturing facilities in North Carolina, including US$1.7 billion for the development and expansion of its RTP base.
The initial manufacturing at Research Triangle Park is expected to start this year and the preparations for inspections by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are ongoing.
Lily also notes that it has released 18 new medications, since 2014, to improve the lives of patients dealing with conditions including diabetes and cancer, and it plans to release a number of potential new medications in 2023.
As the company prepares for future growth expected from potential new medicines to treat diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and autoimmune conditions, Lily anticipates further expansion of its global manufacturing footprint to ensure sufficient supply of medicine.
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