Eli Lilly and Company has announced a significant expansion of its manufacturing presence in Ireland, with a $1bn investment earmarked for its Limerick site.
The move is aimed at boosting the company’s production of biologic active ingredients, including those for its approved Alzheimer's treatment.
It also revealed an $800m facility expansion in Kinsale, which has already commenced production to support Lilly's obesity and diabetes treatments.
Lilly has invested more than $20bn since 2020 to enhance and acquire manufacturing sites across the US and Europe.
The Limerick facility will become a part of Lilly's global network, producing biologically active ingredients for its Alzheimer's disease portfolio and other biologic therapies.
The announcement doubles the investment disclosed in March 2023 for the Limerick site and brings the total investment to $2bn.
The Limerick expansion will incorporate advanced technologies such as machine learning, AI and automated robotics to ensure precision and reliability in medicine production.
The expansion will create 150 for highly skilled professional jobs, bringing the total workforce to 450.
Groundbreaking for the Limerick site took place in March 2023, with production expected to commence in 2026.
The Kinsale facility is integral to the continuous supply of Lilly's medications for diabetes and obesity.
It features a digital-first approach with continuous manufacturing technology, establishing a new platform for synthesising complex peptides.
Lilly manufacturing operations president and executive vice-president Edgardo Hernandez stated: “These investments will boost the production of some of our medicines, helping millions of people with diabetes, obesity and Alzheimer's disease live the healthiest lives possible.
“We won't stop there – these state-of-the-art facilities will also be equipped to support our promising pipeline molecules of the future.”
The latest development comes after Eli Lilly announced plans to partner with Haya Therapeutics in a $1bn deal to discover multiple regulatory-genome-derived RNA-based drug targets for obesity treatment.
