Eli Lilly breaks ground on new $6.5bn pharma plant in Houston

American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has broken ground on a $6.5bn Houston factory that will make Foundayo (orforglipron), the company’s first synthetic oral GLP-1 variant for treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, along with other medicines, reported GCR.

Construction at Generation Park will employ 4,000 workers, while 600 jobs will be created at the plant once operational.

Eli Lilly is spending $12.5 million to support San Jacinto College students into advanced chemical synthesis manufacturing careers and is also funding equipment.

Foundayo, is a GLP-1 receptor agonist approved in the US. It’s a small-molecule compound as opposed to a peptide, meaning it is more easily scalable.

The drug is currently under regulatory review in more than 40 countries, with a full global rollout targeted for 2027.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said: “Texas is the global hub for life sciences. This $6.5bn Eli Lilly investment in Houston is the largest active pharmaceutical ingredient project in Texas history.

“Texas will produce these medicines at home so we can deliver life-changing treatments to millions of Americans.”

The Houston factory is one of 10 Eli Lilly sites announced since 2020.