Lilly to Invest $5B in New Virginia Plant 

Lilly announced plans to invest $5 billion to build a new manufacturing facility west of Richmond, VA. The new site will be the company’s first dedicated, fully integrated active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and drug product facility for Lilly’s emerging bioconjugate platform and monoclonal antibody portfolio. The investment expands domestic drug production and aims to circumvent potential tariffs.

Earlier this year, the company announced plans to bolster its domestic medicine production across therapeutic areas by building four new pharmaceutical manufacturing sites in the U.S. The planned Virginia facility is the first to be announced and is part of the company’s $50 billion in U.S. capital expansion commitments since 2020. At this site, Lilly will also boost its domestic manufacturing of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). 

Expected to be completed within the next five years, the manufacturing site will bring more than 650 new high-paying jobs to Virginia, including highly skilled engineers, scientists, operations personnel and lab technicians. The project is anticipated to bring 1,800 construction jobs to the region.

“Our investment in Virginia underscores our commitment to U.S. innovation and manufacturing – creating high-quality jobs, strengthening communities and advancing the health and well-being of Americans nationwide,” said David A. Ricks, Lilly chair and CEO. “By expanding our domestic capacity, we’re building a secure, resilient supply chain that delivers for patients today and supports the breakthrough medicines of tomorrow.”

Lilly plans to announce the three remaining U.S. manufacturing sites this year and expects to begin making medicines at these four facilities within five years.