With burgeoning demand for GLP-1s to treat conditions such as diabetes and obesity, Lilly is making historic investments in manufacturing and ambitious expansions to support its diabetes and obesity portfolio and other top selling medicines, adding capacity to manufacture API and bolstering its global parenteral product and device manufacturing network.
 
Since 2020, Lilly has committed more than $18 billion to build, upgrade and acquire facilities in the U.S. and Europe. Lilly is using the latest technology, including robotics and highly automated manufacturing processes and increased digitalization to help meet ongoing demands.
 
As Lilly ramps up its manufacturing efforts to meet record-breaking demand, the company is taking into consideration how it uses valuable resources and energy. 
 
A Lilly Spokesperson discusses the company’s manufacturing processes, how it works with CMOs to reduce environmental impacts, and expansion efforts. –KB 
 
Contract Pharma: What are some of the latest technologies Lilly uses in its manufacturing processes?
 
Lilly Spokesperson: We are utilizing advanced technologies such as machine learning, AI and a variety of automated robotics and systems in our manufacturing processes to help increase our speed and efficiency. For example, our Research Triangle Park (RTP) site in North Carolina is one of Lilly’s most advanced manufacturing facilities to date, equipped with automation integrated into nearly every facet of the supply chain. This includes automated guided vehicles, automated warehousing, robotics, and highly automated production equipment, to accelerate the production of medicines at RTP. 
 
This level of automation requires extensive technical expertise and training across the production cycle, including operators, technicians, engineers and scientists. Similar to our RTP facility, Lilly’s new facility in Concord, North Carolina, will have high-speed manufacturing lines capable of significantly increasing our production.
 
Contract Pharma: What efforts are underway to help reduce environmental impacts associated with Lilly’s contract manufacturing organizations?
 
Lilly Spokesperson: Lilly has a responsibility to reduce our environmental footprint and serve our local communities. That said, we are being thoughtful in how we use our world’s valuable resources and energy when making our products.
 
For example, we ensure appropriate controls are in place with Lilly contract manufacturers to prevent the discharge of pharmaceuticals in wastewater above applicable PNEC-based limits for Pharmaceuticals in the Environment. Through the end of 2023, we completed assessments of 100% of our contract manufacturers. All contract manufacturers were found to have appropriate controls in place to meet the established PNEC-based limits.
 
We have also taken steps to educate and engage our suppliers directly on Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) issues to help them build expertise around these topics. This includes our ongoing work as part of the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative (PSCI), a non-profit business membership organization founded in 2006, which counts Lilly as one of its inaugural members. In 2023, Lilly HSE professionals led the Industrial Hygiene PSCI supplier capability building team and served on several of PSCI’s supplier capability building teams.
 
Contract Pharma: What capacities does Lilly anticipate operating at once manufacturing expansions are complete?
 
Lilly Spokesperson: We’re making ambitious efforts to meet the current and future demand and building new facilities at record speed – going from breaking ground to producing medicine in just two years, three years faster than the industry average. Also, all our manufacturing sites are running 24/7 operations and our large and growing manufacturing workforce is committed to this capacity expansion. 
 
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