- Eli Lilly is investing $6.5B to build a 1M SF manufacturing campus in Houston’s Generation Park—the largest pharmaceutical facility of its kind in the US.
- The project is expected to create over 4K construction jobs and 615 full-time positions, with an average salary above $100K.
- Houston beat out 300+ US locations for the campus due to its workforce, infrastructure, and proximity to the world’s largest medical center and Port Houston.
A Major Bet On US Manufacturing
Global drugmaker Eli Lilly is significantly expanding its US production footprint with plans for a $6.5B campus in Houston, reports CoStar. The facility will be built in Houston’s Generation Park development. It will be the largest of its kind in the country. The project will serve as a centerpiece of Eli Lilly’s $50B US investment plan.
The site selection follows a competitive search across more than 300 sites in 40 states and comes with backing from the Texas Enterprise Fund and other state programs.
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What’s Planned
The new campus will span 1M SF and include state-of-the-art AI capabilities to support advanced drug manufacturing. The site will begin operations in about five years. It will employ 615 workers, including engineers, scientists, and technicians. A pipeline of skilled graduates, trained through partnerships with local colleges and universities, will help support the workforce.
At full buildout, the project will inject significant economic value into the Houston region. For every $1 spent, Eli Lilly estimates a $4 local impact.
Strategic Focus: Domestic Drug Production
The move comes amid broader federal efforts to onshore pharmaceutical production. It follows tariff threats under the Trump administration and rising concerns over supply chain vulnerabilities.
Lilly’s Houston facility will focus on producing orforglipron, a new oral treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes, which is currently under regulatory review. The investment aims to reduce dependency on overseas manufacturing and speed up the delivery of key medicines to US consumers.
Why Houston?
Eli Lilly cited several reasons for selecting Houston. These include the region’s strong workforce, reliable utility and transportation infrastructure, and the presence of the world’s largest medical center. Access to global shipping through Port Houston also contributed to the decision.
Houston-based McCord Development is the firm behind Generation Park. It noted that the announcement is the result of years of collaboration across public and private sectors. The goal was to create a favorable environment for advanced manufacturing.
What’s Next
This Houston site follows a recent $5B manufacturing announcement in Virginia and is one of four new US sites Eli Lilly plans to unveil as part of its broader expansion strategy. Eli Lilly plans to announce two more locations by the end of the year.
As the pharmaceutical sector faces global shifts and rising demand, massive onshoring efforts like Lilly’s Houston campus are positioning the US to be a more resilient drug producer for decades to come.
