A significant $3 billion investment to construct a new, advanced manufacturing facility in Katwijk, the Netherlands, situated within the Leiden Bio Science Park, was announced by Eli Lilly and Company.
This major strategic move is intended to significantly expand the company's global supply chain and manufacturing capacity for its growing portfolio of oral solid medicines, focusing on crucial therapeutic areas such as cardiometabolic health, neuroscience, oncology, and immunology.
The new site will incorporate state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies, including advanced capabilities like dock-to-dock automation, paperless operations, process analytical technology, and spray-dried dispersion—a technique designed to enhance the effective absorption of oral medicines. Notably, the facility is planned to be a manufacturing site for orforglipron, Lilly's first oral, small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, which the company expects to submit to global regulatory agencies for the treatment of obesity by the end of the year. Lilly's chair and CEO, David A. Ricks, noted that this European expansion, which is contingent upon final government permits, will strengthen the company’s ability to quickly meet regional demand and accelerate distribution within Europe.
The company's investment is projected to create 500 new, high-wage jobs in the South Holland province, including positions for highly skilled engineers, scientists, and operations personnel, along with an estimated 1,500 jobs during the construction phase, which is slated to begin next year. This choice was lauded by Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs, Vincent Karremans, as a boon for collaboration in innovative medicines. This new Dutch site adds to Lilly’s existing European manufacturing footprint across France, Ireland, Italy, and Spain, and is part of a broader global expansion that includes three new sites planned for the EU since 2020 (Ireland, Germany, and the Netherlands) and recent expansions in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. In line with its global commitment, the facility will be designed to minimize its environmental impact, aiming for carbon neutrality in operations and generating zero waste to landfills, ensuring its next-generation manufacturing capabilities align with sustainability goals.