Eli Lilly Advances U.S. Drug Production With $6B Alabama API Plant

Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly is committing over $6 billion to build an advanced manufacturing plant in Huntsville, Alabama — a major push to bolster U.S.-based drug production.

The new facility will focus on making active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for small molecule synthetic and peptide medicines, including the upcoming oral GLP-1 weight-loss drug orforglipron.

The site, selected from more than 300 contenders, will span 260 acres near I-565 and Greenbrier Parkway. Construction is slated to begin in 2026, with full operations expected by 2032.

The project will generate roughly 3,000 construction jobs during build-out and offer about 450 permanent high-value roles for scientists, engineers, lab technicians and operations personnel.

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Eli Lilly describes the plant as part of a broader strategy to “onshore” API production, reducing reliance on imports and strengthening supply-chain resilience. The company plans to deploy cutting-edge technologies at the site — including AI, machine learning, digital monitoring and automation — to ensure efficient, quality-driven manufacturing.

Local leaders have called this the largest private-industrial investment in Alabama’s history, forecasting that every dollar Lilly invests could generate up to four dollars in additional local economic activity. The move underlines a broader industry shift toward domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing — a trend driven by demand for reliable, high-quality drug supplies and tighter controls over global supply chains.