American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has broken ground on a $6.5bn Houston factory that will make Foundayo (orforglipron), the company’s first synthetic oral GLP-1 variant for treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, along with other medicines.
Construction at Generation Park will employ 4,000 workers, while 600 jobs will be created at the plant once operational.
Eli Lilly is spending $12.5m to support San Jacinto College students into advanced chemical synthesis manufacturing careers and is also funding equipment.
Foundayo, is a GLP-1 receptor agonist approved in the US. It’s a small-molecule compound as opposed to a peptide, meaning it is more easily scalable.
The drug is currently under regulatory review in more than 40 countries, with a full global rollout targeted for 2027.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said: “Texas is the global hub for life sciences. This $6.5bn Eli Lilly investment in Houston is the largest active pharmaceutical ingredient project in Texas history.
“Texas will produce these medicines at home so we can deliver life-changing treatments to millions of Americans.”
The Houston factory is one of 10 Eli Lilly sites announced since 2020.
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