Eli Lilly and Company has unveiled plans to invest more than $1.2 billion to expand and modernize its Lilly del Caribe manufacturing site in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The company said the major upgrade will introduce advanced manufacturing technologies and increase capacity at the facility, enabling it to support Lilly’s growing pipeline of oral solid medicines across cardiometabolic health, neuroscience, oncology, and immunology.
The expanded site will be among those producing orforglipron, Lilly’s first oral small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, which the company intends to submit for global regulatory approval for obesity by the end of this year. The initiative reinforces Puerto Rico’s central role in Lilly’s manufacturing operations and aligns with its previously announced $50 billion capital investment strategy to strengthen U.S. manufacturing facility. Alongside this effort, Lilly has already disclosed new plant developments in Texas and Virginia, with two more sites to be revealed soon as part of its broader expansion plan.
“After sixty years, Lilly del Caribe continues to play an important role in making life-changing medicines for people in the U.S. and beyond,” said Edgardo Hernandez, executive vice president and president of Lilly Manufacturing Operations. “Our continued investments in capacity, infrastructure, advanced technologies and highly specialized jobs will further cement the site’s significance in Lilly’s global manufacturing network. Our progress builds on the dedication and expertise of our local team, helping us deliver new medicines for patients around the world.”
The upgraded Puerto Rico site will include new oral solid manufacturing technologies like dock-to-dock automation, paperless systems, and process analytical tools. It will also use spray-dried dispersion, a method that helps oral medicines absorb more effectively. Lilly expects the project to create as many as 1,000 construction jobs and add 100 specialized manufacturing roles. The company also continues to promote local bioscience talent through scholarships in engineering, science, technology, and business administration.
“This announcement reflects the very essence of our public policy, which is to position Puerto Rico as a strategic hub for advanced manufacturing, innovation and national economic security,” said Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, Governor of Puerto Rico. “Lilly’s multimillion-dollar expansion is a resounding vote of confidence in our people, our infrastructure and our long-term competitiveness within the U.S. supply chain. It demonstrates that global companies can continue to grow and thrive here, while Puerto Rico contributes in a meaningful way to the resilience of the nation’s most critical industries.”
“This historic investment stands as proof of what can be achieved when the private sector and government work hand in hand toward a shared vision of competitiveness and economic growth,” said Sebastian Negron Reichard, Secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce, Puerto Rico. “For over sixty years, Lilly has trusted Puerto Rico, its people, its talent and its potential. Today, that trust translates into new capacity, advanced technologies, investment and long-term economic value for our island. This is exactly the kind of partnership that defines our economic development strategy and strengthens Puerto Rico’s position as a global leader in life sciences manufacturing.”
Construction on the upgraded oral solid manufacturing facility is expected to start in 2026, with production anticipated to begin by the end of 2028.
