Eli Lilly Doubles Irish Cell Therapy Plant Spend to $1 Billion

Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Pharma major Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) (Indianapolis, Indiana) is to more than double its investment to US$1 billion in a new biologics drug substance manufacturing facility in Limerick, Ireland.

The decision comes less than six months after it was given the green light to construct a 400 million-euro (US$390 million) cell therapy manufacturing plant at an 86-acre greenfield site at the Raheen Business and Technology Park, owned by state body Industrial Development Agency (IDA) Ireland. For additional information, see October 26, 2022, article - Eli Lilly Gets Green Light for Irish Biologics Plant.

Groundbreaking on the new plant took place a couple of weeks ago at the site, which Lilly claimed will be its "most technically advanced manufacturing site for existing monoclonal antibodies." The site will produce existing products and the company's pipeline of clinical products by 2026 and will employ around 300 people across various disciplines. Recruitment will begin in early 2023.

"The Limerick manufacturing site will be a fully integrated digital site with the latest machine automation, manufacturing execution and data technologies designed to ensure product and data quality, and its integrated design will enable manufacturing excellence for the production and delivery of quality medicine," Lilly said in a statement.

Ireland's Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney, TD, welcomed the spending bump: "I am delighted to hear the announcement that Eli Lilly is to increase its investment to nearly $1 billion at its new biologics drug substance manufacturing facility in Raheen Business Park in Limerick. The company produces key healthcare products which are aiding in the fight against a variety of the world's most serious illnesses. This new investment will create 300 highly skilled jobs...all regional investments are hugely welcome, and the Government is fully supportive of such initiatives."

In addition to the new plant expansion, Industrial Info is tracking the company's plans for a 3-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) plant on the site. Lilly has said that the site will operate at 35% lower energy intensity, use 40% less water and produce 15% less waste "when compared to traditional pharma manufacturing sites." The Limerick PV plant will produce 3.17 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of renewable solar energy per year, which is enough to power 755 homes. The project will also boast "an array of cisterns that will harvest rainwater for reuse within the site, resulting in a saving of roughly two million liters of water per annum." Previously Lilly installed a solar plant on a 16-acre site at its Kinsale manufacturing facility in Cork which, back in 2021, it said was the single largest solar farm in the Republic of Ireland.

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