Eli Lilly to invest another $5.3 billion in Indiana plant to expand Mounjaro, Zepbound supply

Eli Lilly announced a $5.3 billion investment in its Lebanon, Indiana plant to boost production of its weight loss drug Zepbound and diabetes treatment Mounjaro, due to high demand and supply shortages. This investment raises the total at this site to $9 billion, marking the company's largest manufacturing investment. The expanded facility aims to enhance production capacity, specifically for the active ingredient tirzepatide, with operations expected to scale from the end of 2026 through 2028.

Eli Lilly's decision to invest an additional $5.3 billion in the Lebanon, Indiana, manufacturing plant is driven by two main reasons:

1. Increased Demand for Zepbound and Mounjaro: The demand for Eli Lilly's weight loss drug Zepbound and diabetes treatment Mounjaro has significantly exceeded the supply over the past year. This has led to shortages in the U.S. and has necessitated the pharmaceutical company to scale up its manufacturing capacity.

2. Expansion of Medicine Supply: The investment will help Eli Lilly expand the supply of not only Zepbound and Mounjaro but also other medicines in its pipeline. The plant will specifically increase Eli Lilly's capacity to manufacture the active ingredient in Zepbound and Mounjaro, called tirzepatide.

This new commitment brings Eli Lilly's total investment at the Lebanon site to $9 billion, making it the company's largest manufacturing investment in its nearly 150-year history. The plant is expected to start making medicines towards the end of 2026 and scale up operations through 2028.