Eli Lilly Breaks Ground on $6.5 Billion Texas Plant

Eli Lilly and Company broke ground Monday on a $6.5 billion manufacturing facility at Generation Park in Houston, Texas. The plant, scheduled to be operational by 2030, will produce active ingredients for small-molecule medicines, specifically the GLP-1 obesity pill Foundayo. This project is part of a $27 billion commitment to four new U.S. facilities announced in February 2025 and a broader $50 billion investment since 2020 to expand capacity.

CEO Dave Ricks reported that Foundayo is capturing a growing share of the oral market, with one-third of new GLP-1 pill patients now using the drug. Growth has been further accelerated by the U.S. government's temporary Medicare Bridge program, which began providing obesity drug coverage in July. Ricks stated that approximately 700,000 seniors have started GLP-1 medications under this program, with Eli Lilly capturing about 70% of those new patients.

Beyond the U.S., the company is rolling out Foundayo internationally, including in the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. While Mounjaro and Zepbound have driven 48% year-over-year revenue growth, the company's stock has risen only 8% year-to-date in 2026, trailing the S&P 500 as investors weigh high valuations against market competition.