Eli Lilly and Company will inject $6.5 billion into a new 236-acre manufacturing facility at Generation Park in Houston, marking one of the largest private life sciences investments in Texas history. The facility, expected to open by 2030, will produce active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for Lilly’s global portfolio and generate more than 615 full-time roles, alongside 4,000 construction jobs during development.

The project underscores Houston’s ascent as a national powerhouse in biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Selected from over 300 competing sites, the city’s robust infrastructure, talent base, and business incentives proved decisive in attracting the deal. 

“This is a transformative moment for the Houston region and our life sciences industry. The Lilly project represents a powerful endorsement of Houston’s growing position as a global hub for innovation and advanced manufacturing,” said Steve Kean, CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership.

The investment builds on recent regional initiatives to strengthen the biotech workforce. San Jacinto College and Generation Park’s Center for Biotechnology, the only National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT)-licensed facility in the southern U.S., will train future biotech professionals and help sustain Houston’s expanding life sciences sector.

The project also benefits from Texas’ new Jobs, Energy, Technology and Innovation (JETI) programme, designed to provide long-term tax benefits to local schools while encouraging advanced industry growth. Texas Governor Greg Abbott hailed the project as “one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing investments in our nation’s history,” adding that the state’s innovation-driven economy continues to attract world-class enterprises.

With major infrastructure projects like TMC’s Helix Park and Levit Green complementing this investment, Houston is rapidly establishing itself as a global nexus for biomanufacturing and health innovation.

Discover how this $6.5 billion commitment could redefine Houston’s role in global life sciences, explore the full article today.