New Katwijk site to produce oral medicines, create 2,000 jobs, and strengthen Europe’s pharma infrastructure.
Netherlands – November 6, 2025 — U.S. pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company has unveiled plans to build a $3 billion medicine manufacturing facility in the Netherlands, marking its largest European investment to date. The site, located in the Leiden Bio Science Park, will specialize in producing oral solid medicines, including the company’s promising GLP-1 receptor agonist orforglipron, aimed at treating obesity and cardiometabolic conditions PharmExec The Pharma Letter.
Strategic Expansion in Europe
The new facility will significantly expand Lilly’s European manufacturing footprint, which already includes operations in France, Ireland, Italy, and Spain. The Katwijk plant is designed to support dock-to-dock automation, paperless manufacturing, and spray-dried dispersion technologies, enhancing production efficiency and medicine absorption The Pharma Letter Fierce Pharma.
Construction is expected to begin in 2026, pending final government and local approvals. Once operational, the site will employ 500 high-skilled workers and generate 1,500 construction jobs, contributing to the regional economy and Europe’s pharmaceutical resilience PharmExec pharmaphorum.
Focus on Innovation and Supply Chain Strength
Lilly’s investment aligns with its global strategy to decentralize production and strengthen supply chains amid rising demand for next-generation therapies. The facility will support Lilly’s growing portfolio in cardiometabolic health, neuroscience, oncology, and immunology, ensuring faster access to innovative treatments across Europe and beyond Eli Lilly and Company.
“This facility represents our commitment to delivering breakthrough medicines efficiently and sustainably,” said a Lilly spokesperson.
Government Support and Industry Impact
Dutch officials, including Economic Affairs Minister Vincent Karremans, welcomed the investment, noting that Katwijk was selected after a competitive European site evaluation. The move reinforces the Netherlands’ role as a life sciences and health innovation hub, and supports EU goals for pharmaceutical sovereignty pharmaphorum Invest in Holland.
In short: Eli Lilly will invest $3 billion to build a cutting-edge manufacturing facility in Katwijk, Netherlands, focused on oral medicines like orforglipron. The project will create 2,000 jobs, enhance Europe’s pharma infrastructure, and accelerate global access to innovative treatments.
Sources:
PharmExec – Lilly $3B Facility Announcement; The Pharma Letter – Facility Details; Fierce Pharma
Pharmaphorum – Orforglipron Focus; Eli Lilly and Company Lilly Investor News; Invest in Holland – Strategic Investment
