INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis-based Lilly announced Friday its plans to construct a new $2.5 billion high-tech manufacturing site to make injectable drugs in Germany.

Lilly says the new facility will be built in Alzey, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and will further expand the company’s global manufacturing network and support increased demand for Lilly’s medicines, including diabetes and obesity portfolio.

Since 2014, the company has launched 21 treatments and plans to launch more in the coming years.

“Every investment into our manufacturing capacity around the world is a renewed commitment to patients today – and to those who may need our medicines tomorrow,” said Edgardo Hernandez, executive vice president and president, Lilly manufacturing operations in a release. “This state-of-the-art parenteral site with the latest technology will enable us to continue to deliver medicines with safety first and quality always around the world.” 

According to a release, with the planned facility in Alzey, Lilly will operate six manufacturing sites in Europe, including one in nearby Fegersheunm, France.

The site in Alzey will employ up to 1,000 highly skilled workers such as engineers, operators, and scientists. An estimated 1,900 jobs will be created during construction, which is scheduled to begin in 2024.

Lilly’s investment in Alzey is contingent upon the finalization of government permitting and local approvals, the release said.

“The decision to locate here is good news for Germany as a business location,” said Dr. Robert Habeck, vice chancellor and federal minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action in a release. “It creates new and future-oriented jobs, shows the confidence of companies in the attractiveness of Germany as a pharmaceutical and industrial location and helps to improve healthcare for our citizens. The new location will make an important contribution to industrial value creation in Germany with high-tech production facilities and research and development.”

Lilly has also announced investments of more than $11 billion in its global manufacturing footprint in the past three years to help ensure the safe and reliable supply of Lilly’s innovative medicines.

“As we look to usher in the next generation of medicines, we’re looking for people and partners who share our passion for improving health outcomes,” said Ilya Yuffa, executive vice president and president, Lilly International in a release. “With this new investment, we hope to spark a new era of collaboration and innovation in Germany and the European Union defined by our shared purpose to find lasting solutions for patients.”

The company also commits to investing up to $100 million in Germany’s early-stage biotech ecosystem, which will focus on biotech and life sciences venture capital funds — “expanding Lilly’s incubator and accelerator engagements, and strengthening Lilly’s ties and activities with world-renowned academic and innovation partners.”

“This investment strengthens the Federal Government in its efforts to make Germany more attractive again as a pharmaceutical location,” added Prof. Dr. Karl Lauterbach, federal minister of health in a release. “It shows good innovative products can be reliably developed and produced in Germany. But we will continue to improve the framework conditions for research and production. This will ensure that patients have rapid access to new treatment options and make us more independent from fragile supply chains. Europe needs a strong pharmaceutical industry and research – not least for good and secure healthcare. Germany wants to provide new stimuli here.”