Eli Lilly plans to build a $3.5 billion pharmaceutical plant in Upper Macungie Township, just north of Montgomery County, for its next-generation weight-loss medicines, writes Harold Brubaker for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The selection of the Lehigh Valley for one of Eli Lilly’s four new U.S. factories represents a significant win for Pennsylvania as it competes for billions in Big Pharma spending to expand domestic manufacturing.
“The Mid-Atlantic, Northeast in recent years hasn’t seen this type of mega-plant investment,” said Don Cunningham, CEO of Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. “Most of that has gone to the South and the Southwest.”
The Lehigh Valley sits at the heart of a pharmaceutical manufacturing belt extending from Montgomery County into central New Jersey. This project follows another major regional effort, with British-based GSK currently set to build a biologics factory in Upper Merion Township. Meanwhile, Merck, the New Jersey-based pharmaceutical giant with major operations already in Montgomery County, will build a $1 billion factory and lab near Wilmington.
Once finished, Eli Lilly is expected to employ 850 people. The average annual pay at similar company facilities is currently $100,000.
Read more about Eli Lilly in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on MONTCO Today in February 2026.
