Eli Lilly and Company has announced that it will invest an additional $1.6 billion at its two new manufacturing sites within the LEAP Innovation Park in Boone County, Indiana. Last year (May 2022), Lilly announced a $2.1-billion investment to build the two new facilities to expand Lilly’s manufacturing network for active ingredients and new therapeutic modalities, such as genetic medicines. The now combined $3.7-billion investment will bring a total of 700 new jobs at the sites and represents the largest manufacturing investment at a single location in the company’s history. 

The company also announced that it has committed $15 million over five years to the Ivy Tech Foundation to fund up to 1,000 scholarships for individuals interested in pursuing careers in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Over the next five years, the company’s collaboration with Ivy Tech will provide scholarships to individuals interested in pursuing two-year degrees or certificates in manufacturing, quality, or related fields.  

Students will be able to access a smart manufacturing lab to support their education. Preference will be given to those who are among the first generation in their family to attend college, which constitutes 40% of Ivy Tech’s student population, and those who have overcome socioeconomic disadvantages. Additionally, the program supports a new pathway for high school students, which allows them to receive a college certificate in pharmaceutical manufacturing or medical device quality upon graduation. 

Source: Eli Lilly and Company