Drugmaker Eli Lilly building $6.5 billion plant in NE Houston

HOUSTON - In a major development for the Greater Houston economy, Fortune 100 drugmaker Eli Lilly has announced plans for a $6.5 billion manufacturing facility at Generation Park in Northeast Harris County.

Lilly to build $6.5B Houston facility

What they're saying:

"Texas offered speed and scale from blueprint to validation to production of medicines. This region offers top-notch talent rooted in its history in the energy, aerospace and medical industries," said Dave Ricks, Eli Lilly CEO.

Ricks said the Houston area beat out 300 competing proposals from 40 different states, all vying to be players in "reshoring" America's pharmaceutical making capacity.

Ricks says Houston provides an impressive list of assets, including easy access to chemical manufacturers, adjacency to a massive port for export and collaboration with institutions in the world's largest medical center.

"We are accelerating our work to bring these capabilities back to the U.S. and this Texas site is one such example, to make sure Americans can count on a safe supply of authentic medications made in our own communities, our states and our country," said Ricks.

Both Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Houston Mayor John Whitmire were eager to welcome a new partner in job creation.

"We did it for Elon Musk. We are doing it for Eli Lilly, but we do it for every business that either exists here, grows here or moves here because Texas is the best State in America for doing business," said Abbott, who reported $151 million in state-funded incentives to help seal the deal.

"My message to all of our friends is we've got to be ready. We've got to improve our infrastructure and our education system. We've been discovered. People from all over the world, certainly across the U.S., are coming to Houston, Texas," said Whitmire.

What's next:

Ricks says once operational, the Houston facility is slated to manufacture a new generation of Glp-1 weight control medications as well as precursors for a range of pharmaceutical drugs.

Lilly is also collaborating with San Jacinto College on a program that will prepare students for a career in pharmaceutical manufacturing.