Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly invests €2.6 billion in Zuid-Holland to produce innovative medicines for Europe and beyond

Eli Lilly and Company, a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, has announced plans to build a €2.6 billion high-tech manufacturing facility in Katwijk, Zuid-Holland, to expand its European medicine production capacity. This investment will create 500 direct high-skilled jobs once the site is fully operational, including roles for engineers, scientists and lab technicians. An additional 1,500 construction jobs will support the development phase. The site will produce innovative medicines to meet the needs of Lilly’s growing medicines portfolio in cardiometabolic health, neuroscience, oncology and immunology.

The company announced this on 3 November 2025 in The Hague.

Why Zuid-Holland?

Lilly’s investment in the Netherlands is part of its broader European expansion, with new sites in Ireland, Germany and now the Zuid-Holland region. The new facility will be located in Katwijk, connected to Leiden Bio Science Park, one of Europe’s leading life sciences hubs. Its skilled talent, robust infrastructure, strong innovation climate with leading universities, medical centers and a thriving startup ecosystem and an innovative mindset made Zuid-Holland a natural choice.

“With extensive investments already underway in the U.S., our planned expansion in Europe further strengthens our ability to deliver medicines to patients worldwide. Localized manufacturing ensures we can quickly respond to meet regional demand and accelerate distribution within Europe,” said David A. Ricks, Lilly chair and CEO. “Leiden Bio Science Park offers access to a skilled workforce, reliable infrastructure and proven pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities. We look forward to working closely with the EU, national and local governments to create a more favorable and predictable policy environment open to fully harnessing innovative medicines to deliver faster access to patients.”

Impact for the region

Eli Lilly’s arrival brings innovation and investment, strengthening Zuid-Holland’s life sciences ecosystem and creating opportunities for collaboration and talent development. Startups and scale-ups can potentially benefit from expertise, new infrastructure and possibly even partnerships, helping them grow and strengthen the Dutch life sciences ecosystem.

InnovationQuarter played a key role in supporting Lilly’s decision.

“Zuid-Holland offers a unique mix of talent, infrastructure and collaboration. Eli Lilly’s decision to invest here shows how global companies can scale and innovate in our region. With many international locations under consideration, we are proud that Lilly chose Katwijk. This decision shows the strength of our life sciences community and lays the foundation for a long-term, strategic partnership between the company and Zuid-Holland. The facility’s location, connected to Leiden Bio Science Park, gives Lilly access to a vibrant ecosystem of startups, labs and universities, opening doors for future collaboration and innovation.”

– Lars Crama, Director InnovationQuarter

The facility will also support Zuid-Holland’s R&D ambitions through advanced production technologies and a quality control lab – accelerating the development of new treatments and improving public health.

Construction on the facility is estimated to begin in 2026 pending regulatory approvals, with plans to start producing medicine in 2032.

Building the future together in Zuid-Holland

The decision by Eli Lilly to establish its new facility in Katwijk reflects the strength of Zuid-Holland’s life sciences ecosystem and the region’s ability to support international innovation. While the final investment decision was made by Lilly, the project benefits from constructive alignment between public and private stakeholders. These include the Dutch national government (with the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency as part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs), the Province of Zuid-Holland, the Municipality of Katwijk, Leiden Bio Science Park, developer RED Company and Daniël Bruning, Account Manager Life Sciences and Health at InnovationQuarter.

The decision reflects Lilly’s long-term commitment to Europe and is the result of close cooperation between public and private partners.

Looking ahead

This investment not only strengthens Zuid-Holland’s innovation ecosystem but also supports Europe’s ambition for strategic autonomy in next-generation medicine production. The new facility will contribute to medicine supply security and foster stronger collaboration across the European life sciences value chain.

InnovationQuarter looks forward to supporting Lilly and its partners in building the future of life sciences in Europe, right here in Zuid-Holland.

Source: Eli Lilly and Company

About Lilly
Lilly is a medicine company turning science into healing to make life better for people around the world. We‘ve been pioneering life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today our medicines help tens of millions of people across the globe. Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, our scientists are urgently advancing new discoveries to solve some of the world‘s most significant health challenges: redefining diabetes care; treating obesity and curtailing its most devastating long-term effects; advancing the fight against Alzheimer‘s disease; providing solutions to some of the most debilitating immune system disorders; and transforming the most difficult-to-treat cancers into manageable diseases. With each step toward a healthier world, we‘re motivated by one thing: making life better for millions more people. That includes delivering innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of our world and working to ensure our medicines are accessible and affordable. To learn more, visit Lilly.com and Lilly.com/news, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. C-LLY