NEW YORK, Jan 30, 2026, 18:33 (EST) — After-hours trading
- Shares climbed 1.3% to $1,037.15 in after-hours trading, having fluctuated between $1,020 and $1,048 during the day
- Company announced a $3.5 billion domestic facility to boost production of injectable weight-loss drugs, including retatrutide
- Week ahead: investors focus on Feb. 4 results for clues on demand, supply, and spending trends
Shares of Eli Lilly and Company climbed 1.3% to $1,037.15 in after-hours trading on Friday, following the announcement of a $3.5 billion manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania.
During the session, the stock fluctuated between roughly $1,020 and $1,048.
The investment comes as investors focus sharply on supply, pricing, and demand for obesity and diabetes treatments, which are now major growth engines for big pharma.
In its most recent quarter, Lilly reported that its weight-loss drug Zepbound and diabetes treatment Mounjaro combined for $10 billion in sales, pushing profits to a record $5.58 billion. (AP News)
The plant announcement ties into a wider effort by pharma companies to boost U.S. manufacturing after President Donald Trump threatened import tariffs on drugs. Pfizer and Merck have both highlighted new domestic investments. Pennsylvania officials announced they’ll contribute $100 million to Lilly’s project. (Reuters)
Lilly announced plans to build a new facility in Lehigh Valley, specifically in Fogelsville, focused on producing injectable medicines and devices, including the experimental weight-loss drug retatrutide.
The company projects the site will generate 850 permanent jobs and roughly 2,000 construction roles, aiming to start operations by 2031.
“To meet increasing demand, we’re expanding our U.S. manufacturing network, with Lehigh Valley adding capacity for next-generation weight-loss medicines,” CEO David A. Ricks said. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro added the project would “bring billions of dollars of investment and hundreds of good-paying jobs.” (PR Newswire)
The company chose the site from over 300 proposals, highlighting nearby universities and existing infrastructure as key factors. It described the project as its fourth new U.S. manufacturing location announced since February 2025.
Lilly is pushing aggressively into the weight-loss market, taking on Danish rival Novo Nordisk. Retatrutide, still under study, is touted as a next-generation treatment, with the company claiming it beats Zepbound.
On Thursday, Lilly inked a deal with Repertoire Immune Medicines valued at up to $1.93 billion to develop therapies targeting multiple autoimmune diseases.
Repertoire is set to get $85 million upfront, with up to $1.84 billion more in milestone payments tied to development and sales benchmarks — plus royalties on net sales.
The pact grants Lilly access to Repertoire’s “Decode” platform. “Decode provides the information that we then convert into a protein therapeutic,” explained Torben Nissen. (Reuters)
Under the deal, Repertoire will handle early discovery, while Lilly takes charge of clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization. Lilly’s immunology roster features Olumiant, Taltz, and Omvoh, all key to its push for growth beyond the obesity sector.
The new plant won’t start making medicine until 2031, so supply and pricing in the near term will depend on current production and any external manufacturing deals they can lock in. Demand might slow, reimbursements could shrink, and next-gen drug trials might underperform — all significant risks given the multibillion-dollar spending involved.
Investors are focused on Lilly’s February 4 quarterly earnings for updates on Zepbound and Mounjaro sales, as well as any new guidance on production scale-up and capital expenditures.
The company plans to hold a conference call at 10 a.m. Eastern that day. (PR Newswire)
