Resilience Expands Lilly Partnership With $750 Million Ohio Investmen

Resilience has expanded its strategic manufacturing partnership with Eli Lilly and Company through a combined $750 million investment aimed at increasing US production of critical medicines, including Lilly’s KwikPen injectable device used with medicines for diabetes and obesity.

The contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) said the investment will significantly expand its advanced manufacturing operations in the Cincinnati, Ohio, region. The expansion builds on a partnership between Resilience and Lilly that was first established in 2023 and is designed to strengthen domestic production capacity for complex pharmaceutical products.

As part of the expanded agreement, Resilience’s Ohio operations will add manufacturing of Lilly’s KwikPen injectable device. The project is expected to create at least 400 new high-skilled jobs in the region, increasing the total number of jobs created by Resilience in Ohio to more than 1,400 across its facilities.

Site preparation for the expanded campus is already underway, with full operations expected to begin in early 2027. The new manufacturing capabilities are expected to add to Resilience’s existing sterile injectable and device assembly and packaging operations in the Cincinnati area.

Resilience President and Chief Executive Officer William S. Marth said the expansion reflects the company’s long-term commitment to increasing the production of complex medicines in the United States. He said the investment is intended to support a large-scale manufacturing operation capable of producing sterile injectable medicines and handling device assembly and packaging.

The expansion comes as pharmaceutical companies face growing demand for medicines used to treat chronic diseases, including diabetes and obesity. Lilly has been scaling its manufacturing network to meet rising demand for its portfolio, while relying on established manufacturing partners to increase capacity and maintain supply.

Lilly Executive Vice President and President of Manufacturing Operations Edgardo Hernandez said the growing demand for the company’s medicines requires manufacturing partners with strong technical capabilities, consistent quality standards and the ability to scale production over time. He described Resilience as an important partner in strengthening the domestic supply of high-demand medicines.

The partnership has already resulted in the production of more than 150 million doses of medicines for US patients, according to Resilience. These products have been manufactured in vial and pre-filled syringe formats, demonstrating the scale that the two companies have reached since beginning their collaboration.

Together, Lilly and Resilience have established what the companies describe as one of the largest sterile injectable manufacturing operations in the United States. The expanded partnership will add device manufacturing capabilities to the existing pharmaceutical production infrastructure, further broadening the range of manufacturing activities taking place in Ohio.

The investment is also expected to contribute to Ohio’s growing biomanufacturing sector. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said the expansion highlights the state’s developing position in advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing and praised Resilience’s decision to establish its global headquarters in Blue Ash, Ohio.

Resilience currently operates two advanced facilities in the Cincinnati region. Together, the sites cover nearly 1 million square feet and employ close to 1,000 workers across manufacturing, operations, quality and regulatory functions. The company recently announced that Blue Ash would serve as its global headquarters, reinforcing its plans for long-term growth in the state.

The company’s expansion is being supported by partnerships with economic development and life sciences organizations, including JobsOhio, REDI Cincinnati and Ohio Life Sciences. These groups are working with Resilience to develop a pipeline of skilled workers for pharmaceutical manufacturing roles in the Cincinnati region.

JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef said the organization welcomed the addition of Lilly’s medicine manufacturing activities to Resilience’s West Chester operations. He also highlighted statewide investment in biomanufacturing training programs designed to prepare Ohio workers for careers in advanced manufacturing.

The expansion reflects a broader push to increase pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity in the United States. Contract manufacturers such as Resilience are playing an increasingly important role in helping pharmaceutical companies scale production while maintaining quality and regulatory standards.

For Lilly, the expanded relationship provides additional US manufacturing capacity at a time when demand for several of its medicines is increasing. For Resilience, the deal represents another major step in expanding its footprint as a technology-focused CDMO serving the pharmaceutical industry.

The new KwikPen manufacturing operations are expected to become fully operational in early 2027. Once complete, the expanded Cincinnati campus will add further capacity to Resilience’s growing US manufacturing network and strengthen Ohio’s role in the production of complex medicines and pharmaceutical delivery devices.