Eli Lilly plans to invest $3 billion over the next decade to expand its pharmaceutical supply chain and manufacturing capacity in China, including the development of local production for oral solid medicines.

The investment will support future production of orforglipron, an investigational oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist being studied for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and obesity. Lilly China submitted a marketing application for the therapy to the country’s regulator at the end of 2025.

As part of the expansion, Lilly plans to establish oral solid dosage manufacturing capacity in Beijing and expand operations at its manufacturing site in Suzhou. The company said the strategy combines internal capacity expansion with partnerships with local manufacturers to support future pipeline products.

Lilly also announced a strategic partnership with WuXi Kanglong Huacheng, with an initial investment of about $200 million to support technology development and manufacturing capacity for future therapies, including orforglipron.

The company said the investment is intended to strengthen localized production and supply for Chinese patients while supporting economic development and employment in the region. Lilly’s total investment in China has reached nearly $6 billion.

The China expansion comes as Lilly ramps up manufacturing capacity globally for orforglipron. Earlier this year, the company reported building approximately $1.5 billion in pre-launch inventory of the drug ahead of a potential regulatory decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Lilly has also announced several large-scale manufacturing investments aimed at supporting incretin therapies. These include new active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing facilities in Huntsville, Alabama and Houston, Texas, along with expansions in Puerto Rico and plans for a $3 billion oral medicine manufacturing facility in the Netherlands.