Nippon Eli Lilly Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Factory Building at Seishin Plant

Nippon Eli Lilly, Ltd. (Headquarters: Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, President: Simone Thomsen, hereinafter referred to as Nippon Eli Lilly) held a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, June 11th, for the commencement of construction of a new factory building at its Seishin Plant (Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture), its sole manufacturing base for its own products in Japan.

Mr. Hisamoto Kizo, Mayor of Kobe City, representatives from Hyogo Prefecture and the Seishin Industrial Association, attended the ceremony. Representing Nippon Eli Lilly were President Simone Thomsen and Manufacturing Director (Seishin Plant Manager) Ainhoa Nieto, who prayed for the safety of the construction and its successful completion. Together with local stakeholders, we marked an important milestone towards the continued investment and growth of the Seishin Plant.

In March 2026, Nippon Eli Lilly announced an additional investment of 20 billion yen in the Seishin Plant. The construction of this new factory building is part of this additional investment to strengthen the pharmaceutical supply system. Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026 and is expected to be completed in April 2028. Moving forward, we plan to introduce new production lines, promote digitalization, and advance process automation by 2028 to optimize the Seishin Plant.

Representatives Attending the Groundbreaking Ceremony

Mayor of Kobe City, Mr. Hisamoto Kizo, made the following remarks in his guest speech:

"I sincerely congratulate you on the successful groundbreaking ceremony. I expect that this investment will further advance the development and production of Nippon Eli Lilly's innovative medicines for conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, obesity, and diabetes. With the planned launch of international scheduled flights at Kobe Airport in April 2030, we are working to provide an even better business environment as an international city for everyone doing business in Kobe, including Nippon Eli Lilly."

Ainhoa Nieto, Manufacturing Director (Seishin Plant Manager) of Nippon Eli Lilly, stated:

"It is an honor to hold this groundbreaking ceremony with our local community in a year that marks the 150th anniversary of Eli Lilly and Company and the 45th anniversary of the Seishin Plant's establishment. While celebrating our brilliant history, the Seishin Plant will continue to boldly challenge the future. We have achieved daily growth by working as one team, always considering the patients, to ensure the safe and reliable delivery of necessary medicines. Together with the development of the local community, Nippon Eli Lilly will carve out the next chapter by delivering innovative medicines to more patients, faster."

Nippon Eli Lilly has been accelerating the development of a supply system that can respond quickly and flexibly, driven by the increasing demand for innovative medicines and the expansion of its research and development pipeline in key areas including diabetes, obesity, cancer, central nervous system disorders including Alzheimer's disease, and autoimmune diseases. Moving forward, the Seishin Plant will continue to pursue a stable and high-quality pharmaceutical supply system to deliver medicines to many patients who need them, sooner.

Seishin Plant Overview

Location: 4-3-3 Takatsukadai, Nishi-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture (within Seishin Industrial Park) Established: 1981 Business Activities: Analysis, testing, and packaging of Lilly products

A video introduction to the Seishin Plant can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNNI6AzjFLU&t=4s

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About Nippon Eli Lilly

Nippon Eli Lilly, Ltd. is the Japanese affiliate of Eli Lilly and Company, a global pharmaceutical corporation headquartered in the United States. For over 50 years, it has been continuously engaged in the research, development, and supply of innovative medicines based on cutting-edge science and technology. The company is pioneering new possibilities in a wide range of therapeutic areas, including diabetes, obesity, cancer, central nervous system disorders including Alzheimer's disease, and autoimmune diseases, contributing to a society where everyone can receive necessary medical care with peace of mind and to the realization of healthier and richer lives for people.

For more details, please visit our website: https://www.lilly.com/jp

Related Release

Nippon Eli Lilly Decides Additional Investment of 20 Billion Yen in Seishin Plant to Further Enhance Pharmaceutical Supply Capacity (March 12, 2026) https://mediaroom.lilly.com/jp/previewPDF/2026/26-08_com.jp.pdf