Lilly has announced plans to build a $6bn facility in Alabama in the US for the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).

The site is the third of four new US sites that Lilly has announced. Among other products, it will manufacture orforglipron, Lilly’s small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment for obesity, which it plans to submit for global regulatory approval by the end of 2025.

Construction of the facility is expected to begin in 2026 and finish in 2032, generating 3,000 construction jobs in the area. Additionally, the completed site will bring in 450 jobs, including engineers, scientists, operations personnel and lab technicians.

The Huntsville site was partly chosen for its proximity to the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. Lilly will integrate digital automation throughout the new facility, featuring technologies such as machine learning, AI and advanced data analytics.

The news of the Huntsville facility comes amid other recently announced plans from Lilly, including planned new sites in Texas and Virginia and the expansion of an existing site in Puerto Rico. A further US manufacturing location is expected to be announced this year.

Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) has agreed to provide Eliquis (apixaban) free of charge to Medicaid as part of a deal with the US government. The company has also agreed to donate more than seven tons of Eliquis active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) to fill the US Strategic Active Ingredient Reserve.

The agreement means that US pharmaceutical tariffs on the company will be delayed for three years.

Eliquis is the most widely prescribed oral blood thinner in the US and more than 15 million people have been prescribed with the drug since launch. It is an important treatment for the prevention of blood clots in patients with deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, as well as in reducing the risk of blood clots and stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) not caused by a heart valve problem.

For every 100,000 patients treated with Eliquis, the drug has resulted in an estimated $3bn in healthcare cost savings, including hospitalisation and extended rehabilitation needs.

BMS will also continue to expand production across the US as part of its $40bn investment commitment over the next five years.

Amgen has announced a deal with the US government that will lower the company’s prescription drug costs for US patients while reinforcing its commitment to US innovation.

As part of the agreement, Amgen’s direct-to-patient programme, AmgenNow, will be expanded to include Aimovig (erenumab) and Amjevita (adalimumab). This will lower the prices of each drug by nearly 60% and 80% respectively compared to the current US list prices. Both drugs will be available at a discounted monthly price of $299.

The agreement means that US pharmaceutical tariffs on the company will be delayed for three years.

AmgenNow was launched by the company in October 2025, reducing the price of Repatha (evolocumab) for patients in the US to $239 per month, which is almost 60% below its current US list price.

The programme is open to all eligible patients, including those who are uninsured, patients enrolled in high-deductible health plans or those who choose to pay for prescription drugs with cash or out of pocket.

Amgen has invested over $40bn in R&D and manufacturing in the US over the past seven years.