Via Partnership, Evonik and US Government Invest $220 Million toward Lipid Production Plant

Evonik, a provider of drug delivery technologies, is building a new, global-scale production facility for pharmaceutical lipids in the US. The new plant at Evonik’s Tippecanoe site in Lafayette, IN, is expected to position the company for future growth in novel mRNA-based therapies beyond COVID-19 vaccines, the business notes. Construction will begin in early 2023, and the plant is scheduled to become operational by 2025. The investment in the lipid facility will help create more than 80 highly skilled jobs in the Lafayette region.

The investment totals $220 million. The US government is funding the facility with up to $150 million through its Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), which is a part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). BARDA promotes the advanced development of medical countermeasures to respond to 21st century health security threats and coordinated contracting support, with help from the Department of Defense (DoD) Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND). Additional support will also be provided by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), Greater Lafayette Commerce (GLC), and Duke Energy.

“With this investment in lipid production, we are further expanding our leading position on the global market and specifically strengthening our healthcare business,” says Christian Kullmann, Evonik CEO. “It supports our strategic transformation into ‘Next Generation Evonik’, contributing value-added solutions with superior environmental and socio-economic profiles to our customers.”