Major Investments Bolster the Dutch Life Sciences Market: 2026 Predictions

Eli Lilly’s $3B Leiden Bio Science Park Facility

American pharma leader Eli Lilly and Company is investing $3 billion (approx. €2.6 billion) to build a major new manufacturing facility in Katwijk, connected to the Leiden Bio Science Park ecosystem. The site will focus on producing oral medicines, including Lilly’s next-generation oral GLP-1 therapy, alongside treatments in cardiometabolic health, neuroscience, oncology, and immunology.

The facility will incorporate highly advanced, automated manufacturing technologies designed to improve efficiency, resilience, and product quality - reflecting Lilly’s global strategy to significantly expand its capacity for innovative medicines.

Construction is planned to begin in 2026, following the company’s formal announcement in late 2025. The investment is part of Lilly’s broader global expansion, designed to meet rapidly increasing demand for its pipeline of oral and biologic medicines. While Lilly has not yet released a confirmed production start date, the new plant is intended to play a central role in strengthening its European supply network once operational.

The project will create around 500 high-skilled manufacturing jobs and approximately 1,500 construction roles, representing one of the largest life sciences investments in Dutch history. Lilly has stated that the Netherlands was chosen for its exceptional talent pool, multilingual workforce, and proximity to key European regulatory bodies, a testament to the strength of the Dutch life sciences ecosystem.

Tiofarma’s Future-Proof Laboratory Investment

Dutch CDMO Tiofarma, based in Oud-Beijerland, is strengthening its pharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure with a new investment in a future-ready Quality Control (QC) laboratory. This move aligns with the company’s long-term strategy to expand analytical and GMP capabilities in line with rising demand for its specialised formulations.

Although Tiofarma has not publicly released timeline details for the new laboratory, the investment follows a series of facility upgrades in recent years aimed at expanding capacity and modernising operations. The new QC lab is designed to support enhanced analytical technologies, compliance with evolving regulatory standards, and greater operational sustainability.

By investing in modern QC capabilities, Tiofarma reinforces its role as a reliable pharmaceutical manufacturing partner, ensuring consistent quality for complex products such as creams, ointments, and nasal sprays. The expansion strengthens Tiofarma’s ability to meet future market requirements and maintain its position in both Dutch and European supply chains.

It’s not only large pharmaceutical manufacturers investing in the Dutch and regional life sciences scene – medical technology startups and scale-ups are also attracting growing investor interest. Several medtech companies in the Netherlands and neighbouring countries have recently secured significant funding to scale their innovations:

ViCentra (Netherlands) – A Utrecht-based medical device firm developing the Kaleido insulin pump, ViCentra closed an $85 million Series D financing round. This influx of capital will help expand its manufacturing, obtain regulatory approvals, and roll out its next-generation insulin patch pump across Europe and into the US. ViCentra’s user-friendly, wearable pump aims to improve the quality of life for people with diabetes, a fast-growing patient population.

CeQur (Switzerland) – Insulin delivery is also the focus for CeQur, a Swiss medtech company that recently raised $120 million in venture funding – the largest equity financing for a smaller Swiss company in 2025. CeQur’s Simplicity patch is a wearable device that can administer insulin over three to four days without injections, offering a discreet alternative to daily shots. The new funding is fueling commercial expansion and a high-tech manufacturing ramp-up (a 3,700 m² automated cleanroom facility) to bring this solution to more patients.

Onera Health (Netherlands) – An Eindhoven-based healthtech startup, Onera secured over €30 million (≈$32 M) in Series C funding to advance its at-home sleep diagnostic technology. Onera develops wearable, wireless medical-grade sensors and data analytics that allow patients to undergo sleep studies outside of hospitals. The recent investment will accelerate manufacturing and deployment of its sleep monitoring solutions, addressing the growing demand for convenient sleep disorder diagnostics.

If 2024–25 was the capital investment phase, 2026 will be the activation phase. We’re entering a moment where projects move from plans to performance, facilities shift from construction to commissioning and talent requirements will ramp up fast.

From our seat, here’s what we expect to see in the Dutch life sciences market:

• A sharp increase in CQV, QA, process engineering, and automation roles

• More contract and interim roles to support go-live phases and tech transfer

• Growing demand for sustainability-aligned talent who understand lean systems and green production

Whether it’s the CQV team validating a biologics fill line or engineers configuring AI-driven oral medicine tech, 2026 will be a turning point for technical capability.

At Panda, we don’t just fill roles. We read market signals, track talent trends, and partner with companies building what’s next. We’ve supported pharmaceutical expansions and validation projects across Europe, and we’re already having conversations with candidates and clients gearing up for what 2026 will demand.

The industry’s next phase needs more than hiring. It needs smart, strategic, specialist recruitment.

Whether you’re expanding a production team, qualifying a new facility, or planning your next move as a specialist, we’re here to make the connection.