Major Investments Bolster the Dutch Life Sciences Market: 2026 Predictions

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

American pharma giant Eli Lilly and Company is investing $3 billion to build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Katwijk, within the Leiden Bio Science Park. This new plant will focus on oral medicines – including Lilly’s much-anticipated oral GLP-1 weight-loss drug (orforglipron) – and other innovative therapies across cardiometabolic health, neuroscience, oncology, and immunology.

The facility is designed with advanced technologies, including paperless manufacturing, AI-driven analytics, dock-to-dock automation, and spray-dried dispersion, to streamline production and quality control. Construction is slated to begin in 2026, and the site is expected to start producing medicines by 2030.

Significantly, Lilly’s expansion will create approximately 500 high-skilled manufacturing jobs and about 1,500 construction jobs to strengthen the company’s global supply chain footprint in Europe. The Netherlands was chosen partly for its proximity to the European Medicines Agency and its skilled, multilingual workforce, reflecting confidence in the local ecosystem.

Tiofarma’s Future-Proof Laboratory Investment

Dutch CDMO Tiofarma, based in Oud-Beijerland, is also ramping up its capabilities. The company is investing in a new Quality Control (QC) laboratory with a forward-looking, “future-proof” design to support its growing pharmaceutical production.

In recent years, Tiofarma has expanded its facilities substantially, for example, commissioning a greenfield production plant that included 1,100 m² of new cleanroom space outfitted with the latest technologies and sustainable design features.

The modern QC lab investment follows this trend of ensuring that infrastructure is built for future needs, with an emphasis on cutting-edge equipment, compliance with stringent GMP standards, and sustainable operation. By bolstering its QC laboratory and production capacity, Tiofarma aims to continue delivering high-quality medicines, such as complex creams, ointments, and nasal sprays, efficiently to patients and partners. This future-proof approach in facility design means the QC lab will be adaptable to new regulations and analytical technologies, securing Tiofarma’s role in the supply chain for years to come.

AstraZeneca’s Sustainable Expansion in Nijmegen

Global biopharma leader AstraZeneca has announced a major expansion of its biologics production site in Nijmegen, with a $70 million investment dedicated to sustainable medicine manufacturing. The Nijmegen facility plays a central role in filling, inspection, and distribution of biologic medicines – from potential cancer therapies to vaccines for premature infants.

The expansion project will add a second flexible filling line to the site and boost the workforce from roughly 100 to around 130 employees. Notably, this investment will enable AstraZeneca to deliver new modalities such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), reflecting a push into next-generation therapeutics. Sustainability is a core focus: the Nijmegen site already leads in AstraZeneca’s Ambition Zero Carbon program, having achieved a 99% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2021 and operating a fully electric vehicle fleet. The new expansion aligns with these green goals, ensuring that increased production capacity comes with a minimal environmental footprint.

AstraZeneca’s growth in the Netherlands underscores the importance of public-private collaboration in keeping the country at the forefront of life sciences innovation. Local and regional agencies (Oost NL, NFIA, and the Province of Gelderland) actively supported the project, recognising that the presence of a global player contributes greatly to the “Pharma Delta” cluster in the Nijmegen-Oss region. This expansion not only brings additional jobs and manufacturing capability, but also reinforces the Netherlands’ reputation for sustainable pharma production and strong health ecosystems.

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.