Lilly To Reduce Lafayette Workforce LAFAYETTE, IN/INDIANAPOLIS, IN (wbaa) - An increasing focus on biotechnology is prompting Eli Lilly to reduce its workforce at an Indiana plant.

Up to 250 workers at Lilly's Lafayette operations will be offered a buyout package.

About one-thousand work at the facility, which has been involved in the development of several successful Lilly products such as the cancer fighting Gemzar and the schizophrenia treatment Zyprexa.

Phil Belt with the Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical-maker says the plan is voluntary and workers are NOT being laid off.

He says the business climate is changing and the decision is in the best interest of the company and some employees who might consider the buyout a "very attractive offer."

Eli Lilly is also halting construction of a insulin manufacturing facility in Virginia.

The company is pumping more money into biotechnology initiatives. It hopes to unveil an average of one biotech product a year beginning in 2010.
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