Eli Lilly had an incredible year with the launch of their diabetes drug Mounjaro (tirzepatide). Now, the company is gearing up for an even bigger 2021! At the 41st J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, executives Anat Ashkenazi and Daniel M. Skovronsky, M.D., Ph.D. discussed the company’s upcoming plans and its promising pipeline that is sure to benefit the long-term growth. With a slew of exciting projects in the works, 2021 is sure to be a banner year for Eli Lilly!
Product Launches and Pipeline Prospects
- Eli Lilly is on the brink of introducing four groundbreaking molecules to the health care industry – donanemab for early Alzheimer’s disease, lebrikizumab for atopic dermatitis, mirikizumab for ulcerative colitis, and pirtobrutinib for relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma. All four of these drugs are currently under review by regulatory authorities, and could soon be available to provide new hope for those affected by these conditions.
- Skovronsky expressed optimism regarding the donanemab program, buoyed by the success of Biogen and Eisai’s lecanemab. With accelerated approval from Lilly on the horizon, the program appears to be in a strong position.
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide), a revolutionary breakthrough in diabetes treatment, could offer another major benefit to people suffering from obesity as soon as the end of 2023 – just a year after its initial approval for type 2 diabetes in May 2022.
- Lilly is looking to the future, with five promising molecules in the horizon. These molecules include once-weekly insulin, an oral SERD molecule being assessed in Phase III trials for breast cancer, the next-generation Alzheimer’s drug remternetug, the obesity-fighting retatrutide, and the oral GLP1 receptor agonist orforglipron. With these molecules in the pipeline, Lilly is hoping to make a big impact on the future of healthcare.
- Lilly is dedicated to keeping its portfolio alive and healthy through investing in research and development during the early and middle stages of drug development. This commitment ensures that the company is always at the forefront of innovation and progress, providing the best and most effective drugs to patients in need.
- Lilly is pioneering a revolutionary approach to rheumatoid arthritis treatment by leveraging checkpoint agonist technology, a common technique in cancer immunology. Recently unveiled proof-of-concept data reveals the potential of PD-1 agonists to dampen the body’s immune system activation – offering a promising new solution to the autoimmune disorder.
- Lilly is leading the way in pioneering a revolutionary new approach to treating rheumatoid arthritis with checkpoint agonist technology, a technique commonly used in cancer immunology. Exciting proof-of-concept data recently unveiled demonstrates the potential of PD-1 agonists to reduce the body’s immune system activation – offering a much-needed breakthrough solution for this debilitating autoimmune disorder.
- Dr. Skovronsky of Lilly has revealed that the company is constantly on the lookout for areas of medical research that have been largely disregarded by the pharmaceutical industry, in order to drive innovation. By doing so, Lilly aims to push the boundaries of therapeutic treatments and help to improve the lives of those living with various medical conditions.
Business Updates and Forecasts
- The company is expecting its core business’ top-line growth to soar to the mid-teens in 2023 – a strong and sustained growth that is projected to carry through to the end of the decade. CEO Ashkenazi is confident that this strong growth is on the horizon.
- Lilly is ramping up its manufacturing capabilities by opening two new facilities in North Carolina, with one of them set to be up and running this year. Additionally, the company is making strides towards global expansion with two new sites in Indiana and one in Ireland.
- With increasing competition in the obesity market, Lilly is gearing up to stay ahead of the game through innovative solutions. According to Skovronsky, the company is looking to launch multiple incretin therapies in the coming years to effectively target different types of patients. With this new approach, Lilly is committed to making a real difference in the lives of those affected by obesity.
- Innovation remains at the forefront of Lilly’s business development strategy as the company looks to bolster its pipeline and bring cutting-edge treatments to its core therapeutic areas. Rather than relying on large-scale mergers and acquisitions, Lilly is focused on delivering first-in-class or best-in-class therapies to its customers.