Eli Lilly and Company
Corporate brand
UnclaimedAn American multinational pharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, manufacturing, and commercializing prescription medicines.
Last updated October 17, 2026
Overview
Eli Lilly and Company, commonly known as Lilly, is an American multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Colonel Eli Lilly founded the business in 1876 after working as a pharmacist and pharmaceutical chemist and serving as a Union officer during the American Civil War. From a small manufacturer of medicines, capsules, and pharmaceutical preparations, Lilly developed into a research-driven company with commercial operations and offices in numerous countries and products sold across much of the world. The company's early identity was shaped by an emphasis on manufacturing consistency, dosage accuracy, and more responsible pharmaceutical promotion than was common among nineteenth-century patent-medicine businesses. Early innovations included gelatin-coated pills and capsules, sugar-coated tablets, flavored medicines, improved production systems, and organized laboratory research. Lilly's transition toward modern scientific drug development accelerated in the early twentieth century, particularly after the recruitment of biochemist George Henry Alexander Clowes. His work helped establish relationships with academic researchers, including the University of Toronto scientists associated with insulin. Lilly subsequently became one of the first companies to manufacture insulin on a large commercial scale, launching Iletin in the United States in 1923. During the twentieth century, Lilly expanded from biological medicines into antibiotics, vaccines, endocrinology, oncology, neuroscience, immunology, and cardiovascular and metabolic treatments. It was involved in the production of the Salk polio vaccine and became an important producer of recombinant human insulin, including Humulin. The company also built substantial franchises in mental health through Prozac, Cymbalta, and Zyprexa, although those products later faced generic competition after patent expiry. Its research and licensing activities brought additional medicines, including the diabetes drug exenatide, which helped establish the GLP-1 class in commercial medicine. In the 2020s, Lilly's growth profile became increasingly associated with metabolic and diabetes medicines. Tirzepatide is marketed as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and as Zepbound for chronic weight management and related indications, subject to regulatory approval in individual markets. Other important products include the breast-cancer treatment Verzenio, the autoimmune medicine Taltz, the diabetes medicine Trulicity, the SGLT2 inhibitor Jardiance, insulin products, the migraine-prevention medicine Emgality, and several oncology and immunology therapies. The company operates as an innovation-led pharmaceutical business, relying on internal research, clinical development, manufacturing capacity, licensing, and acquisitions or collaborations to build its pipeline. Lilly's business is primarily prescription pharmaceuticals rather than consumer healthcare or medical devices. Its major therapeutic areas include diabetes and obesity, oncology, immunology, neuroscience, pain, and cardiovascular or related metabolic disease. The company has made large investments in research, biologics manufacturing, injectable-product capacity, and supply infrastructure to support demand for newer medicines. Its stated commercial positioning combines scientific innovation, disease-focused research, global regulatory development, and large-scale manufacturing. Lilly remains headquartered in Indianapolis and continues to operate as an active, publicly traded pharmaceutical company.
History
Colonel Eli Lilly established Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis in 1876. Before founding the company, he had worked in drugstores and pharmaceutical manufacturing. He began with a small operation and a few employees, producing medicines such as quinine. His early business practices emphasized standardized formulations and dependable production at a time when pharmaceutical quality varied considerably. The company expanded its sales organization, moved into larger Indianapolis facilities, and incorporated in 1881. The business grew during the late nineteenth century under the leadership of Eli Lilly and, later, his son Josiah K. Lilly Sr. It manufactured pills, capsules, elixirs, fluid extracts, and other preparations. Lilly introduced or adopted practical improvements such as sugar coatings, flavoring, gelatin capsules, and more systematic manufacturing controls. By the 1890s, the company had developed specialized production facilities and a larger workforce. The Lilly family remained deeply involved in management, while also supporting civic, educational, and cultural institutions. A decisive transformation began in the early twentieth century. New buildings and production methods increased capacity, and the company began to organize research more formally. George Henry Alexander Clowes joined Lilly and helped connect the company with academic biomedical research. His involvement in the development and scale-up of insulin led to collaboration with University of Toronto researchers. Lilly commercialized Iletin in 1923, helping make insulin broadly available in the United States and establishing the company as a significant research-based pharmaceutical manufacturer. The company also adopted more efficient factory layouts and production systems, including straight-line manufacturing. Lilly expanded its biological and pharmaceutical activities through the following decades. It participated in the production of the polio vaccine developed through Jonas Salk's research and became an important producer of insulin. The company later helped pioneer recombinant-DNA human insulin with Humulin and expanded into additional injectable and biologic products. Its portfolio diversified into antibiotics, oncology, cardiovascular medicine, immunology, and central-nervous-system therapies. From the 1980s through the 2000s, Lilly achieved major commercial success in neuroscience and psychiatry. Prozac, launched in the late 1980s, became one of the best-known antidepressants in the world. Zyprexa and Cymbalta added important antipsychotic and antidepressant franchises. These medicines eventually faced generic competition, illustrating the importance of replacing mature products with new research discoveries. Lilly also entered and expanded in diabetes and metabolic disease, including the launch of exenatide in 2005, an early commercial GLP-1 receptor agonist. In the twenty-first century, the company broadened its oncology, immunology, diabetes, migraine, and autoimmune portfolios. Products such as Taltz, Trulicity, Verzenio, Jardiance, Emgality, Cyramza, and Olumiant became important components of the business. Tirzepatide represented a particularly significant development because it activates both GIP and GLP-1 pathways. Lilly markets it as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and Zepbound for chronic weight management and other approved indications depending on jurisdiction. Lilly's contemporary strategy centers on research-led growth, clinical development, regulatory expansion, and investment in manufacturing capacity for complex injectable and biologic medicines. Its operations are international, although the United States remains its largest market. The company continues to manage the risks typical of the pharmaceutical industry, including clinical-trial uncertainty, regulatory scrutiny, patent expiry, pricing pressure, supply constraints, and competition from rival drug developers and generic manufacturers. It remains an active public company headquartered in Indianapolis.
- 2023
Zepbound launched
[3]Lilly introduced Zepbound, its tirzepatide brand for chronic weight management in the United States.
- 2022
Mounjaro launched
[3]Lilly launched tirzepatide as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes in the United States.
- 2017
David Ricks becomes chief executive
[2]David A. Ricks became Lilly's chief executive, later also serving as chair.
- 2005
Exenatide reaches the market
[1]Lilly brought exenatide to market, helping establish the GLP-1 receptor agonist class in diabetes treatment.
- 1996
Zyprexa introduced
[1]Olanzapine was launched as Zyprexa for schizophrenia and related psychiatric indications.
- 1986
Prozac introduced
[1]Lilly launched fluoxetine under the Prozac brand, creating a major antidepressant franchise.
- 1955
Polio vaccine production
[1]Lilly became involved in large-scale production of the Salk polio vaccine.
- 1923
Iletin insulin commercialized
[1]Lilly began selling Iletin, one of the first commercially available insulin products in the United States.
- 1919
Formal research expansion begins
[1]The recruitment of biochemist George Henry Alexander Clowes helped move Lilly toward organized biochemical research and academic collaboration.
- 1881
Business incorporated
[1]The company incorporated and expanded its Indianapolis manufacturing and administrative operations.
Showing the 10 most recent.
Products and positioning
A research-intensive global pharmaceutical company positioned around innovative prescription medicines, especially in diabetes and obesity, oncology, immunology, and neuroscience.
Diabetes medicine · 2022
Mounjaro
Mounjaro is Lilly's brand for tirzepatide in type 2 diabetes. Tirzepatide is an injectable dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist developed to improve glycemic control alongside diet and exercise. It became one of Lilly's central growth products and is marketed under a different brand for chronic weight management.
Obesity and metabolic medicine · 2023
Zepbound
Zepbound is Lilly's tirzepatide brand for chronic weight management in eligible adults, subject to local regulatory approvals. The product extends the company's metabolic-medicine franchise beyond diabetes and is also associated with research into related conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea.
Oncology medicine · 2017
Verzenio
Verzenio is the brand name for abemaciclib, a CDK4/6 inhibitor used in specified forms of hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. Its approved uses vary by market and treatment setting. The medicine is a major oncology product in Lilly's portfolio.
Diabetes medicine · 2014
Trulicity
Trulicity is dulaglutide, a once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist for type 2 diabetes. It is designed to improve blood-glucose control and has been an important product in Lilly's long-running diabetes franchise.
Immunology medicine · 2016
Taltz
Taltz is ixekizumab, an interleukin-17A inhibitor used for several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including specified forms of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Its indications depend on regulatory approval and patient age or disease presentation.
Diabetes and cardiovascular medicine · 2014
Jardiance
Jardiance is empagliflozin, an SGLT2 inhibitor developed with Boehringer Ingelheim. It is used in type 2 diabetes and, depending on market authorization, certain heart-failure and chronic-kidney-disease settings.
Insulin · 1996
Humalog
Humalog is insulin lispro, a rapid-acting insulin analogue used to control blood glucose in people with diabetes. It is part of Lilly's longstanding insulin business and is supplied in several delivery formats and concentrations in different markets.
Insulin · 1982
Humulin
Humulin is Lilly's brand for recombinant human insulin. Introduced in the early era of biotechnology medicines, it represented a major step away from animal-derived insulin and remains available in multiple formulations.
Neurology medicine · 2018
Emgality
Emgality is galcanezumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting CGRP-related migraine biology. It is used for prevention of migraine and, in some jurisdictions, other headache disorders subject to local authorization.
Antidepressant · 1986
Prozac
Prozac is the former Lilly brand for fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. It became a landmark antidepressant franchise after its introduction and is now widely available in generic form following loss of exclusivity.
Antidepressant and pain medicine · 2004
Cymbalta
Cymbalta is the former Lilly brand for duloxetine, a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor used in depression and several pain-related indications. The product has faced generic competition after patent expiry.
Antipsychotic · 1996
Zyprexa
Zyprexa is the former Lilly brand for olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic used in specified psychiatric conditions. It was a major historical commercial product and is now also supplied by generic manufacturers.
Controversies
2026
Pennsylvania sues insulin makers and PBMs over alleged insulin price collusion
Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit against Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk Inc., Sanofi-Aventis US LLC, and several pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), alleging that the companies colluded to raise insulin prices. The suit seeks structural changes, restitution, and financial penalties. The allegations concern the pricing of insulin and the roles of both manufacturers and PBMs. The case is a civil action brought by the state; the filing does not itself establish liability, and the claims remain allegations to be resolved through legal proceedings.
2025
Indiana sues Eli Lilly over alleged insulin price-fixing
Indiana filed a lawsuit in Lake County Superior Court on Dec. 31 alleging that Eli Lilly conspired with pharmacy benefit managers to artificially inflate insulin list prices through secret rebates, charging roughly $300 to $700 for some insulin products. Lilly said it has taken industry-leading steps to lower insulin costs, including capping out-of-pocket costs at $35 per month and cutting list prices by 70%.
Marketing campaigns
- 2023Zepbound obesity-medicine launch
United States
Lilly introduced Zepbound as a distinct brand for tirzepatide in chronic weight management, presenting the medicine as part of a broader effort to address obesity and related metabolic disease.
Outcome. Established a major new commercial focus for Lilly's metabolic portfolio.
- 1955Salk polio vaccine production
United States
Lilly participated in manufacturing the newly developed polio vaccine, supporting the national effort to make immunization available at scale.
Outcome. Expanded the company's public-health and biological-manufacturing role.
- 1923Iletin insulin introduction
United States
Lilly commercialized insulin after collaborating with researchers connected to the University of Toronto, helping translate insulin research into large-scale pharmaceutical supply.
Outcome. Strengthened Lilly's position as a research-based pharmaceutical manufacturer.
Brand decisions
2023
Launch Zepbound for chronic weight managementProduct launchBackground
Clinical and regulatory development supported use of tirzepatide in chronic weight management for eligible patients.
Action taken
Lilly marketed tirzepatide under the Zepbound name for the obesity-treatment market in the United States.
Aftermath
The launch broadened Lilly's commercial exposure to obesity medicine and increased the importance of manufacturing scale and supply management.
- Novo Nordisk — Novo Nordisk remained a principal competitor in anti-obesity medicines through its semaglutide portfolio.
2022
Launch tirzepatide as MounjaroProduct launchBackground
Lilly developed tirzepatide as a dual GIP and GLP-1 medicine for type 2 diabetes after years of metabolic-disease research.
Action taken
The company launched Mounjaro in the United States for type 2 diabetes and pursued additional indications.
Aftermath
Tirzepatide became a central product in Lilly's diabetes and metabolic-medicine strategy.
- Novo Nordisk — Novo Nordisk continued competing in the diabetes and obesity markets with its semaglutide-based products.
2017
Emphasize innovation-led growth under new leadershipStrategyBackground
Lilly sought to replenish its portfolio as older neuroscience products faced generic competition and as research opportunities expanded in oncology, immunology, and metabolic disease.
Action taken
Under David Ricks, the company concentrated capital and research attention on newer medicines and pipeline programs.
Aftermath
The strategy contributed to a portfolio increasingly centered on diabetes, obesity, oncology, immunology, and neuroscience.
Recent events
- 2025
Lilly completed its acquisition of Verve Therapeutics[6]
M&A
The deal expanded Lilly’s genetic-medicine capabilities in cardiovascular disease and one-time treatment approaches.
- 2025
Lilly announced an agreement to acquire Adverum Biotechnologies[7]
M&A
The proposed acquisition targeted Adverum’s intravitreal gene-therapy platform for ocular disease.
- 2024
Lilly reports regulatory and manufacturing developments for newer medicines[3]
Product generation · Other
The company continued expanding production and pursuing additional indications for its metabolic, oncology, immunology, and neuroscience portfolio.
- 2024
Lilly’s corporate advertising emphasized barriers on patients’ path to recovery[8]
Campaign
A corporate television campaign portrayed discrimination, financial pressure and other obstacles before presenting medicine as a means of giving people a chance at better health.
- 2023
Lilly's obesity-medicine portfolio drives major market attention[3]
Product launch
Zepbound and the broader tirzepatide program became central to Lilly's growth strategy as demand for diabetes and obesity treatments increased.
- 2021
Lilly completed its acquisition of Prevail Therapeutics[9]
M&A
The acquisition established a Lilly gene-therapy program centered on Prevail’s neuroscience assets.
- 2020
Lilly expands commercial focus on tirzepatide medicines[3]
Product launch
The company introduced Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and later developed the Zepbound brand for chronic weight management and related approved uses.
- 2018
Lilly completed its acquisition of ARMO BioSciences[10]
M&A
The transaction added ARMO’s investigational immunotherapy pegilodecakin to Lilly’s oncology portfolio.
Sources10 sources
- 1Eli Lilly and Companyen.wikipedia.org
- 2Lilly leadershiplilly.com
- 3Lilly news and releaseslilly.com
- 4Indiana sues Eli Lilly over alleged insulin price-fixingwfyi.org
- 5Pennsylvania sues insulin makers and PBMs over alleged insulin price collusionncpa.org
- 6Lilly completed its acquisition of Verve Therapeuticsinvestor.lilly.com
- 7Lilly announced an agreement to acquire Adverum Biotechnologiesinvestor.lilly.com
- 8Lilly’s corporate advertising emphasized barriers on patients’ path to recoveryfiercepharma.com
- 9Lilly completed its acquisition of Prevail Therapeuticsinvestor.lilly.com
- 10Lilly completed its acquisition of ARMO BioSciencesinvestor.lilly.com
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