Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical giant behind the weight-loss drug Zepbound, has become the world’s largest healthcare company, thanks to the booming market for weight-loss medications. Now, the company aims to use its financial gains to address some of the world’s most pressing health issues.
Eli Lilly’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dan Skovronsky, told CNBC that the company’s success in the weight-loss drug market has opened new opportunities. “The impact we can have on human health through obesity treatments has been eye-opening,” Skovronsky said. “It’s also given us the resources to explore other medical challenges.”
As part of its expanded focus, Eli Lilly is now tackling diseases such as Alzheimer’s, neurodegenerative conditions, heart disease, and even hearing loss.
The company first introduced its diabetes drug, Mounjaro, in 2022. A year later, it launched Zepbound, a version of the same drug marketed for weight loss. Both medications belong to a class of drugs known as GLP-1s, which regulate blood sugar and suppress appetite. These drugs have seen huge success, partly due to their popularity, driven by the success of Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic.
Zepbound sales alone hit $1.9 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to just $176 million in the same period the previous year. Eli Lilly’s total sales across all products reached $45 billion in 2024, with projections for 2025 ranging between $58 billion and $61 billion.
The company’s stock has more than doubled in value over the past three years, bringing its market capitalization to $785 billion.
Last year, Eli Lilly launched an Alzheimer’s treatment and is already testing it for prevention, Skovronsky shared. The company is also making strides in gene therapy, with one trial reportedly restoring hearing in a patient.
“We now have the resources and responsibility as the world’s largest healthcare company,” Skovronsky said. “We’re committed to addressing significant health challenges and making a meaningful impact on global health.”
