David Ricks on business development
From LLY Stock | Eli Lilly and Company Q2 2021 Earnings Call · · AlphaStreet
“We also continue to augment our pipeline with business development deals and announced the acquisition of Protomer Technologies. We welcome the Protomer team to Lilly and are excited to bring this technology to our diabetes pipeline as we believe glucose-sensing insulin may become the next generation for insulin treatment to improve the quality of life for people living with diabetes.”
On , David Ricks, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer & President at Eli Lilly, spoke about business development during LLY Stock | Eli Lilly and Company Q2 2021 Earnings Call on AlphaStreet.
About David Ricks
David Ricks, chair and CEO of Eli Lilly, has been discussing the company's strong financial performance and the launch of its oral obesity drug, Zepbound (orforglipron), during recent earnings calls and media appearances. In the first quarter of 2026, Lilly reported revenue of $19.80 billion, a 56% year-over-year increase, which Ricks attributed to high global demand for Mounjaro and Zepbound. He noted that the oral pill, approved by the FDA and launched under the trade name Zepbound, had more than 20,000 patients using it within its first month on the market. Ricks described the launch as "the first new brand and new molecule launched for obesity in the modern era" and said the reception and buzz were good. Ricks has also addressed pricing and access issues. He stated that Lilly supports the Medicare GLP-1 bridge program, which caps out-of-pocket costs for seniors at $50 per month, and argued that obesity medications should be broadly covered by insurance. He commented that the obesity market shows "expansionary volume perhaps nonlinear to price reductions" due to the out-of-pocket nature of many purchases. Additionally, Ricks discussed Lilly's direct-to-consumer model, Lilly Direct, which offers discounts of more than 50% off list price, and noted that the company is active in business development, having announced agreements to acquire multiple clinical-stage companies.