In the cross-specialist ranking “Best Pharmaceutical Companies Germany” 2022, Lilly comes in 9th place in the category “research-based, world-leading pharmaceutical companies by turnover”. The first places in the category went to Janssen-Cilag, Novartis and Bayer Vital/Jenapharm. Lilly is a pioneer in metabolic research and has, among other things, important antidiabetics on the market and in the pipeline.
Eli Lilly, entrepreneur and philanthropist
Eli Lilly and Company was founded in 1876 by the pharmacist, officer and philanthropist Dr. Eli Lilly in Indianapolis/USA. Today, the company is one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical groups. With more than 35,000 employees – around 15,000 of them in the USA – and production and research facilities in seven countries each, the company had a turnover of USD 28.32 billion in 2021 (+18.14% compared to the previous year). More than half of the turnover was generated in the USA, USD 4.78 billion in Europe, USD 5.7 billion in other countries; USD 1.66 billion was also generated in China.
About 8,100 people (23% of the workforce) work in research and development (R&D) at Lilly. R&D spending increased significantly to USD 7.02 billion in 2021, or a quarter of sales, which is a relatively high proportion.
The company’s history is closely linked to metabolic research. In 1923, Lilly launched Iletin®, the first insulin preparation for diabetes mellitus, which had been fatal until then. Other milestones in the company’s history include penicillin production (1943), a Salk polio vaccine (1955), the first commercial genetically engineered insulin (Humulin®, 1982) and the first analogue insulin (Humalog®, 1996). In addition to diabetology, Lilly made a name for itself in oncology, dermatology, cardiology, rheumatology, osteology and psychiatry/neurology.
Top-selling medicines include Trulicity® (dulaglutide/diabetes), Humalog® (insulin lispro), Alimta® (pemetrexed/cancer), Forsteo® (teriparatide®/osteoporosis) and Taltz® (ixekizumab/psoriasis).
The veterinary medicines division Elanco Animal Health – acquired by Novartis in 2014 – was completely spun off from the group by 2019.
Thanks to its successful product development in the fields of diabetes, immunology and cancer therapy, Lilly has become the secret star among the Big Pharma companies, according to Handelsblatt (18.5.2022). A milestone could be the introduction of Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) (US approval 5/2022, EMA recommendation 7/2022). With “Twincretin”, a new antidiabetic drug class is emerging that leads to strong weight loss.
Corporate management, marketing and sales, IT and administration of Lilly Deutschland GmbH and Lilly Pharma Holding GmbH are located in Bad Homburg. Lilly Pharma Produktion GmbH & Co. is based in Norderfriedrichskoog in Schleswig-Holstein. The 885 employees in Germany generated sales of 832 million euros in 2021.
Lilly Germany claims to be the first company in the pharmaceutical industry with a certified Common Good Balance Sheet (GWB), which holistically describes an organisation’s contribution to the common good.
The philanthropic legacy of the founder has been carried on by the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation since 1968.
Multiple awards for Lilly for innovation and sustainability
Since the start of the Pharma Trend benchmark study in 2000, Lilly has already received the “Golden Tablet” award for innovation and sustainability twice (2017, 2018). Lilly first received the award “The Most Innovative Product” in 2000 for Zyprexa®, followed by Cialis® (2003, 2004), Forsteo® (2005), Yentreve® (2005 – 2007) and Byetta® (2007). In 2017, Lilly was voted the best pharmaceutical company in the category “research-based, world-leading pharmaceutical companies by sales”.
Awards für Innovation und Nachhaltigkeit seit 2000:
- The Golden Tablet (2017,2018)
- Zyprexa® (2000 – 2002)
- Cialis® (2003, 2004)
- Forsteo® (2005)
- Yentreve® (2005 – 2007)
- Byetta® (2007)
