Sector News

Lilly CEO Sees Light After a Difficult Year

October 20, 2014
Life sciences
Eli Lilly & Co. is deep into what Chief Executive John C. Lechleiter calls the “toughest year” in the drug maker’s 138-year history. Revenue at Lilly has plunged because of generic competition that followed patent expirations for several of its top-selling drugs, including the antidepressant Cymbalta.
 
The 61-year-old Dr. Lechleiter, meanwhile, faced one of his own toughest years in 2013: He took a two-month medical leave to undergo and recover from surgery to repair a damaged aorta.
 
Dr. Lechleiter, who joined Lilly as a chemist in 1979 and took over as CEO in 2008, says both he and Lilly are on the mend. The company has received regulatory approval to sell three new drugs—two for diabetes and one for gastric cancer—and has more experimental drugs in late-stage clinical testing.
 
In an interview at company headquarters in Indianapolis, the CEO talked about challenges facing Lilly and the health-care industry, including his desire for corporate tax reforms, and the impact of the Affordable Care Act on pharmaceutical makers. 
 
> Read the interview on the Wall Street Journal website
 
By Peter Loftus
 

comments closed

Related News

September 22, 2023

Novo Holdings acquires biopharma company Paratek for $462m

Life sciences

Novo Holdings has concluded the acquisition of all outstanding shares of commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company Paratek Pharmaceuticals for nearly $462m (€433.67m) to bolster its antimicrobial resistance (AMR) expertise. Paratek develops and commercialises new treatments for life-threatening ailments. Its speciality pharmaceutical platform aids in developing new therapeutics.

September 22, 2023

Glenmark Pharma to divest 75% stake in life sciences unit for $680m

Life sciences

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has signed a definitive agreement for the divestiture of a 75% stake in its division, Glenmark Life Sciences (GLS), to Indian company Nirma in a deal valued at Rs56.51bn ($679.85m). Glenmark Life Sciences focuses on producing active pharmaceutical ingredients (API).

September 22, 2023

Lonza-CEO Ruffieux to leave Swiss CDMO

Life sciences

Pierre-Alain Ruffieux, CEO of Lonza, will leave the Basel-based company at the end of September. According to the Swiss Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), the separation is by mutual agreement.

How can we help you?

We're easy to reach