New Delhi, India – Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks announced on October 1, 2026, that India is set to transition from being the "Pharmacy of the World" to an "Innovation Partner to the World." Speaking at the Bharat Life Sciences Awards, Ricks emphasized India's potential to significantly contribute to the discovery, development, and scaling of breakthrough medicines for global markets.
Eli Lilly is actively deepening its footprint in India, focusing on expanding its business in key therapeutic areas such as obesity and cardiometabolic health. The company's strategic moves include the 2025 launch of Mounjaro (tirzepatide) in India for type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management, followed by a distribution and promotion partnership with Cipla.
Advancing the Obesity and Diabetes Pipeline
Lilly's global portfolio in obesity is rapidly evolving beyond Mounjaro. Recent data presented at the EASD 2026 meeting in Milan showcased promising experimental drugs:
- Retatrutide: A three-hormone obesity drug, which demonstrated an average body weight loss of 20.8% over 80 weeks in a late-stage study for people with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Ricks hailed its potential as a "transformational medicine."
- Foundayo (orforglipron): A once-daily oral GLP-1 medicine, which showed efficacy in reducing blood sugar and body weight for type 2 diabetes patients, offering a convenient oral option.
- EloraTZP: A combination of eloralintide and tirzepatide, which exhibited greater weight loss compared to tirzepatide alone, with late-stage studies planned.
These developments underscore Lilly's commitment to providing diverse treatment options for patients grappling with obesity and related conditions.
India's Role in Future Medicine
The growing pipeline is highly relevant to India, where Eli Lilly is expanding its capabilities beyond sales into technology and research. With a presence spanning over three decades and more than 4,000 employees, the company views India as a vital hub for future innovation.
Ricks highlighted India's robust scientific talent pool, seeing potential for transformative ideas to emerge from universities, startups, and research institutions. He stressed that Lilly's role would be to foster these ideas by connecting them with the necessary expertise, capabilities, and partnerships to realize their full potential.
To achieve this, Ricks urged India to cultivate an environment that encourages scientific risk-taking and strengthens collaboration between researchers, innovators, and the industry.