Eli Lilly has reported a remarkable financial performance for the fourth quarter of 2024, marked by a 45% year-over-year increase in revenue, reaching a total of $13.53 billion. This surge was primarily fueled by the robust sales of its weight-loss drug Zepbound and diabetes treatment Mounjaro. Specifically, Mounjaro achieved $3.53 billion in sales, a 60% growth compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, Zepbound saw a staggering increase, with sales climbing to $1.91 billion from just $175.8 million in the same quarter the year before.
Reuters noted that by April 2025, Zepbound had managed to surpass Wegovy in prescription numbers, capturing approximately 53.3% of the U.S. market share. In response to the soaring demand, Eli Lilly has announced an ambitious plan to invest over $5 billion in its Indiana manufacturing site to boost the production of Zepbound and Mounjaro. Additionally, recent clinical trials have further enhanced Zepbound's appeal by showing it outperforms Novo Nordisk's Wegovy in weight loss effectiveness.
The company has also navigated some regulatory challenges, such as the recent executive order by President Donald Trump, which aims at reducing the prices of high-cost weight-loss drugs like Zepbound. Despite these pressures, Eli Lilly continues to strengthen its market position and has maintained its momentum by ensuring product availability to meet increasing consumer demand.