Eli Lilly’s Weight-Loss Drug Demand Is Nearly Limitless. Here’s What Comes Next for the $1 Trillion Drugmaker

Eli Lilly said it will seek FDA approval in Q1 2027 for retatrutide, its next anti-obesity drug. In a phase 3 study, retatrutide showed average weight loss up to 28.3% over 80 weeks, including in patients with diabetes. The article also cites Lilly’s Q2 revenue of $23B (+48% YoY) and adjusted EPS of $8.38 (+33%).

Eli Lilly reported Q2 2026 drivers including 48% revenue growth, with Zepbound and Mounjaro adding $6.3B incremental growth versus prior year, and gross margin rising to 86.3%. Full-year revenue guidance was raised to $85B–$87B. Management discussed Foundayo U.S. scaling, Medicare GLP-1 Bridge access for 20M Americans, and planned retatrutide registrations in Q1 2027.

Eli Lilly shares rose up to 7% after Q2 revenue jumped 48% to $22.97B, beating Wall Street by over $2B. Mounjaro and Zepbound totaled $14.87B, about 65% of revenue. Lilly lifted its 2026 outlook to $85B-$87B. Novo Nordisk also raised guidance, but U.S.-listed shares fell after Wegovy pill sales missed expectations.

Eli Lilly reported Q2 revenue up 48% to $23B, with net income of $7.1B and adjusted EPS of $8.38, and raised full-year revenue guidance to $85B-$87B. Mounjaro sales were $9.9B and Zepbound $4.9B. Lilly and Nvidia plan to invest up to $1B over five years in a joint AI lab for drug discovery and manufacturing.

The S&P 500 hit a record intraday high as corporate results beat expectations and hopes for progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz supported sentiment. Disney shares rose over 2% after fiscal Q3 results topped estimates, and Eli Lilly gained about 7% after Q2 profit and sales beat forecasts. SpaceX shares fell after its post-IPO quarterly report; AMD and Nvidia moved on earnings and chip-use comments.

The FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to Eli Lilly’s investigational olomorasib for use as monotherapy in adults with advanced pancreatic cancer after at least one systemic therapy, for tumors with the KRAS G12C mutation, identified via an FDA-approved test. Lilly said it is the drug’s second designation. The article notes this is not approval and no efficacy or safety results were publicly released.