Eli Lilly Shares Plummet 14% Toward Worst Day In 25 Years—Here's Why It's Down

Core Viewpoint - Eli Lilly's shares experienced a significant decline of over 14% following the release of disappointing trial data for its obesity treatment pill, orforglipron, which did not meet Wall Street's expectations for weight loss results [1][2]. Company Summary - Eli Lilly's orforglipron showed an average weight loss of just over 12% in late-stage trials, falling short of the anticipated 15% [2]. - The highest dosage of orforglipron resulted in more than 59% of patients losing at least 10% of their body weight, while nearly 40% lost at least 15% [3]. - CEO David Ricks stated that the company was not disappointed with the results, emphasizing that they aligned with the company's expectations despite being slightly below Wall Street's projections [4]. Industry Context - The competition among pharmaceutical companies, including Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer, to develop effective weight-loss pills has intensified, particularly following the success of Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy [7]. - Eli Lilly plans to file for regulatory approval of orforglipron by the end of the year, while Novo Nordisk's treatment is under regulatory review, with a decision expected in late 2025 [7]. - Other companies, such as Roche and Viking Therapeutics, are also developing oral weight-loss drugs, reporting average weight loss of 6.1% and 8.2% in early- and mid-stage trials, respectively [8].