Item 1. Business
Item 1. Business
Eli Lilly and Company (referred to as the company, Lilly, we, or us) was incorporated in 1901 in Indiana to succeed to the drug manufacturing business founded in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1876 by Colonel Eli Lilly. We discover, develop, manufacture, and market products in a single business segment—human pharmaceutical products.
Our purpose is to unite caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. Most of the products that we sell today were discovered or developed by our own scientists, and our long-term success depends on our ability to continually discover or acquire, develop, and commercialize innovative medicines.
We manufacture and distribute our products through facilities in the United States (U.S.), including Puerto Rico, and in Europe and Asia. Our products are sold in approximately 105 countries.
Products
Our products include:
Therapeutic area
Products
Certain Indications
Diabetes, Obesity and Other Cardiometabolic products
Basaglar ®
In collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim, a long-acting human insulin analog for the treatment of diabetes.
Humalog ® , Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, and insulin lispro mix 75/25
Human insulin analogs for the treatment of diabetes.
Humulin ® , Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500
Human insulins of recombinant DNA origin for the treatment of diabetes.
Jardiance ®
In collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim, for the treatment of type 2 diabetes; to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death in adult patients with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease; to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalizations for heart failure in adults; and to reduce the risk of sustained decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), end-stage kidney disease, cardiovascular death and hospitalization in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) at risk of progression.
Mounjaro ®
A glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes in combination with diet and exercise to improve glycemic control.
Trulicit y ®
For the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults and pediatric patients 10 years of age and older; and to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adult patients with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors.
Zepbound ®
For the treatment of adults with obesity or overweight with weight-related comorbidities as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity (marketed under Mounjaro in the European Union (EU) and in various other markets outside the U.S.).
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Therapeutic area
Products
Certain Indications
Oncology products
Alimta ®
For the first-line treatment, in combination with two other agents, of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for patients with non-squamous cell histology and no epidermal growth factor receptor or anaplastic lymphoma kinase genomic tumor aberrations; for the first-line treatment, in combination with another agent, of advanced non-squamous NSCLC; for the second-line treatment of advanced non-squamous NSCLC; as monotherapy for the maintenance treatment of advanced non-squamous NSCLC in patients whose disease has not progressed immediately following chemotherapy treatment; and in combination with another agent for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Cyramza ®
For use as monotherapy or in combination with another agent as a second-line treatment of advanced or metastatic gastric cancer or gastro-esophageal junction adenocarcinoma; in combination with another agent as a second-line treatment of metastatic NSCLC; in combination with another agent as a second-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer; as a monotherapy as a second-line treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma; and in combination with another agent as a first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic NSCLC with activating epidermal growth factor receptor mutations.
Erbitux ®
Indicated both as monotherapy and in combination with another agent for the treatment of certain types of colorectal cancers; and as monotherapy, in combination with chemotherapy, or in combination with radiation therapy for the treatment of certain types of head and neck cancers.
Jaypirca ®
For the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) after at least two lines of systemic therapy, including a BTK inhibitor; and for the treatment of adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma who have received at least two prior lines of therapy, including a BTK inhibitor and a BCL-2 inhibitor.
Retevmo ®
For the treatment of metastatic NSCLC with a rearranged during transfection (RET) gene fusion in adult patients; for the treatment of advanced metastatic medullary thyroid cancer with a RET mutation who require systemic therapy in adult and pediatric patients; for the treatment of advanced or metastatic thyroid cancer with a RET gene fusion in adult and pediatric patients who require systemic therapy and are radioactive iodine-refractory; and for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors with a RET gene fusion who have progressed on or following prior systemic treatment or who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options.
Tyvyt ®
In collaboration with Innovent Biologics, Inc., for the treatment of relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin's lymphoma; for the first-line treatment of non-squamous NSCLC in combination with Alimta and another agent; for the first-line treatment of squamous NSCLC in combination with two other agents; for the first-line treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in combination with another agent; for the first-line treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in combination with certain other agents; for the first-line treatment of gastric cancer in combination with two other agents; and, in combination with two other agents, for patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-squamous NSCLC that progressed after EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy, each in China.
Verzenio ®
For use as monotherapy or in combination with endocrine therapy for the treatment of HR+, HER2- metastatic breast cancer and in combination with endocrine therapy for treatment of HR+, HER2-, node positive, early breast cancer at high risk of recurrence.
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Therapeutic area
Products
Certain Indications
Immunology products
Ebglyss ®
For the treatment of adult and adolescent patients 12 years or older with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in Japan and, in collaboration with Almirall S.A., in Europe.
Olumiant ®
In collaboration with Incyte Corporation, for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis after treatment with one or more tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers that did not work well enough or could not be tolerated; moderate to severe atopic dermatitis; severe alopecia areata; and for the treatment of hospitalized adults with COVID-19 who require supplemental oxygen, mechanical ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Omvoh TM
For the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis.
Taltz ®
For the treatment of adults and pediatric patients aged 6 years or older with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis; adults with active psoriatic arthritis; adults with ankylosing spondylitis; and adults with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.
Neuroscience products
Cymbalta ®
For the treatment of major depressive disorder; diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain; generalized anxiety disorder; fibromyalgia; and chronic musculoskeletal pain due to chronic low back pain or chronic pain due to osteoarthritis.
Emgality ®
For migraine prevention and the treatment of episodic cluster headache in adults.
Other products and therapies
Cialis ®
For the treatment of erectile dysfunction and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Forteo ®
For the treatment of osteoporosis in men and postmenopausal women at high risk for broken bones or fracture and for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in men and women.
Marketing and Distribution
We sell most of our products worldwide. We adapt our marketing methods and product emphasis in various countries to meet local customer needs and comply with local regulations.
U.S.
We promote our major products in the U.S. through sales representatives who engage with physicians and other healthcare professionals. We also educate healthcare providers about our products in various other ways, including promoting in online channels, distributing literature and samples of certain products to physicians, and exhibiting at medical meetings. In addition, we advertise certain products directly to consumers in the U.S., and we maintain websites and other media channels (e.g., social media) with information about our major products. We supplement our employee sales force with contract sales organizations to leverage our resources and reach additional patients in need.
Our account managers service wholesalers, pharmacy benefit managers, managed care organizations, group purchasing organizations, government and long-term care institutions, hospitals, and certain retail pharmacies. We enter into arrangements with these organizations to provide discounts or rebates on our products.
In the U.S., most of our products are distributed through wholesalers that serve pharmacies, physicians and other healthcare professionals, and hospitals. In 2023, 2022, and 2021, three wholesale distributors in the U.S.—McKesson Corporation, Cencora, Inc. (formerly AmerisourceBergen Corporation), and Cardinal Health, Inc.—each accounted for a significant percentage of our consolidated revenue. No other customer accounted for more than 10 percent of our consolidated revenue in any of these years. For additional information, see Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Note 2: Revenue."
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Outside the U.S.
The products we market and their distribution vary from country to country. Outside the U.S., we promote our products to healthcare providers through sales representatives and other channels. In most countries in which we operate, we maintain our own sales organizations, but in some countries we market our products through third parties, some of which we have engaged through distribution and promotion arrangements.
Marketing Collaborations
Certain of our products are marketed in arrangements with other pharmaceutical companies. For example, we and Boehringer Ingelheim have a global agreement to develop and commercialize a portfolio of diabetes products, including Trajenta ® , Jentadueto ® , Jardiance, Glyxambi ® , Synjardy ® , Trijardy ® XR, Basaglar, and Rezvoglar ® .
For additional information, see Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Note 4: Collaborations and Other Arrangements."
Competition
Our products compete globally with many other pharmaceutical products in highly competitive markets.
Important competitive factors include effectiveness, safety, and ease of use; formulary placement, price, payer coverage and reimbursement rates, and demonstrated cost-effectiveness; regulatory approvals; marketing effectiveness; and research and development of new products, processes, modalities, and uses. Early market entry and rapid patient access can also be important to achieve product acceptance and success.
Most new products or uses that we introduce must compete with other branded, biosimilar, or generic products already on the market or that are later developed by competitors. When competitors introduce new products, uses, or delivery systems with therapeutic or cost advantages, including by developing new modalities, our products become subject to decreased sales volumes, progressive price reductions, or both.
We believe our long-term competitive success depends on discovering and developing (either alone or in collaboration with others) or acquiring innovative, cost-effective products that provide improved outcomes for patients and deliver value to payers, and continuously improving the productivity of our operations in a highly competitive environment. There can be no assurance that our efforts will result in commercially successful products, and it is possible that our products will be, or will become, uncompetitive from time to time as a result of products or uses developed by our competitors.
Generic Pharmaceuticals and Biosimilars
Generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars can pose major competitive challenges to our business. In most major jurisdictions, the regulatory approval process for pharmaceuticals (other than biological products (biologics)) exempts generics from costly and time-consuming clinical trials to demonstrate their safety and efficacy, allowing generic manufacturers to rely on the safety and efficacy of the innovator product. As a result, generic manufacturers generally invest far fewer resources than we do for our branded products in research and development and can price their products significantly lower than our branded products. Accordingly, when a branded non-biologic pharmaceutical loses its market exclusivity, it normally faces intense price competition from generic forms of the product, which can result in the loss of a significant portion of the branded product's revenue in a very short period of time. Moreover, governments in some countries leverage generic entrants to drive price concessions through the utilization of volume-based procurement bidding and other measures.
Further, public and private payers typically encourage the use of generics as alternatives to branded products. Laws in the U.S. generally allow, and in many cases require, pharmacists to substitute generics that have been rated under government procedures to be essentially equivalent to a branded product. Where substitution is mandatory, it must be made unless the prescribing physician expressly forbids it. In certain countries, intellectual property protection is weak, and we must compete with generic versions of our products at or relatively shortly after launch.
In addition, competition for our biologics, which constitute a substantial portion of our products and pipeline, may be affected by the approval of follow-on biologics, also known as biosimilars. A biosimilar is a subsequent version of an approved innovator biologic that, due to its analytical and clinical similarity to the innovator biologic, may be approved based on an abbreviated data package that relies in part on the full testing required of the innovator biologic.
Globally, most governments have developed abbreviated regulatory pathways to approve biosimilars as follow-ons to innovator biologics, including the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 (the BPCIA) in
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the U.S. A number of biosimilars have been licensed under the BPCIA, as well as in Europe and Japan. Regulatory interpretation of important aspects of the laws regulating biosimilars continues to evolve, and therefore the impact of these laws on our business remains subject to substantial uncertainty. For example, the extent to which a biosimilar, once approved, will be substituted for the innovator biologic in a way that is similar to traditional generic substitution for non-biologic products will depend on a number of regulatory and marketplace factors that are still developing.
Biosimilars may present both competitive challenges and opportunities. While competitors have developed biosimilars that compete with our products, we have developed our own biosimilar and may develop others in the future.
U.S. Private Sector Dynamics
In the U.S. private sector, consolidation and integration among healthcare organizations significantly affects the competitive marketplace for pharmaceuticals. Health plans, managed care organizations, pharmacy benefit managers, wholesalers, pharmacies, and other supply chain entities have been consolidating into fewer, larger entities, thus enhancing their market power and importance. Private third-party insurers, as well as governments, typically maintain formularies that specify coverage (the conditions under which drugs are included on a plan's formulary) and reimbursement (the associated out-of-pocket cost to the consumer) to control costs by negotiating discounts or rebates in exchange for formulary inclusion and placement.
Formulary placement can lead to reduced usage of a product for the relevant patient population due to coverage restrictions, such as prior authorizations and formulary exclusions, or due to reimbursement limitations that result in higher consumer out-of-pocket cost, such as non-preferred co-pay tiers, increased co-insurance levels, and higher deductibles. Consequently, pharmaceutical companies face increased pressure in negotiations, and compete fiercely for formulary placement, not only on the basis of product attributes such as efficacy, safety profile, or patient ease of use, but also by providing rebates or other concessions. As payers and pharmaceutical companies continue to negotiate formulary placement and rebates, value-based agreements, where rebates may be based on achievement (or not) of specified outcomes, are another increasingly prevalent tool. Rebates and net cost are increasingly important factors in formulary decisions, particularly in treatment areas in which the payer has taken the position that multiple branded products are therapeutically comparable. These pressures have negatively affected, and could continue to negatively affect, our consolidated results of operations. In addition to formulary placement, changes in insurance designs continue to drive greater consumer cost-sharing through high deductible plans, higher co-insurance, or co-pays, including increased utilization of co-pay accumulator adjustment or maximization programs. Supply chain entities have also increasingly imposed utilization management tools to favor the use of generic products or otherwise limit access to our products. For additional information on pricing and reimbursement for our pharmaceutical products, see "—Regulations and Private Payer Actions Affecting Pharmaceutical Pricing, Reimbursement, and Access—U.S."
Patents, Trademarks, and Other Intellectual Property Rights
Overview
Intellectual property protection is critical to our ability to successfully commercialize our life sciences innovations and invest in the search for new medicines and uses. Loss of effective patent protection for pharmaceuticals, especially for non-biologic products, typically results in the loss of effective market exclusivity for the product, often leading to a severe and rapid decline in revenues for the product. We own, have applied for, or are licensed under, a large number of patents in the U.S. and many other countries relating to products, product uses, formulations, and manufacturing processes. In addition, for some products we have effective intellectual property protection in the form of data protection under pharmaceutical regulatory laws.
The patent protection anticipated to be of most relevance to pharmaceuticals is provided by patents claiming the active ingredient (the compound patent) for our products, particularly those in major markets such as the U.S., major European countries, and Japan. In general, patents in each relevant country last for a period of 20 years from their filing date, which is often years prior to the launch of a commercial product. Further patent term adjustments and restorations may extend the original patent term:
• Patent term adjustment is available to all U.S. patent applicants to provide relief in the event that a patent grant is delayed during examination by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
• Patent term restoration for a single patent for a pharmaceutical product is provided to U.S. patent holders to compensate for a portion of the time invested in clinical trials and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review process. There is a five-year cap on any restoration, and no patent's
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expiration date may be extended beyond 14 years from FDA approval. Some countries outside the U.S. similarly offer forms of patent term restoration. For example, Supplementary Protection Certificates are available to extend the life of a European patent up to an additional five years (subject to a 15-year cap from European Medicines Agency (EMA) approval) and in Japan patent terms can be extended up to five years.
In some cases, the innovator company may retain exclusivity despite approval of the generic, biosimilar, or other follow-on versions of a new medicine beyond the expiration of the compound patent through market dynamics and challenges, later-expiring patents on manufacturing processes, methods of use or formulations, or data protection that may be available under pharmaceutical regulatory laws. The primary forms of data protection are as follows:
• Data package protection generally prohibits other manufacturers from submitting regulatory applications for marketing approval in reliance on the innovator company's regulatory submission data for the drug. The base period is generally five years in the U.S. (12 years for new biologics under the BPCIA, subject to certain conditions), effectively 10 years in Europe, and eight years in Japan. The period begins on the date of product approval and runs concurrently with the patent term for any relevant patents.
• In the U.S., the FDA has the authority to grant additional data protection for approved drugs where the sponsor conducts specified testing in pediatric populations within a specified time period. If granted, this "pediatric exclusivity" provides an additional six months of exclusivity, which is added to the term of data protection, orphan drug exclusivity and, for products other than biologics, to the term of any relevant and non-expired patents.
• A specific use of a drug or biologic can receive "orphan" designation in the U.S. if it is intended to treat a disease or condition affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S., or where it is not reasonably expected to recover development and marketing costs through U.S. sales. Orphan designation entitles a particular use of the drug to seven years of market exclusivity, which runs in parallel with any applicable patents.
Outside the major markets, the adequacy and effectiveness of intellectual property protection for pharmaceuticals vary widely. International and U.S. free trade agreements like the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs Agreement) administered by the World Trade Organization provide global protection of certain intellectual property rights. But in a number of markets we are unable to patent our products or to enforce the patents that we receive for our products. Further, many developing countries, and some developed countries, do not provide effective data package protection even though it is specified in the TRIPs Agreement.
Our Intellectual Property Portfolio
We consider intellectual property protection for certain products, processes, uses, and formulations to be important to our business. In addition to the patents and data protection identified below, we may hold patents on manufacturing processes, formulations, devices, or uses that extend exclusivity beyond the dates shown below. For approved products, dates include, where applicable, pending or granted patent term extensions.
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The most relevant patent protection or data protection and associated expiry dates for our major or recently launched patent-protected marketed products are as follows:
Therapeutic Area
Product
Protection
Territory
Expiry Date
Diabetes, Obesity and Cardiometabolic products
Jardiance
compound patent
U.S.*
2028
major European countries
2029
Japan
2030
Mounjaro/ Zepbound
compound patent
U.S.
2036
major European countries
2037
Japan
2040
data protection
U.S.
2027
major European countries
2033
Japan
2040
Trulicity
compound patent
U.S.
2027
major European countries
2029
Japan
2029
biologics data protection
U.S.
2027
data protection
major European countries
2024
Japan
2023
Oncology products
Cyramza
compound patent
U.S.
2026
major European countries
2028
Japan
2026
biologics data protection
U.S.
2026
data protection
major European countries
2024
Japan
2023
Jaypirca
compound patent
U.S.
2037
major European countries
2038
data protection
U.S.
2028
major European countries
2033
Retevmo
compound patent
U.S.
2037
major European countries
2037
Japan
2038
data protection
U.S.
2025
major European countries
2031
Japan
2031
Verzenio
compound patent
U.S.
2031
major European countries
2033
Japan
2034
data protection
major European countries
2028
Japan
2026
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Therapeutic Area
Product
Protection
Territory
Expiry Date
Immunology products
Ebglyss
compound patent
major European countries
2024
Japan
2024
data protection
major European countries
2033
Japan
2034
Olumiant
compound patent
U.S.
2032
major European countries
2032
Japan
2033
data protection
major European countries
2027
Japan
2025
Omvoh
compound patent
U.S.
2037
major European countries
2038
Japan
2039
biologics data protection
U.S.
2035
data protection
major European countries
2033
Japan
2031
Taltz
compound patent
U.S.
2030
major European countries
2031
Japan
2030
biologics data protection
U.S.
2028
data protection
major European countries
2027
Japan
2024
Neuroscience products
Emgality
compound patent
U.S.
2033
major European countries
2033
Japan
2035
biologics data protection
U.S.
2030
data protection
major European countries
2028
Japan
2029
Reyvow ®
compound patent
U.S.
2030
Japan
2028
data protection
major European countries
2032
Japan
2032
* Jardiance and the related combination product, Glyxambi.
The following product candidates are the most relevant that are currently under regulatory review. Upon approval, we expect relevant compound patent and data protections to apply:
• Donanemab has been submitted for regulatory review in the U.S., the EU and Japan for the treatment of early Alzheimer's disease.
• Lebrikizumab has been submitted for regulatory review in the U.S. for the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis.
• Pirtobrutinib has been submitted for regulatory review in Japan for the treatment of certain patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma.
Worldwide, we sell all of our major products under trademarks consisting of our product names, logos, and unique p roduct appearances that we consider in the aggregate to be important to our operations. Trademark protection varies throughout the world. Trademark protection typically extends beyond the patent and data protection for a product.
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We also rely in some circumstances on trade secrets and other unpatented know-how. We seek to protect our confidential information in part through confidentiality agreements with our employees, corporate partners, collaborators, and vendors. These agreements may be breached, and we cannot be certain that we have adequate remedies. If our trade secrets or confidential information become known or are independently discovered by competitors, or if we enter into disputes over ownership of inventions, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Patent Licenses and Collaborations
Some of our products are subject to significant license and collaboration agreements. For information on our license and collaboration agreements, see Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Note 4: Collaborations and Other Arrangements."
Patent Challenges
In the U.S., the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, commonly known as the Hatch-Waxman Act, authorizes the FDA to approve generic versions of innovative pharmaceuticals (other than biologics) when the generic manufacturer files an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA).
Absent a patent challenge, the FDA cannot approve an ANDA until after certain of the innovator's patents expire. However, after the innovator has marketed its product for four years, a generic manufacturer may file an ANDA alleging that the patent(s) listed in the innovator's New Drug Application (NDA) are invalid, unenforceable or not infringed.
Generic manufacturers use this process extensively to challenge patents on innovative pharmaceuticals. In addition, generic companies have shown willingness to launch "at risk," i.e., after receiving ANDA approval but before final resolution of their patent challenge.
Under the BPCIA, the FDA cannot approve an application for a biosimilar product until data protection expires, 12 years after initial marketing approval of the innovator biologic, and an application may not be submitted until four years following the date the innovator biologic was first approved. However, the BPCIA does provide a mechanism for a prospective biosimilar competitor to challenge the validity of an innovator's patents as early as four years after initial marketing approval of the innovator biologic.
The patent litigation scheme under the BPCIA, and the BPCIA itself, is complex and continues to be interpreted and implemented by the FDA, as well as by courts. Courts have held that biosimilar applicants are not required to engage in the BPCIA patent litigation scheme and patent holders retain the right to bring suit under normal patent law procedures if a biosimilar applicant attempts to commercialize a product prior to patent expiration. In addition, there is a procedure in U.S. patent law, known as inter partes review (IPR), which allows any member of the public to file a petition with the USPTO seeking the review of any issued U.S. patent for validity. IPRs are conducted before Administrative Patent Judges in the USPTO using a lower standard of proof than used in federal district court and challenged patents are not accorded the presumption of validity. Generic drug companies and even some investment firms have engaged in the IPR process in attempts to invalidate our patents. In addition, in December 2023, the U.S. presidential administration released a proposed framework that would permit the federal government to consider the price of a drug developed using federal funds as a factor in determining whether it may exercise "march-in rights" and license it to a third party to manufacture. A comment period on the proposal runs through February 6, 2024, and we are not able to predict whether a final rule will be adopted in accordance with the proposed framework.
Outside the U.S., the legal doctrines and processes by which pharmaceutical patents can be challenged vary widely. In recent years, we have experienced an increase in patent challenges from generic manufacturers in many countries outside the U.S.
For more information on patent challenges and litigation involving our intellectual property rights, see Item 1A, "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—Our long-term success depends on intellectual property protection; if our intellectual property rights are invalidated, circumvented, or weakened, our business will be adversely affected." and Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Note 16: Contingencies."
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Government Regulation of Our Operations
Our operations are regulated extensively by numerous government agencies.
Regulation of Products
The lengthy process of laboratory and clinical testing, data analysis, manufacturing development, and regulatory review necessary for governmental approvals of our products is extremely costly and can significantly delay product introductions and revenue generation. In addition, our operations are subject to complex federal, state, local, and foreign laws and regulations concerning relationships with healthcare providers and suppliers, pricing and reimbursement for our products, the environment, occupational health and safety, data privacy and security, and other matters. Evolving regulatory priorities have intensified governmental scrutiny of our operations and those of other healthcare intermediaries, including with respect to current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), quality assurance, and similar regulations. Regulatory oversight of the pharmaceutical industry entails judgment and interpretation, which can result in inconsistent administration of laws and regulations by health authorities. Compliance with the laws and regulations affecting the manufacture and sale of current products and the discovery, development, and introduction of new products and uses has and will continue to require substantial effort, expense, and capital investment.
Of particular importance to our business is regulation by the FDA in the U.S. Pursuant to laws and regulations that include the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), the FDA has jurisdiction over all of our products and devices in the U.S. and administers requirements covering the testing, safety, effectiveness, manufacturing, quality control, distribution, labeling, marketing, promotion, advertising, dissemination of information, and post-marketing surveillance of those products and devices. The FDA holds broad discretion under the FDCA and other statutes to interpret the conditions and evidence necessary for timely approval of our drugs and devices.
Following approval, our products remain subject to regulation by various government and regulatory agencies in connection with labeling, import, export, sale, storage, recordkeeping, advertising, promotion, and safety reporting. We conduct extensive post-marketing surveillance of the safety of the products we sell and comply with notification requirements related to safety and efficacy, product supply, and other aspects of our products and operations. The FDA may withdraw approval of a product if compliance with regulatory requirements and standards is not maintained or if problems occur after a product reaches the market, including as may be identified through market surveillance or third-party studies involving our products. The FDA may also mandate labeling changes to products at any point in a product's life cycle based on new safety information or as part of a labeling change to a particular class of products. In addition, the FDA strictly regulates marketing, labeling, advertising, and promotion of products to prescribers and patients. Pharmaceutical products may be promoted only for approved indications and in accordance with the provisions of the approved label. The FDA and other agencies actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses.
Outside the U.S., our products and operations are subject to similar regulatory requirements, notably by the EMA in Europe, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan, and the National Medical Products Administration in China. Specific regulatory requirements vary from country to country. Regulatory and compliance requirements, as well as approval processes outside the U.S., may differ from those in the U.S. and may involve additional costs, uncertainties, and risks.
The FDA and other regulatory agencies outside the U.S. extensively regulate all aspects of manufacturing quality for pharmaceuticals under their cGMP regulations. Regulators assess compliance with these regulations by inspecting the equipment, facilities, laboratories, and processes used in the manufacturing and testing of our products prior to marketing approval with periodic reinspection thereafter; this may include inspection of our third-party business partners. We make substantial investments of capital and operating expenses to implement comprehensive, company-wide quality systems and controls in our manufacturing, product development, and process development operations in an effort to maintain sustained compliance with cGMP and other regulations. Nonetheless, manufacturing quality and other aspects of pharmaceutical regulatory compliance is heavily scrutinized and results in government investigations, regulatory and legal actions, product recalls and seizures, fines and penalties, interruption of production leading to product shortages, import bans or denials of import certifications, delays or denials in new product approvals or line extensions or supplemental approvals of current products pending resolution of any issues, any of which have and could adversely affect our business and reputation. Certain of our products, devices and components are manufactured by third parties, and their failure to comply with these regulations has and could in the future adversely affect us, including through failure to supply product to us or delays in approvals of new products or indications. For example, in 2023 we received complete response letters based on FDA observations made during inspections of manufacturing facilities rather than any issues related to efficacy or safety. These resulted in certain delays in the approval of new products.
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Any determination by the FDA or other regulatory authorities of manufacturing or other deficiencies could adversely affect our business and reputation. For more information on product regulation challenges, see Item 1A, "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Operations—Reliance on third-party relationships and outsourcing arrangements could adversely affect our business."
Emergency Use Authorizations
The Secretary of Health and Human Services may issue an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to authorize unapproved medical products, or unapproved uses of approved medical products, to be manufactured, marketed, and sold in the context of an actual or potential emergency that has been designated by the government. For example, certain of our products were previously made available for the treatment of COVID-19 under respective EUAs. An EUA terminates when the emergency determination underlying the EUA terminates, and EUAs can be revoked under other circumstances, the timing of which may occur unexpectedly or be difficult to predict.
Outside the U.S., the emergency use of medical products is subject to regulatory processes and requirements that vary and differ from those in the U.S.
Other Laws and Regulations
The marketing, promotional, and pricing practices of pharmaceutical manufacturers, as well as the manner in which manufacturers interact with purchasers, prescribers, and patients, are subject to various other U.S. federal and state laws, as well as analogous foreign laws and regulations, including the federal anti-kickback statute, the False Claims Act, antitrust laws, and state laws governing kickbacks, false claims, unfair trade practices, and consumer protection. These laws are administered by, among others, the Department of Justice, the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Federal Trade Commission, the Office of Personnel Management, and state attorneys general. State, federal, and foreign governments, agencies, and other regulatory bodies are active in their oversight, enforcement activities, and coordination with respect to pharmaceutical companies, which has resulted in intensified scrutiny, litigation costs, corporate criminal sanctions, and substantial civil settlements in the pharmaceutical industry.
The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA) prohibits certain individuals and entities, including U.S. publicly traded companies, from promising, offering, or giving anything of value to foreign officials with the corrupt intent of influencing the foreign official for the purpose of helping the company obtain or retain business or gain any improper advantage. The FCPA also imposes specific recordkeeping and internal controls requirements on U.S. publicly traded companies. As noted above, our business is heavily regulated and therefore involves significant interaction with officials outside the U.S. Additionally, in many countries outside the U.S., healthcare providers who prescribe pharmaceuticals are employed by the government and purchasers of pharmaceuticals are government entities; therefore, our interactions with these prescribers and purchasers are subject to regulation under the FCPA.
In addition to the U.S. application and enforcement of the FCPA, the various jurisdictions in which we operate and supply our products have laws and regulations aimed at preventing and penalizing corrupt and anticompetitive behavior. In recent years, several jurisdictions have enhanced their laws and regulations in this area, increased their enforcement activities, and/or increased the level of cross-border coordination and information sharing.
We are, and could in the future become, subject to administrative and legal proceedings and actions, which could include claims for civil penalties (including treble damages), criminal sanctions, and administrative remedies, including exclusion from U.S. federal and other healthcare programs. It is possible that an adverse outcome in future actions could have a material adverse impact on our consolidated results of operations, liquidity, and financial position in any given period.
We are also subject to a variety of federal, state, local, and foreign environmental, health and safety, and other laws and regulations that may affect our research, development, or production efforts.
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Regulations and Private Payer Actions Affecting Pharmaceutical Pricing, Reimbursement, and Access
U.S.
There continues to be considerable public and government scrutiny of pharmaceutical pricing. In addition, U.S. government actions to reduce federal spending on entitlement programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, may affect payment for our products or services associated with the provision of our products.
In August 2022, the U.S. government enacted the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). Among other measures, the IRA requires HHS to effectively set prices for certain single-source drugs and biologics reimbursed under Medicare Part B and Part D. Generally, these government prices apply nine years (for medicines approved under an NDA) or thirteen years (for medicines approved under a Biologics License Application (BLA)) following initial FDA approval and will be set at a price that is likely to represent a significant discount from existing average prices to wholesalers and direct purchasers. While the law specifies a ceiling price, it does not set a minimum or floor price. In August 2023, HHS selected Jardiance, which is part of our collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim, as one of the first ten medicines subject to government-set prices effective in 2026. Given our product portfolio, we expect additional significant products will be selected in future years, which would have the effect of accelerating revenue erosion prior to expiry of exclusivities. The effect of reducing prices and reimbursement for certain of our products would significantly impact our business and consolidated results of operations.
Other IRA provisions require drug manufacturers to provide rebates for Medicare Part B and Part D medicines under certain circumstances. Also, the Part D benefit redesign will replace the Part D Coverage Gap Discount Program (CGDP) with a new manufacturer discount program. Beginning in January 2025, the 70 percent CGDP discount will be replaced by a 10 percent manufacturer discount for all Medicare Part D beneficiaries that have met their deductible and incurred out of pocket drug costs below a $2,000 threshold and a 20 percent discount for beneficiaries that have incurred out of pocket drug costs above the $2,000 threshold under the Part D benefit redesign. Manufacturers that fail to comply with the IRA may be subject to various penalties, including civil monetary penalties, which could be significant.
The IRA has and will meaningfully influence our business strategies and those of our competitors. In particular, the nine-year timeline to set prices for medicines approved under an NDA reduces the attractiveness of investment in small molecule innovation. The IRA can cause changes to development approach, and timing and investments at-risk. The full impact of the IRA on our business and the pharmaceutical industry, including the implications to us of a competitor's product being selected for price setting, remains uncertain.
Heightened governmental scrutiny over the manner in which drug manufacturers price their marketed products and the practices of pharmacy benefit managers and other supply chain entities has also resulted in several U.S. Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to product pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, require advance notice of list price increases, establish upper payment limits or other restrictions by drug affordability review boards, allow the importation of drugs from other countries, address pharmacy benefit manager practices, and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for drug products. Restrictive or unfavorable pricing, coverage, or reimbursement determinations for our medicines or product candidates by governments, regulatory agencies, courts, or private payers could also adversely impact our business and financial results. Additional policies, regulations, legislation, or enforcement, including those proposed or pursued by the U.S. Congress, the U.S. executive branch and regulatory authorities worldwide, could intensify these efforts and adversely impact our business and consolidated results of operations.
In the U.S., we are required to provide rebates to the federal government and state governments on their purchases of our pharmaceuticals under various federal and state healthcare programs, including state Medicaid and Medicaid Managed Care programs (a minimum of 23.1 percent plus adjustments for price increases above the consumer price index over time) and discounts to private entities who treat patients in certain types of healthcare facilities intended to serve low-income and uninsured patients (known as 340B covered entities). Additionally, an annual fee is imposed on pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers that sell branded prescription drugs to specified government programs.
Changes to the 340B program or the Medicaid programs could have a material adverse impact on our business. For example, continued expansion of the 340B program and growth of entities claiming entitlement to 340B pricing, including in ways that may be inconsistent with the statutory scheme, impacts our revenue on an increasing percentage of sales. Changes to the calculation of rebates under the Medicaid program could also increase our Medicaid rebate obligations and decrease the prices charged to 340B covered entities.
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We have implemented a Contract Pharmacy Limited Distribution System applicable to sales through the 340B program, which generally limits distribution of 340B-priced product to: (i) covered entities and their child sites; (ii) contract pharmacies wholly owned by the covered entity; or (iii) if a covered entity lacks an in-house outpatient pharmacy, a single contract pharmacy designated by a covered entity to establish a 340B bill to/ship to arrangement. Our Contract Pharmacy Limited Distribution System contains certain exceptions that permit broader contract pharmacy usage, including for "penny priced" insulin products, provided that the covered entity passes through all discounts to eligible patients at the point of sale and meets other conditions. We believe our Contract Pharmacy Limited Distribution System complies with the 340B statute, but it remains subject to ongoing inquiries and litigation that could have a material impact on our business, as discussed in Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Note 16: Contingencies." Other aspects of the 340B program, including the proper definitions of "patient" and "child site" under the 340B statute, are also subject to ongoing litigation by other parties, the resolution of which could impact the growth and scope of the 340B program.
Rebates are also negotiated in the private sector. We pay rebates to private payers that provide prescription drug benefits to seniors covered by Medicare and to private payers that provide prescription drug benefits to their customers. These rebates are affected by the introduction of competitive products and generics in the same class. Our approach to the rebates we offer to private payers that provide prescription drug benefits to seniors covered by Medicare may be impacted by the 2020 regulatory amendments to the anti-kickback statute's discount safe harbor, which have been stayed until at least January 1, 2032.
For a discussion of risks related to how we price our products, see Item 1A, "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—We face litigation and investigations related to our products, how we price or commercialize our products, and other aspects of our business, which could adversely affect our business, and we are self-insured for such matters."
Outside the U.S.
Globally, public and private payers are increasingly restricting access to pharmaceuticals based on assessments of comparative effectiveness and value, including through the establishment of formal health technology assessment processes. In addition, third-party organizations, including professional associations, academic institutions, and non-profit entities associated with payers, conduct and publish comparative effectiveness and cost/benefit analyses on medicines, the impact of which can influence pharmaceutical access and pricing.
In most international markets, we operate in an environment of government-mandated cost-containment programs, which may include price controls, international reference pricing (to other countries' prices), discounts and rebates, therapeutic reference pricing (to other, often generic, pharmaceutical choices), regulatory hurdles, restrictions on physician prescription levels, and mandatory generic substitution. In these markets, healthcare services and the determination of pricing and reimbursement for pharmaceutical products are impacted by government control at the point of care or as the primary payer.
The European Commission published its draft General Pharmaceutical Legislation in April 2023. While certain elements in the European Commission draft could expedite regulatory timelines, we anticipate that the overall market and patient impact would be negative if the legislation is approved as drafted. Implementation timing is unknown at this time. Health care cost containment remains a focus in the EU, among other jurisdictions. Most countries in the EU attempt to contain drug costs by engaging in some form of reference pricing in which authorities examine pre-determined internal or external markets for published prices of a product or national class of drugs. Member states also have the power to restrict the range of pharmaceutical products for which their national health insurance systems provide reimbursement and may condition access on agreement of a reimbursement price or completion of cost-effectiveness or other gating studies.
In Japan, our products generally are subject to government-mandated annual price reductions. The government may also order re-pricings for specific products or classes of products if certain criteria are met, including exceeding product use thresholds.
China has introduced and implemented reforms to accelerate access to innovative products and reduce costs. To drive patient access, we seek inclusion of many of our branded products on China's National Reimbursement Drug List, a list of drugs fully or partially reimbursed by China’s national basic health insurance. In exchange for broad access, these products are generally subject to negotiation of significant price concessions. China also utilizes a value-based procurement program process for products that have generic substitutes. Products that we choose to tender through this process are similarly subject to price reductions. Our performance in China may be significantly impacted by the country's evolving pharmaceutical regulatory environment, including access, intellectual property protection, regulatory enforcement and compliance, and trade policies.
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Governments in many emerging markets are also focused on limiting health care costs and have enacted price controls and measures impacting intellectual property. Reforms in our product markets, including those that may stem from periods of uneven economic growth or downturns or uncertainty, or as a result of high inflation, emergence, or escalation of, and responses to, international tension and conflicts, or government budgeting priorities, may continue to result in added pressure on pricing and reimbursement for our products.
We cannot predict the extent to which our business may be affected by current or potential future legislative, regulatory, or payer developments. However, in general we expect to see continued focus on regulating pricing, resulting in additional state, federal, and international legislative and regulatory developments that could have further negative effects on pricing and reimbursement for our products as well as overall operations.
See Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis—Executive Overview—Other Matters—Trends Affecting Pharmaceutical Pricing, Reimbursement, and Access" for additional information regarding recent legislative, administrative, and other pricing initiatives and their impact on our results.
Research and Development
Our commitment to research and development dates back more than 140 years. We invest heavily in research and development because we believe it is critical to our long-term competitiveness. At the end of 2023, we employed approximately 10,000 people in pharmaceutical research and development activities, including a substantial number of physicians, scientists holding graduate or postgraduate degrees, and highly skilled technical personnel.
Our internal pharmaceutical research focuses primarily on the areas of metabolism (including diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular), immunology, neuroscience, and oncology. In addition to discovering and developing new medicines, we seek to expand the value of existing products through new uses, formulations, and therapeutic approaches, including complementary delivery devices or diagnostic tools, that can provide additional value to patients.
To supplement our internal efforts, we collaborate with others, including academic institutions and research-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. We use the services of physicians, hospitals, medical schools, and other research organizations worldwide to conduct clinical trials to establish the safety and effectiveness of our medicines. We also invest in external research and technologies that we believe complement and strengthen our own efforts. These investments can take many forms, including, among others, licensing arrangements, co-development agreements, co-promotion arrangements, joint ventures, acquisitions, and equity investments.
Pharmaceutical development is time-consuming, expensive, and risky. Very few of the candidates discovered by researchers ultimately become approved medicines. The process from discovery to regulatory approval can take over a decade. Candidates can fail at any stage of the process, and even late-stage candidates sometimes fail to receive regulatory approval or achieve commercial success. In addition, novel modalities can present more challenging or lengthy development timelines. The following describes in more detail the research and development process for pharmaceutical products:
Phases of New Drug Development
• Discovery Phase
In the discovery phase, scientists identify, design, and synthesize promising candidates by analyzing their effect on biological targets thought to play a role in disease. Targets are often unproven and only candidates that have the desired effect on the target and meet other design criteria move to the next phase of development, which includes the initiation of studies in animals to support regulatory and safety requirements for clinical research in humans. The discovery phase can take years and the probability of any one candidate becoming a medicine is extremely low.
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• Early Development Phase
Early development includes initial testing for safety and efficacy and early analyses of manufacturing requirements. Safety testing is initially performed in laboratory tests and animals, as necessary. In general, the first human tests (often referred to as Phase I) are conducted in small groups of subjects to assess safety and evaluate the potential dosing range. Subsequently, larger populations of patients are studied (Phase II) to identify signs of efficacy while continuing to assess safety. In parallel, scientists work to identify safe, effective, and economical manufacturing processes. Long-term animal studies continue to test for potential safety issues. Of the candidates that enter the early development phase, approximately 10 percent move to the late development phase. The early development phase varies but can take several years to complete.
• Late Development Phase
Late phase development projects (typically Phase III) have met initial safety requirements and shown initial evidence of efficacy in earlier studies. As a result, these candidates generally have a higher likelihood of success and trials include larger patient populations to demonstrate safety and efficacy in the disease. These studies are designed to demonstrate the benefit and risk of the potential new medicine and may be compared to competitive therapies, placebo, or both. Phase III studies are generally conducted globally, are costly, and are designed to support regulatory filings for marketing approval. The duration of Phase III testing varies by disease and may take years.
• Submission Phase
Once a potential new medicine is submitted to regulatory agencies, the time to final marketing approval can vary from several months to several years, depending on the disease state, the strength and complexity of available data, the degree of unmet need, and the time required for the regulatory agency(ies) to evaluate the submission, which can depend on prioritization by regulators and other factors. There is no guarantee that a potential medicine will receive marketing approval, or that decisions on marketing approvals or indications will be consistent across geographic areas.
See Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis—Executive Overview—Late-Stage Pipeline," for more information on our late-stage product candidates.
Raw Materials and Product Supply
Most of the principal materials we use in our manufacturing operations are available from more than one source. However, certain raw or intermediate materials are procured from a single source. We seek to maintain sufficient inventory to provide reliability of production and manage unforeseen supply variability. However, various developments have led, and may in the future lead, to interruption or shortages in supply until we establish new sources, implement alternative processes, bring new manufacturing facilities online, or pause or discontinue product sales in one or more markets.
The majority of our revenue comes from products produced predominantly in our own facilities. Our principal active ingredient manufacturing occurs at sites we own in the U.S., including Puerto Rico, and Ireland. Finishing operations, including formulation, filling, assembling, delivery device manufacturing, and packaging, take place at a number of sites throughout the world. To support anticipated demand for our current and prospective products, we have undertaken significant manufacturing expansion initiatives. During 2023, commercial production commenced at our Research Triangle Park manufacturing site in Durham, North Carolina. Further investments to increase our manufacturing capacity include planned sites in Concord, North Carolina, Limerick, Ireland, Alzey, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and two in Lebanon, Indiana. We also utilize and are expanding arrangements with third parties for certain active ingredient manufacturing, filling, finishing operations, and for device or component production and assembly.
We manage our supply chain (including our own facilities, contracted arrangements, and inventory) in a way that is intended to allow us to meet product demand while maintaining flexibility to reallocate manufacturing capacity to improve efficiency and respond to changes in supply and demand. To maintain supply of our products, we use a variety of techniques, including comprehensive quality systems, inventory management, and back-up sites.
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However, pharmaceutical production processes are complex, highly regulated, and vary widely from product to product. Shifting or adding manufacturing capacity is a very lengthy process requiring significant capital expenditures, process modifications, and regulatory approvals. Accordingly, developments such as unanticipated demand, unplanned plant shutdowns, manufacturing or quality assurance difficulties at one of our facilities or contracted facilities, failure or refusal of a supplier or contract manufacturer to supply contracted quantities, increases in demand on a supplier, or difficulties in predicting or variability in demand for our products and those of our competitors have led, and may in the future lead, to interruption or higher costs in the supply of certain products, product shortages, or pauses or discontinuations of product sales in one or more markets. For example, we have experienced challenges in meeting strong demand for our incretin products in recent periods, partially due to the limited availability of competitor therapies, and expect tight supply to persist while additional manufacturing capacity is operationalized. Further, cost and wage inflation, availability of adequate capacity in global transportation, supply chain complexities, including consolidation therein, labor market issues, international tension and conflicts, uneven economic growth or downturns, an increase in overall demand in our industry for certain products and materials, and public health outbreaks, epidemics, or pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have caused, and in the future may cause, delays or disruptions in and/or increased costs related to distribution of our medicines, the construction or acquisition of manufacturing capacity, procurement activity, and supplier or contract manufacturer arrangements, as well as other general business impacts. For more information on the additional risks we face in connection with any difficulties, disruptions, and shortages in the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of our products, see Item 1A, "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—Manufacturing, quality, or supply chain difficulties, disruptions, or shortages could lead to product supply problems."
Quality Assurance
Our success depends in great measure on customer confidence in the quality of our products and in the integrity of the data that support their safety and effectiveness. Product quality requires a total commitment to quality in all parts of our operations, including research and development, purchasing, facilities planning, manufacturing, distribution, and dissemination of information about our medicines.
Quality of production processes involves strict control of ingredients, equipment, facilities, manufacturing methods, packaging materials, and labeling. We perform tests at various stages of production processes and on the final product in an effort to ensure that the product meets all applicable regulatory requirements and our internal standards. These tests may involve chemical and physical chemical analyses, microbiological testing, testing in animals, or a combination thereof. Additional assurance of quality is provided by quality assurance groups that audit and monitor all aspects of quality related to pharmaceutical manufacturing procedures and systems in company operations and at third-party suppliers.
Executive Officers of the Company
The following table sets forth certain information regarding our current executive officers.
The term of office for each executive officer expires on the date of the annual meeting of the board of directors, to be held on May 6, 2024 in connection with the company's annual meeting of shareholders, or on the date his or her successor is chosen and qualified. No director or executive officer has a "family relationship" with any other director or executive officer of the company, as that term is defined for purposes of this disclosure requirement. There is no understanding between any executive officer or director and any other person pursuant to which the executive officer was selected.
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Name Age Titles and Business Experience
David Ricks 56 Chair, President, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) (since 2017). Previously, Mr. Ricks held various leadership roles with Lilly, including senior vice president and president, Lilly Bio-Medicines. Mr. Ricks has 27 years of service with Lilly.
Anat Ashkenazi 51 Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (since 2021). Previously, Ms. Ashkenazi held various leadership roles with Lilly, including senior vice president, controller and chief financial officer, Lilly Research Laboratories, and vice president, finance and chief financial officer, Lilly Diabetes and Lilly global manufacturing and quality. Ms. Ashkenazi has 22 years of service with Lilly.
Eric Dozier 57 Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Diversity (since 2022). Previously, Mr. Dozier held various leadership roles with Lilly, including senior vice president, chief commercial officer for Loxo@Lilly, and vice president, global ethics and compliance officer. Mr. Dozier has 26 years of service with Lilly.
Anat Hakim 54 Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary (since 2020). Prior to joining Lilly, Ms. Hakim was senior vice president, general counsel and secretary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (WellCare) from 2016 to 2018, and executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of WellCare from 2018 to 2020. Prior to joining WellCare, she served as divisional vice president and associate general counsel of intellectual property litigation at Abbott Laboratories from 2010 to 2013 and divisional vice president and associate general counsel of litigation from 2013 to 2016. Ms. Hakim has four years of service with Lilly.
Edgardo Hernandez 49 Executive Vice President and President, Manufacturing Operations (since 2021). Previously, Mr. Hernandez held various leadership roles with Lilly, including senior vice president, global parenteral drug product, delivery devices and regional manufacturing, and vice president, Fegersheim operations. Mr. Hernandez has 19 years of service with Lilly.
Patrik Jonsson 57 Executive Vice President and President, Lilly Diabetes and Obesity and President, Lilly USA (since 2024). Mr. Jonsson has held various leadership roles with Lilly, including, most recently, as Executive Vice President and President, Lilly Immunology and Lilly USA, and Chief Customer Officer. Previously, he served as senior vice president and president, Lilly Bio-Medicines and president and general manager, Lilly Japan. Mr. Jonsson has 33 years of service with Lilly.
Johna Norton 57 Executive Vice President, Global Quality (since 2017). Previously, Ms. Norton held various leadership roles with Lilly, including vice president, global quality assurance API manufacturing and product research and development. Ms. Norton has 33 years of service with Lilly.
Diogo Rau 49 Executive Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer (since 2021). Prior to joining Lilly, Mr. Rau was senior director of information systems and technology for retail and online stores of Apple Inc. from 2011 to 2021. Prior to his tenure at Apple, he served as a partner at McKinsey & Company. Mr. Rau has three years of service with Lilly.
Daniel Skovronsky, M.D., Ph.D. 50 Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer and President, Lilly Research Laboratories and Lilly Immunology (since 2024). Prior to assuming his current role, Dr. Skovronsky served as Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, and President, Lilly Research Laboratories since 2018. Dr. Skovronsky has held other leadership roles with Lilly, including as senior vice president, clinical and product development and vice president, diabetes research. Dr. Skovronsky has 13 years of service with Lilly.
Jacob Van Naarden 39 Executive Vice President and President, Loxo@Lilly (since 2021). Previously, Mr. Van Naarden served as chief executive officer-Loxo Oncology at Lilly, and chief operating officer-Loxo Oncology at Lilly. Mr. Van Naarden joined Lilly in 2019 when the company acquired Loxo Oncology, Inc., where he was the chief operating officer. In previous roles, Mr. Van Naarden worked in various biotechnology investing, operating, and advisory capacities, including positions with HealthCor Management, Aisling Capital, and Goldman Sachs. Mr. Van Naarden has five years of service with Lilly.
Alonzo Weems 53 Executive Vice President, Enterprise Risk Management, and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer (since 2021). Previously, Mr. Weems held various leadership roles with Lilly, including vice president and deputy general counsel for corporate legal functions, general counsel for Lilly USA, and general counsel for biomedicines and diabetes. Mr. Weems has 26 years of service with Lilly.
Anne White 55 Executive Vice President and President, Lilly Neuroscience (since 2021). Previously, Ms. White held various leadership roles with Lilly, including senior vice president and president, Lilly Oncology, vice president of Portfolio Management, Chorus, and Next Generation Research and Development. Ms. White has 28 years of service with Lilly.
Ilya Yuffa 49 Executive Vice President and President, Lilly International (since 2021). Previously, Mr. Yuffa held various leadership roles with Lilly, including senior vice president and president, Lilly Bio-Medicines, vice president of U.S. Diabetes, general manager of Italy Hub, and vice president, global ethics and compliance officer since 2014. Mr. Yuffa has 27 years of service with Lilly.
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Human Capital Management
Our core values—integrity, excellence, and respect for people—shape our approach to attracting, retaining, engaging, and developing a diverse and highly skilled and ethical workforce, which is critical to executing our strategy. We believe the strength of our workforce significantly contributes to our financial performance and enables us to make life better for people around the world. For instance, most of the products we sell today were discovered or developed by our own scientists, and our long-term success depends on our ability to continually discover or acquire, develop, and commercialize innovative medicines. We believe that fostering a positive culture that values the contributions of our talented colleagues helps drive our success.
We are committed to creating a safe, supportive, ethical, and rewarding work environment through strategic focus on our human capital management process, fairness and nondiscrimination in our employment practices, robust training and development opportunities, and competitive pay and benefits. We believe our dedication to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within our company reflects our values and is a key driver of business success and growth.
We regularly conduct confidential employee surveys to seek feedback from our workforce on a variety of topics. These results are reviewed and analyzed by our leaders to identify opportunities to adjust our policies and benefits to improve our employees' experience. As a result of our efforts, we believe that we have a highly performing, cohesive workforce and that our employee relations are good.
At the end of 2023, we employed approximately 43,000 people, including approximately 23,000 employees outside the U.S. Our employees include approximately 10,000 people engaged in research and development activities.
Strategy and Oversight
We are committed to fairness and nondiscrimination in our employment practices, and we deeply value diverse backgrounds, skills, and global perspectives. Because dedication to human capital management is also a core component of our corporate governance, our board of directors regularly engages with management and facilitates a system of reporting designed to monitor human capital management initiatives and progress as part of the overarching framework that guides how we attract, retain, engage, and develop a workforce that aligns with our values and mission.
Across all levels of our workforce, from the end of 2019 through the end of 2023, we have seen positive changes in representation for minority group members (MGM) in the United States and women globally. In addition, 4 of 13 current members (approximately 31 percent) of our executive committee (which includes our CEO) are women and 3 are MGMs. In addition, as of the filing of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the company's 12-member board of directors includes five women and five members who are MGMs.
Our recruitment strategy focuses on opportunities to expand our pool of candidates to reach more candidates across a variety of dimensions, including but not limited to race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status, education, and experience. We also strive to provide a diverse panel of interviewers for open positions. We believe that recruiting in this way helps ensure that everyone will have an equal opportunity to advance their careers.
We offer training to enable our employees to perform their duties in our highly regulated industry. We also strive to cultivate a culture that promotes ongoing learning by encouraging employees to seek further education and growth experiences, helping them build rewarding careers. We have implemented development tools and resources for all employees, improved our talent programs and processes to provide broader access to information, and increased transparency regarding career development and advancement at Lilly.
Employee Health and Safety
We strive to foster a healthy, vibrant work environment, which includes keeping our employees safe. We seek to create a companywide culture where best-in-class safety practices are consistently followed. To do this, we assess and continuously attempt to improve our companywide safety performance to promote the well-being of employees and to help safeguard communities where we operate. We believe a holistic approach and dedication to safety helps us be our best as we deliver on our company purpose to improve lives around the world.
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Information Available on Our Website
Our company website is www.lilly.com . None of the information accessible on or through our website is incorporated into this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We make available through the website, free of charge, our company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file them with, or furnish them to, the SEC. These include our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements, registration statements, and any amendments to those documents. The link to our SEC filings is investor.lilly.com/financial-information/sec-filings .
Paper copies of the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q that are filed with the SEC are available without charge upon written request to:
ELI LILLY AND COMPANY
c/o General Counsel and Secretary
Lilly Corporate Center
Indianapolis, Indiana 46285
In addition, the "Governance" section of our website includes our corporate governance guidelines, board of directors and committee information (including committee charters), and our articles of incorporation and bylaws. The link to our corporate governance information is lilly.com/leadership/governance .
We routinely post important information for investors in the “Investors” section of our website, www.lilly.com . We may use our website as a means of disclosing material, non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should monitor the “Investors” section of our website, in addition to following our press releases, filings with the SEC, public conference calls, presentations, and webcasts. We may also use social media channels to communicate with investors and the public about our business, products and other matters, and those communications could be deemed to be material information. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, our website or social media channels, is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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