Lilly discusses R&D pipeline with investors

NEW YORK — Innovation took center stage Thursday as Eli Lilly laid out its future growth strategies at a meeting with investors.

At its “Bridging to the Future” meeting, Lilly said it had 70 drugs in its research and development pipeline, including 33 in phases 2 and 3. The company said it expects at least 10 new drugs to enter phase 3 this year, including drugs in such areas as cancer, diabetes and neuroscience, as well as new therapeutic areas, such as autoimmune disorders.

“At Lilly, our future relies upon our ability to successfully discover and develop innovative medicines that address unmet patient needs,” Lilly president, chairman and CEO John Lechleiter said. “We’re pursuing an R&D-based strategy in full knowledge that the bar for innovative medicines has never been higher and that our industry faces many challenges.”