Mounjaro and Zepbound contributed more than $10 billion to the $11.98 billion in sales Lilly recorded for key products in the third quarter, despite price decreases for the GLP-1 medicines.
There seems to be no limit to the profit that Eli Lilly can capture with its mega-blockbuster GLP-1 portfolio, as the tirzepatide franchise overtakes Merck’s Keytruda for the first time. Lilly’s third quarter revenue grew by 54% over Q3 2024 to $17.6 billion—even with a slight hit from lower prices of Zepbound and Mounjaro.
The company brought in $11.4 billion in the same period last year. Unsurprisingly, the steep rise in revenue was driven by the two GLP-1 brands, which experienced 62% volume growth, Lilly said in a third-quarter earnings report on Thursday morning. The revenue hike would have been even greater, the company said, if not for a decline in prices for the medicines.
Together, Mounjaro and Zepbound, which feature the active ingredient tirzepatide, brought in $10.1 billion in the third quarter. For the first time, the tirzepatide franchise has beaten the reigning sales champion Keytruda, Merck’s immuno-oncology blockbuster. Merck also reported earnings on Thursday, with Keytruda contributing $8.1 billion of $17.3 billion in total revenue.
Lilly’s key products—Ebglyss, Jaypirca, Kisunla, Mounjaro, Omvoh, Verzenio and Zepbound—brought in $11.98 billion total.
Lilly has been bolstering its direct-to-consumer offerings for Zepbound amid increasing pressure on the pharma industry to lower drug prices from President Donald Trump. Through its DTC platform LillyDirect, insured patients can access a pre-filled single dose vial of the weight loss medication for $25 with a savings card. A single-dose vial is available for $349 for uninsured patients. GoodRx lists an average retail price for a monthly supply at $1,272.
Lilly’s revenue has been climbing expeditiously quarter-over-quarter. Revenue increased to $15.6 billion in the second quarter of this year—a 38% jump over Q2 2024—after climbing to $12.73 billion in the first quarter.
The company will host an earnings call at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday.
