What’s better than one blockbuster drug? Two blockbuster drugs. That potential scenario has investors juiced up over Eli Lilly.

Yesterday, the pharma giant released strong final-stage trial results for its Alzheimer’s drug Donanemab.

Over 6M Americans are living with Alzheimer’s — expected to rise to 13M by 2050. It’s the most common cause of dementia, with one in three seniors dying with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Breakthrough in Alzheimer’s

Among 1,182 patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s, the experimental drug:

• Slowed the disease by 35% over a year and a half.
• Lowered the chance of moving to Alzheimer’s next stage by 39%.

The results are a major win for Eli Lilly — which has spent billions of dollars and decades researching the drug. Now they’ll look to get FDA approval to join Eisai and Biogen — whose similar Leqembi drug was approved in January.

Side effects: The drug can cause brain swelling and bleeding. Three patients died in the trial — two were related to the side effects.

Second blockbuster drug this year?

The other: Mounjaro — Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug, which has been approved to treat type 2 diabetes.

• But investors are more amped up over its potential to treat obesity and result in weight loss — a market that’s been ****on fire this year.
• The drug is expected to receive FDA approval to treat obesity late this year.

Even more impressive, both Eli Lilly’s Alzheimer’s and weight loss drugs have shown to be more effective in clinical trials than recently launched products.

Competitor Novo Nordisk’s (NYSE:NVO) weight loss drugs (first to market) saw a significant shortage last year after spreading through social media.

The next challenge: Convincing insurers to pony up for these drugs.

Learn more: The Two Companies Dominating the $54B Obesity Market

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