On the evening of August 5, the American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly (LL Y.N) released its second quarter report for 2026. Driven by the sales growth of its GLP-1/GIP dual-target weight-loss and hypoglycemic drug Tilpotide, the company's second quarter revenue Reaching 22.974 billion U.S. dollars, a year-on-year increase of 48%; total revenue in the first half of the year was 42.773 billion U.S. dollars, a year-on-year increase of 49%. It is $10.2 billion more than Novo Nordisk's entire smaglutide series combined ($17.312 billion).
Among them, telpotide contributed about 65% of revenue, with total revenue of $27.693 billion in the first half of the year, up 88% year-on-year. Specifically, sales of the hypoglycemic version of Mounjaro in the second quarter were $9.943 billion, up 91 percent from a year earlier, and sales in the first half of the year were $18.605 billion, up 106 percent from a year earlier; sales of the weight-loss version of Zepbound in the second quarter were $4.928 billion, up 46 percent from a year earlier, and sales in the first half of the year reached $9.088 billion, up 60 percent from a year earlier.
From the perspective of regional distribution, in the first half of the year, the US market revenue was 26.532 billion US dollars, up 37% year-on-year; the European market revenue was 7.76 billion US dollars, up 46% year-on-year; and the Chinese market revenue was 1.635 billion US dollars, up 73% year-on-year.
In the first quarter, Lilly announced an increase in its full-year 2026 performance guidance, raising its full-year expected revenue by $2 billion to between $82 billion and $85 billion. Based on the strong performance in the second quarter, Lilly once again raised its full-year revenue forecast to $85 billion-$87 billion.
Tilpotide (Tirzepatide) is a dual agonist of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor and glucagon-like peptide -1 (GLP-1) receptor with CAS number 2023788-19-2. Tilpotide is a 39 amino acid modified peptide with a C20 fatty diacid moiety capable of binding albumin and extending half-life. The average weight loss was up to 26.6 percent. By activating the GLP-1 receptor, telpotide can reduce hunger, thereby reducing diet and calorie intake, while activating the GIP receptor can reduce diet and calorie intake and increase energy expenditure.
Patent Information
1. China Market (Lilly)
core compound (substance patent):2036-01-05
registration of application materials of the National Health Insurance Bureau: patents for active ingredient compounds and patents for medical use, expiration date January 2036.
Peripheral Patents (Domestic)
patents for formulation, drug delivery devices, and specific indications, partially extended to 2038-2041;
before the core compound patent expires, domestic enterprises cannot legally make simplified generic drug declaration. Only self-developed innovative and improved new drugs (505 b2/2.2), or launch patent invalidation challenges to strive for early imitation listing.
2. American market
core compound patent US9474780B2:2036-01-05
regulatory Data Exclusive Period (NME):2027 ‑ 05 ‑ 13 Expires
even if the ANDA technical review is completed, the FDA will not approve the listing of generic drugs until 2027-05-13, but pharmaceutical companies can submit ANDA-patent challenges (Paragraph IV) in advance.
Perimeter Patent Echelon Expiration
stable Formulation Patents: ~ 2038
type 2 Diabetes Patents: ~ 2039
patents for Obesity Therapeutic Uses: ~ 2041
injection pen device patent: part to 2040 after
the United States has PTA patent term adjustment space, individual patent protection period may be slightly longer.
3. the EU market
the core compound patent also expires in January 2036. SPC supplementary protection certificate can be applied for, and the actual exclusive period can be extended to nearly 2039.
4. key realistic points
patent Challenge Path: Generic Drug Companies Can Submit ANDA/Generic Drug Applications, Declaring Patent Invalidity or Non-Infringement; If the lawsuit is won, it may be listed in advance before 2036. However, if Lilly wins, it must wait until the patent expires before commercial sale.
Don't confuse: declare clinical ≠ can be marketed. Many domestic enterprises Tylpopeptide generics are doing clinical, only technical reserves.
The compound patent 2036 expires, but the patents for preparations and obesity indications are still under protection. Even if the compound expires in 2036, it will still be prohibited by peripheral patents, and the complete imitation will actually be lifted later.
Post time: 2026-08-07