Eli Lilly Makes History in Weight-Loss Drug Boom, Market Value Hits $1 Trillion

Staff Report | PNN

Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has reached a market value of $1 trillion, becoming the first drugmaker to enter this exclusive club traditionally dominated by tech giants. The company’s rise is primarily due to its success in the weight-loss drug market.

In 2025, Eli Lilly shares rose nearly 35%, helping the company enter the $1 trillion club on Friday.

Once considered a stagnant field, obesity and weight-loss drugs are now among the most profitable sectors in healthcare, with demand continuing to grow.

Novo Nordisk initially led the market, but Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound quickly gained popularity and overtook competitors. The company’s stock reached a record high of $1,057.70.

Eli Lilly now enjoys one of the highest valuations among major pharmaceutical companies, approximately 50 times its projected earnings for the next 12 months, indicating investor confidence in sustained demand for obesity drugs.

In the latest quarterly report, Eli Lilly’s obesity and diabetes drug portfolio generated over $10.09 billion in revenue—more than half of the company’s total $17.6 billion income.

The weight-loss drug market is expected to exceed $150 billion by 2030, dominated by Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. Investors are now focusing on Eli Lilly’s upcoming oral obesity drug Orforglipron, scheduled for approval next year.

City analysts note that this new generation of GLP-1 drugs has already become “a sales phenomenon,” and Orforglipron is expected to benefit from the success of previous injection-based versions.

Eli Lilly’s recent deal with the White House, which reduces drug prices and invests in increased production, is expected to enhance growth prospects. Analysts are monitoring whether Eli Lilly can maintain its current growth, especially amid price pressures on Mounjaro and Zepbound, and whether its new products, pipeline diversification, and contractual initiatives can offset margin pressures.