Changes in Eli Lilly’s Drug Research Model

The thought of a drug company proposing “the right dose of the right drug to the right patient at the right time” isn’t what one is used to hearing in this age of blockbuster drugs, but in a speech to shareholders in April that’s what Eli Lilly’s Sidney Taurel proposed as the company’s new “model.” Lilly, which created one of the biggest blockbuster drugs of all time — Prozac, sees research and drug development taking a new direction.

A New York Times article Blockbuster Drugs Are So Last Century quotes Eli Lilly executive director of corporate strategy as saying that “[a]dvances in understanding the ways that cells and genes work will soon lead to important new drugs.” According to information in the same article, Lilly spends nearly 20 percent of its sales on research, compared with about 16 percent for the average drug company.

Whether that change in company philosophy will actually benefit those who suffer from orphan illnesses — or those of us with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS, CFIDS, ME) or Fibromyalgia who feel orphaned by our disabling conditions — remains to be seen. The thought that the aforementioned “cells and genes work” may lead to finding and treating the causes of illness rather than masking the symptoms does offer some hope that help may be on the horizon.

Source:

Blockbuster Drugs Are So Last Century

Related posts:

1. Time Management for Those with Disabilities
2. Understanding Autoimmune Illness
3. Setting Goals While You Cope with a Chronic Illness
4. Do Your Allergies a Favor: Do NOT Make Your Bed
5. Garlic: One of 10 Natural Remedies That Can Save Your Life

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.