Zyprexa

"Given our products, pipeline and the fact that we expect no major patent expirations for the rest of this decade, Lilly is positioned to deliver sustained earnings growth," said Sidney Taurel, chairman and chief executive officer for Lilly.

Despite an overall flat US antidepressant market in 2005, Cymbalta has led all branded and promoted products in share-of-market growth during this period.

Overseas, Cymbalta performed well at its German launch.

Lilly outlined its early-to-mid-stage pipeline developments, which by the end of 2006, should have at least five anti-obesity compounds in clinical development, including a molecule with a novel mechanism of action in Phase 2.

In the field of Oncology, Lilly expected to start five Phase 1 studies of oncology agents in 2006 and five more in 2007, including beginning clinical work on the first of two agents that inhibit TGF-beta signalling.

In addition, with Lilly's newest subsidiary, Applied Molecular Evolution, the company will initiate clinical trials soon with AME133, an antibody to CD20, for non- Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Lilly and its partner, Isis Pharmaceuticals, anticipate Phase 2 trials to begin in late 2006 for the surviving antisense oligonucleotide.

In addition, Lilly is focusing on developing medicines that are aimed at blocking or slowing the progression of diabetes at all points of the continuum of the disease.

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