Eli Lilly Splits Off Neuroscience Unit, Focuses on Alzheimer’s

Eli Lilly’s biologics division, Lilly Bio-Medicines, is splitting into two distinct units, one of which will focus entirely on approved and phase 3 drugs for pain and neurodegeneration — including Alzheimer’s disease.

The move positions Lilly to concentrate on potential blockbuster donanemab, its candidate antiamyloid antibody, which recently won Breakthrough Therapy designation. The company announced in July that it intended to submit a biologics license application under the FDA’s controversial accelerated approval pathway later this year. Anne White, president of Lilly Oncology, will captain the new Lilly Neuroscience.

The second new unit, Lilly Immunology, allows Lilly to concentrate on two other antibodies with positive phase 3 data: mirikizumab for ulcerative colitis and lebrikizumab for atopic dermatitis.