Eli Lilly and Company is the pharmaceutical company famous for the diabetes drug Mounjaro that became one of the world’s highest-market-cap firms.
Colonel Eli Lilly founded the company in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1876. A pharmacist and former Union army officer, Lilly emphasized pharmaceutical quality and scientific research at a time when medicine manufacturing was often inconsistent.
Mounjaro is the brand name for tirzepatide, which the company developed for type 2 diabetes. Tirzepatide acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. The same active ingredient is marketed for chronic weight management under the name Zepbound, an important distinction in discussions of Lilly’s best-known recent medicines.
Eli Lilly’s portfolio also includes insulin products, cancer medicines, and treatments for neurological conditions. A common mistake is treating Mounjaro and Zepbound as different active ingredients: both contain tirzepatide, but their approved uses and brand names differ.