Eli Lilly Ranks 31st in Trading Volume with 17.45 Billion Shares Exchanged Amidst Significant Weight Loss Drug Deals

On June 9, 2025, Eli Lilly (LLY) closed with a trading volume of 17.45 billion, ranking 31st in the day's stock market. The stock rose by 0.50%, marking its second consecutive day of gains, with a total increase of 1.05% over the past two days.

Eli Lilly recently announced a significant deal worth up to $870 million to license technology from Camurus. This technology aims to extend the durability of its weight loss treatments, potentially enhancing the effectiveness of its obesity drugs. The collaboration focuses on developing long-acting therapies based on Camurus' FluidCrystal® technology and Eli Lilly's proprietary drug compounds.

Chugai Pharmaceutical, a Japanese biotech company, has expressed optimism about combining its anti-muscle-wasting drug, GYM329, with Eli Lilly's oral obesity pill, orforglipron. This combination is expected to address the issue of muscle loss often associated with weight-loss treatments. Chugai's senior executive, Hitoshi Iikura, highlighted the growing evidence that modern weight-loss drugs can lead to significant muscle loss, an issue that GYM329 aims to mitigate.

Orforglipron, which Eli Lilly licensed from Chugai, has shown strong late-stage trial results, matching the safety and efficacy of popular injectables like Wegovy and Ozempic. The drug has significantly reduced weight and blood sugar levels and is expected to hit the market next year. Chugai began developing orforglipron in 2003 as part of an effort to enhance diabetes treatments, aiming to make them longer-acting and tablet-based. Although obesity wasn’t an initial target, the company saw broader potential as research evolved.

Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, a weight-loss and diabetes drug, saw a 60% jump in sales in India in May compared to April, marking its second full month on the Indian market. India has the third-largest obese population in the world, making it a significant market for weight-loss treatments. According to market research, the U.S. drugmaker made 126 million rupees ($1.5 million) from Mounjaro injections last month.