Eli Lilly chief says “biomedical revolution” is nearing

Eli Lilly’s chairman and chief executive officer has claimed that the industry is on the cusp of a “biomedical revolution” thanks to many of the technologies that have grown from the Human Genome Project.

Sidney Taurel told the Economic Club of Florida that the wealth of new information about disease mechanisms released from years of genetic research was finally bearing dividends for scientists, who are now able to use new technologies like biomarkers and RNA interference in their research.

In his speech, Mr Taurel compared scientists today to explorers of the past landing on the shores of Florida with an undiscovered continent yet to explore.

He said: “We believe we’re in the early stages of a major leap forward in new drug discovery.”

In particular, the Lilly boss said he felt that the pharmaceutical industry was nearing a major breakthrough in fighting Alzheimer’s disease, while cancer could soon become “a chronic disease rather than a fatal one”.

“I believe that treatments that would have been regarded as miraculous ten years ago will be in common use in the future,” he concluded.

Lilly is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world and has produced several well-known proprietary drugs, the most famous of which is arguably Prozac. In addition, the company has released Gemzar, a best-selling anti-cancer therapy, and Ceclor, the world’s top-selling oral antibiotic.

The firm employs 42,000 employees across the world.

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