• WBST 92.1 FMMuncie
  • WBSB 89.5 FMAnderson
  • WBSW 90.9 FMMarion
  • WBSH 91.1 FMHagerstown / New Castle
Indiana Public Radio, a listener-supported service of Ball State University
Listen Live Online. Tap to open audio stream.

Lilly Plans Layoffs Following Alzheimer’s Drug Failure

By Sarah Fentem, IPB News | Published on in Business, Statewide News
2c713e69-8e5e-490f-ba49-39539a812883
After a promising Alzheimer’s drug failed a late-stage clinical trial, Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly has announced it will lay off workers around the country. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Sarah Fentem reports.

The news of layoffs follows last month’s announcement concerning the failure of Solanezumab, which Lilly hoped would be the first drug to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease.

In an email, Lilly spokesman Mark Taylor says the company anticipated positive results and had made what he called “certain staffing decisions” accordingly. Now that Solanezumab is off the table, Lilly will be trimming workers in its biomedicines sales force starting in 2017.

Taylor was mum about the number of workers but says the field-based salesforce is spread across the country.

Taylor adds the layoffs are also based on Lilly’s decision to stop promoting certain medicines whose patents are expiring soon.

The company did receive some good news. On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Jardiance-a Lilly product—to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death in adults with diabetes.