New Lilly Research Labs Focus On Drug Innovation

President of Lilly Research Laboratories and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Dan Skovronsky says innovation is the goal.

“We’re going where breaking science meets unmet medical needs and we’re focused on making molecules that will become breakthroughs that will change the lives of patients,” Skovronsky says.

Skovronsky says the research hub will allow for multidisciplinary collaboration.

“This platform coupled with the advanced technologies we have here are going to enable the development of new medicines across our five therapeutic areas, oncology, diabetes, immunology, neurodegeneration and pain,” he says.

The $75 million facility is the latest independent research lab for Lilly and is designed to be open and flexible so researchers can follow the science. Skovronsky says drug discovery and development is complicated and risky.

“In terms of the fact that it doesn’t always work, mostly it doesn’t work,” says Skovronsky. “But it starts with understanding the biology, understanding what causes disease and then designing molecules that can actually become medicines.”

The goal is to advance the speed of drug development.