Daniel Skovronsky
Analyst · Guggenheim. Please go ahead
Thank you, Anat. 2021 was a remarkable year for Lilly’s pipeline. We delivered positive data on 5 molecules: tirzepatide, tenenumab, pirtobrutinib, mirikizumab and lebrikizumab, all of which have the potential to launch in the next two years, and we are excited about the potential of these molecules hold for patients. In addition, we launched and submitted several key new indications for in-market products, including important new indications for Verzenio and Jardiance. And also, we advanced our early-stage pipeline. Just a few weeks-ago, we provided an extensive R&D update across our therapeutic areas and shared our excitement about the next wave of innovation coming from Lilly. As a result, today’s R&D update will be brief and focus on the progress we have made since our last earnings call. Slide 14 shows select pipeline opportunities as of January 31, and Slides 15 and 16 show a recap of 2021 key events and potential key events for 2022. In Diabetes, with the recent submission in Japan, we have now submitted tirzepatide across all major geographies for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. We look forward to potential approvals for this important medicine this year. We anticipate U.S. regulatory action in type 2 diabetes as well as the top line readout from SURMOUNT-1, both by midyear. In Japan, we submitted Jardiance for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and received approval for Jardiance for treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Moving to Oncology. We shared encouraging updated data at ASH for pirtobrutinib for both chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma. We continue to progress this molecule and initiated another Phase III study in first-line CLL comparing pirtobrutinib to chemoimmunotherapy. During our December meeting, we also announced the initiation of a rolling submission for pirtobrutinib for MCL in the U.S. We plan to complete this submission this year with anticipated regulatory action in early 2023, and we are excited to potentially bring this important medicine to patients on this accelerated timeline. For Verzenio, we received approval for high-risk early breast cancer in Japan for the Cohort 1 population study to monarchE and are pleased that this approval represents 90% of the intent-to-treat population. We have also made the difficult decision to terminate further enrollment in the Phase III study of Verzenio for HER2 positive early breast cancer in response to the changing treatment landscape and global enrollment challenges. Importantly, this decision does not change our commitment to and investment in breast cancer. In addition, we began a Phase III study for selpetatinib for the treatment of adjuvant RET-positive non-small cell lung cancer and we also dosed the first patient in the U.S. trial of our BCL-2 inhibitor. In Immunology, we announced positive top line data for our Phase III maintenance study of mirikizumab in ulcerative colitis. We are pleased that the study met all primary and key secondary endpoints, and we look forward to submissions in the first half of this year. We also announced positive top line Phase III results for lebrikizumab in combination with topical corticosteroids, and we are encouraged that data to date has demonstrated a competitive profile for treatment of atopic dermatitis. We await maintenance data for lebrikizumab in the first half of this year in advance of global submissions, which are expected by the end of 2022. Moving to baricitinib. We announced last week that based on top line efficacy results from two Phase III trials, we have decided to discontinue the Phase III development program for lupus. For atopic dermatitis in the U.S., we are in ongoing discussions with the FDA, but do not have alignment with the agency on the indicated population, which could possibly lead to a complete response letter. We expect regulatory action for this indication very soon. Finally, we have submitted baricitinib for alopecia areata in the U.S. and hope it will become the first medicine approved for patients living with this disease later this year. In our early phase immunology portfolio, we started a new Phase I study for CD19 antibody and we have discontinued our oral IL-17 inhibitor. Moving to neurodegeneration. In our early-phase pipeline, we announced that we have received breakthrough therapy designation for N3pG4, an additional amyloid lowering agent for which we intend to initiate pivotal trials by the end of this year. We have evidence that this therapy is completely and rapidly cleared amyloid plaque and we are exploring flexible dosing regimens, including subcutaneous dosing. For the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, we also began a Phase II trial for our oglic/nacase inhibitor, an oral small molecule targeting tau. While donanemab has been a primary focus for investors, we are pleased with the continued clinical advancement of the rest of our neurodegeneration pipeline. Now turning to donanemab, in December, we initiated two additional Phase III studies, TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 3, our prevention study for asymptomatic Alzheimer’s disease; and TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 4, our head-to-head plaque clearance study compared to add-a-helm. It has been less than one year since we published a positive randomized controlled TRAILBLAZER-ALZ study, which demonstrated clinically meaningful benefits on endpoints of cognition and function. Since then, we have focused investors on the need for replication from our well-designed expanded Phase III study, TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2, which is now fully enrolled and expected to read out in mid-2023. While a lot has happened in this space during this last year, and more events are likely before we get top line results next year, what hasn’t changed for us is the importance of the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 readout and our confidence in both donanemab and the unique study design. Given the impact of this devastating disease, we believe that if TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 provides positive confirmatory data, we can’t see a scenario where there is not global reimbursement, patient access and broad use of donanemab. We noted last year that we had low expectations for the use of donanemab during the period between potential accelerated approval and the availability of confirmatory Phase III data in mid-2023. We are disappointed with the position that Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has taken in its draft national coverage determination decision, and those low expectations could now extend for some months beyond the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 readout if reconsideration of CMS coverage determination is required, given historical timelines for this process. While the accelerated approval pathway was instituted by the FDA to allow for earlier approval of drugs that treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need, hence providing valuable access to more patients faster than what is available under clinical trials, the NCD is currently written essentially negates that patient benefit in Alzheimer’s disease. Still, we intend to complete our application for accelerated approval for donanemab yet this year, but we now move completion of the accelerated approval submission out of Q1. We expect further volatility and expectations as competitor Alzheimer’s disease trials read out prior to our definitive data. We remain confident in the differentiation of donanemab and in our uniquely designed TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 study. And importantly, the long-term opportunity to help patients with donanemab remains unchanged. Lastly, with respect to our progress with COVID-19 therapies. Earlier this year, we submitted a request to the FDA for Emergency Use Authorization for bebtelimumab for treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 and for patients at high risk for progression of severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death. This is the third antibody we have developed for the treatment of COVID-19, and authentic virus and pseudovirus assays demonstrate that bebtelovimab retains neutralization activity against Omicron as well as all other known variants of concern. We have produced several hundred thousand doses of bebtelovimab and stand ready to supply as needed if this antibody receives EUA from the FDA. In addition, we have also submitted a supplemental NDA for baricitinib for treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and expect regulatory action by the middle of this year. Baricitinib currently has an EUA for this indication. We are proud of the therapies we have delivered to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic, and we will continue to do our part as public health needs emerge. In summary, Q4 was another productive quarter for R&D at Lilly, capping what was an outstanding year of pipeline progress on behalf of patients. Now I will turn the call back to Dave.