TLDR
- LLY jumped ~6% on June 26 after the European Medicines Agency backed cancer drug Jaypirca for leukemia treatment
- Medicare’s new GLP-1 Bridge program, starting July 1, will offer Zepbound and Foundayo at a $50 monthly copay
- Leerink Partners raised its price target on LLY to $1,232 following the news
- LLY gained 9.62% over the past week and hit a new 52-week high of $1,206
- A Phase 1b trial combining abemaciclib and darolutamide in prostate cancer was terminated early
Eli Lilly stock has had a strong week. A run of regulatory and pipeline updates pushed LLY up 9.62% over seven days, with the stock hitting a new 52-week high of $1,206.
The biggest single-day move came on June 26, when LLY rose around 6%. That jump followed news that the European Medicines Agency’s committee for human medicines issued a positive opinion on Jaypirca (pirtobrutinib) for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
A positive EMA opinion is typically the last step before European Commission approval, which is expected within two months. Jaypirca already holds FDA approval in the U.S., so a green light in Europe opens up a second major market for the drug.
Leerink Partners responded to the news by raising its price target on LLY to $1,232.
Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Program Adds to the Momentum
Alongside the oncology news, Medicare announced a new GLP-1 Bridge program set to launch July 1, 2026. The program will give eligible participants access to Lilly’s weight-loss drugs Zepbound and Foundayo for a $50 monthly copay.
That’s a meaningful price reduction for many patients and could drive a jump in prescriptions. Wider access to GLP-1 treatments has been a key topic for investors watching Lilly’s obesity franchise.
The combination of the EMA news and the Medicare program landing on the same day gave investors two reasons to buy at once.
Pipeline Updates Across Multiple Therapeutic Areas
Beyond the immediate catalysts, Lilly updated investors on two Phase 3 donanemab trials targeting Alzheimer’s disease. One is testing the drug in preclinical Alzheimer’s patients in China. The other is exploring whether annual dosing can sustain benefits in patients who previously responded.
LLY also launched a Phase 3 trial of orforglipron, an oral GLP-1 drug, in pediatric Type 2 diabetes. That expands its metabolic disease pipeline beyond the adult market.
Not every update was positive. A Phase 1b study combining abemaciclib and darolutamide in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer was terminated early, which was a setback in that specific oncology area. Investors largely moved past it given the broader pipeline activity.
Earlier in the month, Lilly had reported positive Phase 3 data for retatrutide, its next-generation obesity drug that activates three hormone receptors — GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon. That data was presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 86th Scientific Sessions on June 6 and published in The Lancet. Prior Phase 3 readouts showed 24.2% weight loss at 72 weeks in a cardiovascular disease population and 28.7% in a knee osteoarthritis group.
LLY is up 11.7% year-to-date. Wall Street currently holds a consensus “Strong Buy” rating on the stock. As of Friday’s close, Lilly hit $1,206 per share — a new 52-week high.
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