Eli Lilly is launching a new global health initiative aimed at narrowing the stark treatment gap for diabetes and obesity between high-income countries and resource-limited settings, including low- and middle-income countries.

 

The pharmaceutical giant said its Lilly Change the Course Commitment aims to reach a point before 2040 where as many patients in resource-limited settings are treated with Lilly’s diabetes and obesity medicines as in high-income countries.

 

The scale of the gap is significant: Lilly says that for every four people in high-income countries who can access its diabetes and obesity medicines, only one person in low- and middle-income countries can reach them.

 

The company plans to tackle that disparity across three areas — developing medicines with resource-limited settings in mind, speeding registration and access, and strengthening healthcare systems.

 

"For 150 years, Lilly has addressed some of humanity's most pressing health challenges by turning science into medicines that improve lives. That same commitment to scientific progress has transformed how we understand and treat diabetes and obesity, conditions that affect more than a billion people worldwide," said David A. Ricks, Lilly chair and CEO.

 

He added: "But innovation only matters when it reaches the people who need it. That is why, as a medicine company that puts health above all, we are now going further. With the Lilly Change the Course Commitment, we aim to treat as many people in resource-limited settings as we do in high-income countries with our diabetes and obesity medicines. Innovative medicines like Foundayo (orforglipron), an oral treatment that can be stored at room temperature, will help us distribute and scale access across more LMICs."

 

Lilly said it will seek to register its innovative diabetes and obesity medicines in more low- and middle-income countries, with a particular focus on Africa, Latin America and Asia.

 

The company also plans to work with regulators, health systems, global health organizations and NGOs to accelerate access.

 

The third pillar focuses on healthcare infrastructure. Lilly says it will work with partners to train community health workers, use digital and technology tools, and improve awareness, prevention, diagnosis and care for diabetes and obesity.

 

The initiative comes after the completion of Lilly’s 30x30 global health initiative, which the company says expanded access to quality healthcare for 40 million people in resource-limited settings in 2025. That exceeded its original target of reaching 30 million people annually by 2030, according to Lilly.

 

The company said the new commitment reflects the growing burden of diabetes and obesity in poorer countries. Lilly cites estimates that four in five adults with diabetes and seven in 10 adults with obesity live in low- and middle-income countries.

 

Historically, people in resource-limited settings have often gained access to newer medicines years after their introduction in wealthier countries, Lilly said.

 

Lilly says the new approach will begin during clinical development, including consideration of clinical trials, medical presentations and cold-chain requirements.

 

The company also highlighted Foundayo (orforglipron), its once-daily oral GLP-1 medicine, as an example of a treatment that could help expand access because it can be stored at room temperature.

 

Lilly said it will track progress toward its treatment-parity goal through its annual Sustainability Report and at major global health forums.

 

The commitment does not guarantee that the stated target will be achieved. Lilly's release says the initiative contains forward-looking statements and that there can be no assurance the company will meet its objectives or execute its strategy as planned.