Inside the GLP-1 Gold Rush: Eli Lilly CEO on New Breakthroughs, Addiction & Mental Health, Pricing

All-In Podcast

  • Sep 28, 2025
  • 30:40
  • Full Episode

(0:00) Introducing Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks (1:43) How Eli Lilly discovered the GLP-1 impact on weight loss, counterfeit products from China (7:08) GLP-1 pricing and capital allocation after a breakout pharma product (12:56) Why Biotech VC has plummeted, “patent hacking” in China (15:32) Dave’s health regimen: good sleep, movement, healthy diet, social relationships, reading (18:32) Unexpected impacts of GLP-1s, helping with addictions, potential mental health use cases (21:16) Thoughts on RFK Jr, Big Pharma’s influence on the media, how AI empowers patients (25:27) Impact of proposed NIH cuts, explaining the “PBM boogeyman”, next major pharma breakthrough

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Brief Summary

Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks discusses GLP-1 drugs, their impact on obesity, and the challenges of pricing and counterfeit medications.

Key points

  • Eli Liy's Revolutionary Pill. Eli Liy introduces a pill that works as effectively as injected GLP-1 drugs.
  • The Journey of GLP-1 Drugs. Dave Ricks discusses the long and challenging development of GLP-1 drugs since 2006.
  • Massive Revenue Growth. Eli Liy's drug sales surpassed $8 billion in Q2, becoming the best-selling drug ever.
  • Counterfeit Concerns. Eli Liy addresses the challenges posed by counterfeit GLP-1 drugs in the market.
  • Future of Obesity Drugs. Eli Liy discusses the moral imperative to reduce drug prices for obesity treatment.
  • Reforming Food Accessibility. A call to make quality food cheaper and more accessible for everyone.

Episode highlights

Tension

45/ 100Some tension

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