Behind Eli Lilly’s Cymbalta and Other Neuroscience Products in 3Q17

Eli Lilly’s (LLY) neuroscience product portfolio includes the drugs Cymbalta, Strattera, and Zyprexa—all of which reported sales declines for 3Q17.

Cymbalta, an antidepressant, reported revenues of $183.2 million during 3Q17, representing a 42% YoY (year-over-year) fall in sales, compared with $313.5 million in 3Q16. This decline was driven by an 88% fall in US sales to $19.6 million, offset by an 8% rise in non-US sales to $163.5 million. Non-US sales reported a 13% rise at constant exchange rates, offset by a -5% impact of foreign exchange.

Strattera, a drug for hyperactivity disorder and attention-deficit disorder, reported revenues of $137 million during 3Q17, representing a 31% fall in revenues, compared with $199 million in 3Q16. This fall was driven by a 56% decline in US sales, offset by a 6% rise in non-US sales in 3Q17.

Zyprexa, an antipsychotic drug, reported revenues of $141 million during 3Q17, representing a 6% fall in revenues, compared with $149 million in 3Q16. This decline was driven by a 10% fall in non-US sales, which was partially offset by a 72% rise in US sales to $12.6 million. The decline in non-US revenues was due to competition from other products.

Notably, the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) has 2.5% of its total assets in Eli Lilly (LLY), 3.1% in Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY), 4.5% in Merck (MRK), and 6.5% in Pfizer (PFE).