Even outside of the stock market, many people know the name Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY). It’s a pharmaceutical mega-corporation that’s literally been around since the 1800s. Eli Lilly is a decidedly modern drugmaker — and LLY stock deserves some attention.
Shareholders also might not think of LLY as a novel coronavirus stock. That’s because the term is generally reserved for hot newcomers and biotech sector upstarts. Those stocks tend to garner the most attention in news reports and on social media sites.
But just because Eli Lilly is the poster child of Big Pharma doesn’t mean that it’s old fashioned or stodgy. If anything, it’s a company that’s deeply committed to contributing to the ongoing battle against the coronavirus. Indeed, Eli Lilly could surprise the scientific and investing communities at the same time with a first-to-market treatment.
LLY Stock at a Glance
First things first: Where does LLY stock stand in the grand scheme of things? It appears that while the broader stock market roiled in the wake of the pandemic, Eli Lilly shares held up pretty well.
The share price wobbled in February and March — but that’s not unusual amid the circumstances. LLY shares got right back on track in April with a moderate price move to the upside.
Stockholders had to cough up some of their hard-won returns in May. However, the slide in share price isn’t a reason to run for the hills. If anything, it’s a chance to get in at a more favorable price point.
Eli Lilly’s Powerful Partnership
March 12 was an important day for Eli Lilly. That’s the day when the drugmaker revealed its plan to develop antibody therapies to treat Covid-19 with a privately held company known as AbCellera.
At the outset, this auspicious collaboration hit the ground running. By the first day of June, the two companies were already dosing the first patients with an antibody known as LY-CoV555. This antibody was specifically designed to fight Covid-19, and it was a headline-grabbing moment as LY-CoV555 was so quickly being used in human clinical trials.
Eli Lilly plans to review the results of this Phase 1 trial later this month, so investors should be on the lookout for developments on that front. More clinical trials are also on the runway, but don’t expect Eli Lilly to wait very long to start manufacturing a product.
What do I mean? Before the full efficacy and safety results are known for LY-CoV555, Eli Lilly intends to move forward with the manufacturing process. Clearly, the company is willing to take the necessary risks to become a first mover and potentially dominate the market.
Progress Abroad
While all that’s going on, Eli Lilly also had another auspicious announcement. It concerned Junshi Biosciences, a Chinese company that Eli Lilly partnered with last month in the fight against Covid-19.
Reportedly, Junshi has already dosed the first healthy volunteer in the company’s Phase I trial of JS016. That’s Junshi’s antibody candidate for Covid-19.
So once again, Eli Lilly and its partners are moving swiftly toward a possible treatment for Covid-19. Moreover, investors should know that there’s a potential link between JS016 and the aforementioned LY-CoV555.
Specifically, the company and Junshi Biosciences will study JS016 as a monotherapy. However, Eli Lilly also plans to study JS016 in combination with proposed antibody treatments, including LY-CoV555.
The Bottom Line
It’s good to know that a Big Pharma firm like Eli Lilly is pitching in to help fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. LLY stockholders should appreciate the company’s ongoing efforts. They could contribute to the public’s health and well-being, but also should benefit Eli Lilly’s bottom line.
Louis Navellier had an unconventional start, as a grad student who accidentally built a market-beating stock system — with returns rivaling even Warren Buffett. In his latest feat, Louis discovered the “Master Key” to profiting from the biggest tech revolution of this (or any) generation. Louis Navellier may hold some of the aforementioned securities in one or more of his newsletters.
