Eli Lilly (LLY) Has A Healthy Pipeline : CEO Tells CNBC

Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) posted its Q4 EPS at $0.91, narrowly missing the market estimate of $0.92. However, it surpassed the market revenue expectation of $5.677 billion and recorded $5.93 billion in revenue.

Talking with CNBC, Eli Lilly’ CEO John Lechleiter said that the company did well in 2009 and recorded 5% sales and 16% earnings growth on the proforma basis. Eli Lilly has also settled a dispute regarding follow-on drugs to Erbitux with Bristol-Myers (NYSE: BMY). The company’s most profitable and top selling drug Zyprexa is scheduled to go generic next year.

Keeping all this in mind, Eli Lilly’s CEO said that the company has a healthy pipeline and will be able to replace the drugs going generic with the new ones.