Elon Musk Says Eli Lilly Has ‘Some Banger Drugs Coming Out’ After CEO Dave Ricks Bets Against Vinod Khosla's Big Biotech Skepticism
Key takeaways
- Lilly’s recent Phase 3 successes and high‑profile praise suggest a near‑term upside for the company’s stock.
- 1,298 adults in retatrutide vs Ozempic trial
- 80 weeks of treatment
- 47.4 lbs (20.9%) weight loss on 12 mg dose
What happened
Elon Musk tweeted that Eli Lilly (LLY) has "some banger drugs coming out" after Lilly CEO Dave Ricks accepted a bet with venture investor Vinod Khosla on X. The exchange began when user Mgoes highlighted recent Lilly results, including the Phase 3 retatrutide weight‑loss study and a once‑weekly drug that beat Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic in a 1,298‑patient trial. Ricks’ reply to Khosla’s skepticism was a simple "I'll take that bet," prompting Musk’s endorsement.
Why it matters
The comments signal renewed optimism about Lilly’s pipeline, especially its retatrutide program that showed significant weight loss and blood‑sugar improvements. A 20.9% weight loss on the 12 mg dose and a 2.2% A1C drop are strong clinical signals that could drive future sales and market share. The public praise from…
Short-term and longer-term
Short-term. In the next few days, watch for any earnings What a company says it expects for future sales or profits — a forecast from the company, not a guarantee.guidance
Longer-term. Over the coming months, Lilly’s pipeline strength could reshape its long‑term growth narrative.
Words on this card
- A1C
- A blood test that measures average blood sugar levels over the past three months
- Phase 3 trial
- A large, randomized study that tests a drug’s safety and effectiveness before it can be approved
- Ozempic
- A once‑weekly injectable drug by Novo Nordisk used to treat type 2 diabetes
- retatrutide
- An experimental drug by Eli Lilly aimed at weight loss and diabetes
- mRNA vaccine
- A vaccine that uses messenger RNA to instruct cells to produce a protein that triggers an immune response