Eli Lilly is ramping up its campaign against imitations of its blockbuster appetite-suppressing drugs, seeking to put an end to a regulatory designation that has allowed cheaper, off-brand versions to flourish.

The GLP-1 drug giant’s shares have surged this year. Eli Lilly could keep climbing thanks to strong demand for Mounjaro and Zepbound.

In a recent interview on CNBC, the company's CEO, David Ricks, was discussing the strong growth the business has been experiencing with its new drugs. And when talking about Zepbound, he referred to it as having "unbelievable demand" and said, "We're not even trying that hard to promote this drug."

Eli Lilly is cutting the cost of certain weight loss drugs, with new single-dose vials costing less than other medications used for obesity.

Shares of Eli Lilly & Co. LLY shed 0.92% to $940.20 Thursday, on what proved to be an all-around mixed trading session for the stock market, with the S&P 500 Index SPX remaining mostly unchanged at 5,