# Mounjaro generated $8.7 billion for Lilly in the first quarter of 2026, outperforming Merck’s Keytruda, which posted sales of $7.9 billion.

*biotech · news · 2026-05-07 · Business Standard*

## Key points

- Mounjaro became the world's best-selling drug in Q1 2026, surpassing Keytruda.
- Lilly's tirzepatide products, Mounjaro and Zepbound, generated $36.5 billion in 2025 combined.
- Keytruda's sales are threatened by a 2028 patent expiration, prompting Merck to shift focus.
- Lilly’s tirzepatide drugs outperformed despite entering the market after Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 drugs.

**Companies:** Eli Lilly & Co., Merck & Co., Novo Nordisk A/S
**Countries:** United States, Denmark

[Read the full story on Business Standard](https://www.business-standard.com/industry/news/eli-lilly-s-mounjaro-overtakes-merck-s-keytruda-as-world-s-top-selling-drug-126050700135_1.html)

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