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NewsWorld NewsBusinessSportsEntertainmentTech / ScienceHealthWeatherTravelBlogs Etc.Local NewsNewsweekMultimediaNews VideoMost PopularNBC NEWSMSNBC TVToday ShowNightly NewsMeet the PressDateline NBC  MSNBC Home » Business » Motley FoolWill New Drugs Gild Lilly?

Although Lilly's late-stage pipeline is weak, newer drugs should still be able to grow.By Stephen D.

Simpson, CFA (TMFWildWeasel) One way or another, drug development will cost you.

If you want to stay in the business of pharmaceuticals, you pretty much have to throw a lot of money into basic R&D, or else spend a lot of money on acquiring/licensing other companies and compounds.

Either way, it's going to take money and time.

Time is something of a mixed blessing for Eli Lilly(NYSE: LLY) right now, as the company tries to balance a weak late-stage pipeline with increasing contributions from newer approved drugs.

For the fourth quarter, Lilly's revenue rose 6% (on a 7% increase in volume), with newer drugs making up 20% of that total - up from 18% in the third quarter.

While sales were once again led by Zyprexa (which was down 5%), newer compounds like Cymbalta, Read more...