Indiana University and Eli Lilly and Company have signed a five-year agreement that will provide up to $40 million to expand access to clinical trials and innovative treatments for patients across the state.
The partnership aims to advance research and care in Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, cancer, and emerging cell and gene therapies while strengthening Indiana’s life sciences workforce.
According to the announcement, the collaboration builds on decades of work between the two institutions and will create what leaders describe as a “best-in-class system for clinical trial innovation.” The effort combines IU’s research and clinical strengths with Lilly’s biopharmaceutical expertise to accelerate patient enrollment, improve trial design and broaden access to investigational medicines.
“Indiana has everything it takes to build a best-in-class system for clinical trial innovation,” Eli Lilly and Company Chair and CEO David Ricks said. “Partnering with IU under Pam Whitten’s leadership, we can accelerate progress by removing barriers, enrolling patients faster and delivering life-changing medicines sooner.”
IU President Pamela Whitten said the agreement represents “a new chapter for Indiana University and how we work with industry partners — moving with speed, purpose and a focus on real-world outcomes.”
The IU Launch Accelerator for Biosciences, known as IU LAB, will lead the university’s efforts. The partnership outlines three main areas of focus: developing an AI-enabled clinical trial infrastructure, expanding neurological health resources with an emphasis on Alzheimer’s disease, and preparing a job-ready talent pipeline for Indiana’s growing life sciences sector.
IU LAB President and CEO David Rosenberg called the collaboration “an exciting step forward,” adding that it will “accelerate scientific discovery, advance the care of Hoosiers, drive economic growth and solidify Indiana’s position as a national leader in the life sciences.”
Leaders from IU Health, the IU School of Medicine, the Indiana Life Sciences Association and the Central Indiana Community Partnership also voiced support, emphasizing improved patient access, stronger research capacity and expanded educational opportunities for students.
This agreement marks the first phase of a broader five-year partnership that IU and Lilly plan to grow as early projects demonstrate measurable impact.
This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights. https://iaaqli.org/
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
