NEW YORK — Eli Lilly and Company's laboratories were rated No. 1 in both the innovation and invention categories of the latest IDEA Pharma index, released in May 2026. It was the first time a single company topped both categories in the ranking.

IDEA Pharma, a UK-based firm that is part of the consultancy SAI MedPartners, produces the index, which ranks drug company laboratories on two separate sets of criteria: innovation and invention. The index measures each category against distinct criteria.

The innovation category measures factors including revenue from new products, new drug approvals, and major drug development events. The invention category assesses the number of drugs in development, clinical trials, and research and development investment.

Prior editions of the index had recognized different companies as leaders across the two categories. Lilly's simultaneous top placement in both rankings marked a departure from that pattern. The index is released annually and tracks pharmaceutical laboratory performance across both dimensions, with each category evaluated independently before rankings are assigned.