About-Face

The Worrisome 'Why' Behind Eli Lilly's Change of Heart

It's finally considering dropping its animal-health unit -- because it may have to.
Photographer: Daniel Acker
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About its animal-health unit Elanco, Eli Lilly & Co. protested too much.

The drugmaker has repeatedly claimed Elanco was a core part of its business, rebuffing investor calls for a divestiture. But on Tuesday, along with its third-quarter earnings results, Lilly announced it will decide whether to spin off, sell, or keep the unit by mid-2018.