Eli Lilly and Walmart said they have teamed up to boost access to the pharma giant's weight loss drug Zepbound, allowing U.S. patients to access vials of the blockbuster injection at direct-to-consumer prices through retail locations for the first time.

Eli Lilly and Co. is funding and participating in an Indiana University study that examines the health outcomes of people on weight loss drugs, including Lilly medications.

As obesity drug heavyweights Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk gear up to release results for the third quarter, investors are looking elsewhere: high-stakes price talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.

With a market cap of around $730 billion, Eli Lilly ( LLY 0.92%) is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies on planet Earth. It has a strong position in the emerging niche of weight loss drugs, with patent protections that extend into the mid-2030s. And there's a solid pipeline of drugs coming up, too.