(Reuters) - Eli Lilly and Co reported better-than-expected quarterly revenue, lifted by higher demand for its diabetes drugs Trulicity and Humalog.
The drugmaker said on Tuesday net income rose to $771.8 million, or 73 cents per share, from $478.4 million, or 45 cents per share, a year earlier.
Excluding special items, Lilly earned 95 cents per share in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31.
Analysts' on average had expected 98 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Revenue rose 7.2 percent to $5.76 billion, beating analysts' average estimate of $5.55 billion.
Sales of Trulicity and Humalog handily beat analysts' expectations, according to consensus estimates compiled by Evercore ISI.
(Reporting by Divya Grover in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)
