INDIANAPOLIS, July 12, 2016 -- Lilly USA, LLC will partner with Howard University this summer on an inaugural Minority Fellowship program for post-graduate minority professionals embarking on careers in science or medicine. The fellowship aims to increase collaboration and address the lack of minorities in the pharmaceutical industry by providing training to future healthcare professionals.

The program—a component of the larger Medical Scientific Fellowship—is open to physicians, doctorate, and scientific-degreed post-graduates interested in the drug development process. Participants will spend a year of training at Lilly (LLY) to gain knowledge on the complexities of drug development, the regulatory environment, and the roles that scientists and healthcare providers play in this multifaceted process. They will also have the chance to work on special projects on topics of interest, such as health disparities.

"Lilly is working to meet the needs of diverse populations by embedding diversity within our culture and weaving it into every aspect of our business—from how we hire employees to our clinical trials," said Yolanda Johnson-Moton, director of external relations for Lilly's U.S. Medical Division. "This program offers the opportunity for us to leverage Lilly's longstanding commitment to education, diversity and collaborative relationships."

Howard University continues its commitment to "truth and service" by partnering with Lilly on this program, added Daphne Bernard, Pharm.D., Interim Dean of Howard University's College of Pharmacy. "A cadre of highly skilled young healthcare professionals will receive advanced training, covering the full scope of the drug manufacturing process. They will hone their research and clinical skills while learning about the regulatory processes involved in drug development. This knowledge will position the fellows to better address efforts to reduce health disparities."

This unique fellowship marks the first collaboration for Lilly and Howard University. The first class of fellows includes recent Howard graduates. The school is based in Washington, D.C., and Lilly USA is the U.S. affiliate of Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Company.

About Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us atwww.lilly.com and newsroom.lilly.com/social-channels. C-LLY

About Howard University
Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University has produced three Rhodes Scholars, nine Truman Scholars, two Marshall Scholars, over 60 Fulbright Scholars and 22 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the U.S. To learn more about Howard University, please visit the University's Web site at www.howard.edu.

Refer to: Mark Taylor; taylor_mark_e@lilly.com; (317) 354-7045 (Lilly)     
               Anthony Owens; anthony.owens@Howard.edu; (202) 870-9208 (Howard University)

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