Going Beyond For 70 Years

From our humble beginnings as a sales division within Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) to becoming the world’s second largest independent animal health company, our commitment to making life better for animals has never wavered. In the lab, clinic, store, home, or on the farm, our employees – past and present – continue to push further, dive deeper and challenge the status quo.

Rabies, Planes and Stilbosol

Our roots in animal health go back to the earliest days of the veterinary profession in 1892. At that time, Lilly, the parent company to what would become Elanco, was one of the few providing rabies formulations to veterinarians. Fast forward to the 1950s, a conversation overheard on a plane ride – about a recently-presented study suggesting a cattle application for a human medicine – turned into the first big bet that created an agriculture division. The plane landed, a phone call was made, and before the week was out, Lilly began working with Iowa State University to bring this science to the market. On November 5, 1954, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved our first product, solidifying Elanco’s foundation.

The Birth of a Brand

In 1960, the Elanco brand, short for Eli Lilly and Company, is born along with a separate visual identity. Fast forward 10 years to the 1970s, the iconic blue slash is introduced as the Elanco identity continued to evolve. The new logo conveyed forward, upward movement and growth.

Our Roots in Agriculture

We originally sold both animal health and plant protection products, including Treflan – a soybean herbicide unlike anything on the market at that time. The success of Treflan made it the top selling product in all of Lilly for more than a decade (more than their human medicines!). Following Treflan, in 1975, we introduced Rumensin – a cattle feed ingredient to improve feed efficiency and prevent and control coccidiosis, ushering in a revolutionary new class of medicines called an “ionophore” – an antibiotic only used in animals.

“A Purpose Driven Company”

In the 1980s, we intensified our focus and took an aggressive approach to Research & Development, seeking line extensions and increased manufacturing capacity. The bar was raised for our sales teams and our presence in international markets grew. In the 1990s, we began to move away from plants to focus exclusively on farm animal health. By the early 2000s, we were a leading farm animal health company. At that time, the team looked inward and found they shared one unifying motivation – purpose. From there, our purpose and company vision of “Food and Companionship Enriching Life” was born. Elanco became a company that focused on the “why” instead of the “what.” This purpose driven brand is what set us apart in 2000 and continues to set us apart today.

Elanco Expands

We embarked on a significant era of expansion in 2007 upon the acquisition of Ivy Animal Health and the creation of our Pet Health business. Our first product – Reconcile® – addressed separation anxiety in pets, marking the beginning of our work exploring the human/animal bond. From 2010 to 2016, Elanco acquired multiple animal health companies and assets, building a diverse product portfolio. 

Going Our Own Way

In 2018, Elanco officially separated from Eli Lilly & Company, listing on the New York Stock Exchange and launching us onto the global stage as an independent public company. Shortly after, we purchased Bayer Animal Health, balancing our portfolio between Pet Health and Farm Animal, U.S. and International. Today, we have more than 200 brands all aimed at enhancing the health and safety of the world’s animals.

Entering a New Era of Growth and Innovation

With independent systems created and Bayer Animal Health fully integrated, we are entering a new era of growth and innovation, fueled by a robust set of new innovation launching, diverse and balanced portfolio and sharpened strategic focus. Since becoming independent, we’ve continued to transform animal health by delivering innovations that solve critical problems. Whether it's taking needles out of diabetes treatment for cats or unlocking the first ever parvovirus treatment for dogs, or even finding a way to make a more sustainable burger, Elanco puts solutions in the hands of veterinarians, farmers and pet owners who need them.

Explore Beyond