# @elilillyco on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf3wbkcMmeO
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/64294480-elilillyco-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/09e60811f5.jpg
- **Posted:** 2022-07-11T12:00:10.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Eli Lilly and Company (@elilillyco) — https://gondola.cc/elilillyco

## Caption

#WeAreLilly - 35,000 global employees #PoweredbyPurpose

"As a pediatric allergist and immunologist, I recognized how diverse communities experience a condition called atopic dermatitis (AD), more commonly known as eczema. Some studies suggest that people with skin of color can be disproportionally affected by AD and struggle with a more severe presentation of the disease.

Intense, persistent itch is the most troubling symptom of this condition. It creates an itch-scratch cycle – the scratching generates more skin inflammation, and bacterial skin infection, which worsens the itch.

This disease is more prevalent in children, and it can be harder on them and the entire family. Severe itching interferes with sleep quality of those affected and family members, ultimately impacting school and work productivity.

In clinical practice in my native Brazil, I worked with families whose small children were struggling because they couldn't have normal lives. The physical symptoms of AD are usually associated with behavior issues and mood disorders. Even in hot Brazilian summers, those kids would be completely covered because they were ashamed of their skin.

My impact was limited because I could only help a few families with few unreliable treatments available. Now, working in the pharmaceutical industry – I could finally do something that could impact more people.

At Lilly, I'm helping lead a clinical development program for an investigative treatment option for people with moderate-to-severe AD. In addition to the traditional studies required for registration, we started a clinical trial dedicated to people with skin of color. Our pediatric program also aims to include people with different skin tones. We hope to generate new information using innovative tools to better understand how a potential new medicine may help.

I think of those people I could never wholly help in my clinical practice because we didn't have adequate treatment options. I get speechless to think that now these people may benefit from a new treatment - that's my purpose."

Renata Gontijo Lima, MD
Associate VP, Medical, Research & Development

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 107
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- **Comments:** 16

## Tags

poweredbypurpose, wearelilly

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