Elon Musk’s new pay-for-play verification system on Twitter shook pharmaceutical mainstay Eli Lilly (LLY) — leading LLY stock to skid Friday — after a fake account claimed “insulin is free now.”
X
The tweet went live around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday from an account claiming to be Eli Lilly. It remained online for several hours, gaining steam from hundreds of retweets and thousands of likes. As of Friday morning, the fake account is no longer verified and its tweets are now private.
But that didn’t stop LLY stock from falling 2.2% near 360.70 in morning trades on today’s stock market.
“We apologize to those who have been served a misleading message from a fake Lilly account,” the company said from its official account.
LLY Stock Dive Extends To Rivals
Eli Lilly’s official account was verified under Twitter’s old rules. The new verification system allows any account to be verified for just $8 per month. The move has spurred numerous fake accounts to crop up, impersonating celebrities, politicians and historical figures.
Insulin prices have become a hot-button issue in the U.S. where no generics exist. Without insulin, some patients with diabetes would die. Lilly, Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Sanofi (SNY) supply 100% of the insulin used in the U.S. and 90% globally.
The LLY stock slide also extended to its rivals. Novo Nordisk shares fell 3.2% near 111.80. Sanofi stock lost 4%, trading near 42.60.
In the third quarter, alone, Lilly’s insulin products generated more than $878 million in sales. Sales fell more than 20% year over year, however. Lilly noted its Humalog brand insulin underwent price cuts during the quarter. On its website, Lilly offers a program in which insulin will cost $35 per month.
Representatives of the company didn’t immediately return a request for comment Friday morning.
LLY stock recently broke out of a flat base with a buy point at 335.43, according to MarketSmith.com. Shares are now beyond the 5% chase zone.
Follow Allison Gatlin on Twitter at @IBD_AGatlin.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
Veru Stock Plummets 54% After FDA Advisors Vote Down Cancer-Turned-Covid Drug
How Dexcom’s ‘Biggest Ever’ Launch Is Reinvigorating Its Stock
IBD Stock Of The Day: See How To Find, Track And Buy The Best Stocks
Watch IBD’s Investing Strategies Show For Actionable Market Insights
IBD Digital: Unlock IBD’s Premium Stock Lists, Tools And Analysis Today
