Keith Johns

Keith Johns, MS, MBA, is the Chief Operating Officer for Adipo Therapeutics, a biotech startup working to harness the power of brown adipose tissue to advance the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. His responsibilities at Adipo include developing the strategic focus, external engagement, supporting the clinical development associated with Adipo’s novel therapeutic, capital fund raising, and building relationships with key strategic partners. 

Keith has extensive experience, industry relationships, and a passion for developing and launching blockbuster obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) treatments.  He has over 30 years of pharmaceutical industry and consulting experience and retired from Eli Lilly & Company at the end of December 2022 as the Senior VP of Global Marketing and Alliance Management. He dedicated most of my career to the development and commercialization of numerous products many in the areas of T2D and obesity. In 2009 he completed an international assignment with Lilly China helping the China affiliate launch the first GLP-1, Byetta. From 2010 through 2012, Keith led the US insulin commercialization business. He was the US launch leader from 2012 to 2017 for Trulicity, Lilly’s top selling brand with revenues of over $6B. From 2017 to 2022, he was actively involved in the development of tirzepatide for T2D, obesity, heart failure, sleep apnea, cardiovascular outcome study for T2D, the morbidity and mortality outcome trial for obesity, and renal impairment. Keith also was responsible for the global launch of Mounjaro (tirzepatide for T2D) and had significant input to the launch strategies and planning for the obesity launch – Zepbound (tirzepatide for obesity).  In addition to diabetes and obesity brand development and commercialization, Keith's responsibilities also included market research and forecasting, life cycle management, alliance management with partner Boehringer-Ingelheim, and new product planning, where he drove the strategy and decisions for investments and acquisitions in the emerging diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular pipelines.

Keith has served on several boards for non profit organizations and is currently serving on the Board for Allurion Technologies (ALUR). Keith received his Bachelors of Science degree from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, a Master of Science degree from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, and his MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.