Eli Lilly (LLY.US) announced on Wednesday that its drug for treating chronic inflammatory bowel disease has been approved by Chinese regulatory authorities, marking the therapy's official entry into the world's second-largest pharmaceutical market. The U.S. pharmaceutical company stated in a declaration on its official WeChat account that the drug, mirikizumab, has been approved for the treatment of moderate to severe active Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The statement noted that this approval represents the first innovative drug from Eli Lilly China to be approved in the field of digestive immunology. The drug had previously received approval for marketing in several countries, including the United States. Eli Lilly also markets drugs in China for areas such as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and obesity. The company has not yet immediately responded to requests for comment regarding the drug's launch timeline and pricing. According to Clarivate data, the launch and application of targeted drugs like those from Eli Lilly are expected to drive significant growth in China's ulcerative colitis treatment market over the next decade.