INDIANAPOLIS -- John Lechleiter (pictured) took the helm at Eli Lilly, an Indianapolis-based Fortune 500 company, Tuesday morning, assuming responsibility for a company that earned nearly $3 billion last year.

Lechleiter, 54, replaces Sidney Taurel, 59, who retired but will remain chairman of the board through the end of the year.

On his first day as CEO, Lechleiter met with media members before getting down to pressing business.

Lechleiter told 6News' Stacia Matthews that his top priority is to get new drugs through the approval pipeline before 2011, when Lilly loses patent protection for Zyprexa, its best-selling drug.

The Harvard-trained scientist said Lilly has several drugs in clinical testing. Effient, a new blood-thinner, could be the company's next blockbuster, If the Food and Drug Administration approves the drug.

"The product's under FDA review right now, and we learned a few weeks ago that we received a priority review," Lechleiter said. "We hope to hear an answer back from the FDA in the summertime."

Lechleiter's leadership skills began at an early age as the oldest of nine siblings. He said that experience taught him how to negotiate and get along with others.

Employees said Lechleiter is a people's boss -- hands-on and personable. He becomes Lilly's ninth leader in 131 years, capping a career that began nearly 30 years ago in research labs.