Eli Lilly and Co posted better-than-expected profit on Wednesday, helped by higher sales of its Cymbalta anti-depressant and Alimta cancer drug, and raised its full-year forecast.

Net income was $941.8 million, or 86 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $465.6 million, or 43 cents per share, a year earlier, when it took big charges related to a marketing probe.

Excluding asset impairment, restructuring and other charges, Lilly posted earnings of $1.20 per share. Analysts on average expected $1.02, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Lilly boosted its full-year forecast for earnings, excluding items, to a range of $4.30 to $4.40 per share, up from $4.20 to $4.30 previously.

(Reporting by Lewis Krauskopf; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)