Eli Lilly Acquires Three Vaccine Developers for Up to $4B

Eli Lilly announced Tuesday it will acquire three vaccine developers in deals worth up to nearly $4 billion, marking the pharmaceutical giant's significant push into infectious disease prevention. The company agreed to purchase Curevo for up to $1.5 billion, LimmaTech Biologics for up to $780 million, and Vaccine Company for up to $1.55 billion, totaling approximately $3.83 billion in combined value. Lilly shares rose 1.3 percent in premarket trading following the announcement. Curevo is developing a subunit vaccine with adjuvant called amezosvateine for the prevention of shingles in adults. LimmaTech Biologics is focused on vaccines against bacterial pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Chlamydia trachomatis, with the company noting that growing antimicrobial resistance is reducing therapeutic options. Vaccine Company is developing proprietary in vivo nanoparticle technologies designed to induce durable immune responses similar to those associated with virus-like particle vaccines. Daniel M. Skovronsky, chief scientific and product officer and president of Lilly Research Laboratories, said the acquisitions reflect a deliberate strategy to prevent disease at its source rather than treat its consequences. He noted that decades of evidence link common infections with diseases that may arise years later, including neurological conditions, cancer, and infertility. The deal values represent upfront payments plus potential clinical and commercial milestone payments, and The Wall Street Journal first reported the acquisitions earlier Tuesday.