LLY Stock Back In Spotlight After Sealing 10th Acquisition This Year – Expands Beyond Obesity With $3.8B Vaccine Bet

• Curevo is developing a shingles vaccine to reduce side effects, while LimmaTech Biologics is focused on vaccines against drug-resistant bacterial infections, including Gonorrhea and Chlamydia
• Vaccine Company is developing nanoparticle-based vaccines targeting viral diseases.
• On Monday, the company released early data for a gene-editing treatment to permanently lower bad cholesterol.

Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) continued its aggressive expansion with its 10th deal of the year, snapping up three infectious-disease treatment firms in multi-billion dollar deals as the pharmaceutical behemoth broadens its ambitions beyond the booming obesity market.

LLY shares are up more than 1% in pre-market trading and are heading for their best month so far this year.

Eli Lilly Expands Infectious Disease Pipeline With $3.8B Deal Wave

Eli Lilly announced deals to acquire three biotechnology companies, Curevo, LimmaTech Biologics, and Vaccine Company, as the pharmaceutical giant expands its infectious disease research business.

Under the agreements, Lilly could pay up to $1.5 billion for Curevo, up to $780 million for LimmaTech, and $1.55 billion for Vaccine Company.

Retail sentiment for Stocktwits remained in the ‘neutral’ territory over the past 24 hours.  

What Curevo, LimmaTech, And Vaccine Company Bring To LLY 

Curevo is developing Amezosvatein, a shingles vaccine designed to reduce side effects compared with current treatments. In a Phase 2 study, the vaccine matched immune responses while significantly lowering fatigue, chills, and injection-site pain.

Meanwhile, LimmaTech Biologics is focused on vaccines against drug-resistant bacterial infections, including Staphylococcus Aureus, Gonorrhea, and Chlamydia. Its lead candidate is currently in Phase 1 testing.

Vaccine Company is developing nanoparticle-based vaccines targeting viral diseases. The lead Epstein-Barr virus vaccine aims to prevent infections linked to mononucleosis and multiple sclerosis.

LLY’s Push Beyond Obesity

Last week, Eli Lilly acquired genetic medicines developer Engage Biologics for $202 million. The California-based biotech is developing the Tethosome platform, a non-viral DNA delivery technology designed to make genetic therapies more effective, better tolerated, and easier to re-dose.

Before these deals, the company had already acquired six firms this year, including its largest transaction, a $7 billion acquisition of cancer therapies company Kelonia Therapeutics.

On Monday, Eli Lilly released early data for Verve-102, a gene-editing treatment designed to permanently lower bad cholesterol.

Despite a series of acquisitions, the stock is down more than 1% so far this year.

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