Eli Lilly & Co. says it will acquire three clinical-stage vaccine developers in agreements valued at up to about $3.8 billion, in a push to expand its presence in infectious diseases. The companies include Curevo, LimmaTech Biologics, and Vaccine Company, according to Lilly. Lilly says the deals give it access to novel technologies and experimental vaccine candidates for multiple targets. These include vaccines aimed at shingles, common bacterial pathogens, and Epstein-Barr virus.
The company frames the acquisitions as part of a broader strategy to prevent disease rather than treat it after onset. Lilly’s chief scientific and product officer, Dan Skovronsky, says the acquisitions reflect that approach.
Reporting across outlets also characterizes the move as Lilly returning more directly to vaccine development, drawing on financial resources from its recent growth in obesity medicines to support expansion into other therapeutic areas. While one outlet cites total spending up to roughly $4 billion, all accounts describe three targeted acquisitions and an infectious-disease focus with vaccine development programs as the core asset being purchased.
