Eli Lilly to Acquire Centessa for $38 per Share, Up to $7.8B
Eli Lilly will acquire Centessa for $38 per share plus a contingent value right up to $9, valuing the deal at $6.3 billion initially and up to $7.8 billion with milestones. Centessa’s pipeline features cleminorexton for narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia, and its shares jumped 45% on the news.
1. Deal Terms
Eli Lilly is acquiring Centessa Pharmaceuticals for $38 per share in cash plus a contingent value right up to $9 per share, valuing the transaction at $6.3 billion initially and up to $7.8 billion with milestones.
2. Pipeline Assets
Centessa’s portfolio includes its sleep-wake disorder pipeline, led by orexin receptor 2 agonist cleminorexton, currently in trials for narcolepsy type 1, type 2 and idiopathic hypersomnia.
3. Market Reaction and Analyst Views
Centessa shares surged approximately 45% on the deal announcement, while Eli Lilly stock rose about 2.9%. BMO Capital maintained an Outperform rating on Eli Lilly and set a $1,300 price target, citing portfolio diversification ahead of potential exclusivity losses.
4. Next Steps and Timeline
The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter, pending Centessa shareholder approval and regulatory clearances.