Eli Lilly to Spend $3.83B on Three Vaccine Developer Acquisitions
LLY•Eli Lilly is acquiring three vaccine developers for $3.83B, buying Curevo for up to $1.5B, LimmaTech for $780M and Vaccine Company for $1.55B. Curevo’s Phase 2 shingles vaccine cut side effects by over 50%, LimmaTech’s S. aureus candidate enters Phase 1 and Vaccine Company’s nanoparticle EBV program nears Phase 1.
1. Acquisition Details
Eli Lilly agreed to acquire Curevo, LimmaTech Biologics and Vaccine Company in transactions valued at up to $3.83 billion combined, including upfront and milestone-based payments of up to $1.5 billion for Curevo, $780 million for LimmaTech and $1.55 billion for Vaccine Company. The deals mark Lilly’s strategic entry into vaccine development, broadening its portfolio beyond diabetes and obesity treatments.
2. Curevo’s Shingles Vaccine
Curevo’s lead candidate, amezosvatein, is a shingles vaccine in Phase 2 trials that demonstrated comparable immune responses to existing standards while reducing side effects such as fatigue, chills and injection-site pain by over 50%. Under the acquisition terms, Curevo shareholders stand to receive cash payments tied to clinical and regulatory milestones.
3. LimmaTech’s Bacterial Vaccine Pipeline
LimmaTech Biologics focuses on vaccines targeting antimicrobial resistance, with its lead program, LTB-SA7, entering Phase 1 development for prevention of Staphylococcus aureus surgical-site infections. The agreement includes upfront and milestone payments contingent on clinical progress and regulatory approvals.
4. Vaccine Company’s EBV Nanoparticle Program
Vaccine Company is developing an in vivo nanoparticle technology to elicit immune responses akin to virus-like particles without traditional manufacturing complexity. Its Epstein-Barr Virus vaccine candidate is expected to begin Phase 1 trials, offering potential implications for conditions linked to EBV infection such as multiple sclerosis and certain cancers.
